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A multiphysics fully coupled modeling tool for the design and operation analysis of planar solid oxide fuel cell stacks

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  • Li, Ang
  • Song, Ce
  • Lin, Zijing

Abstract

A planar SOFC stack is an integral but basic power generation unit with physical conditions completely different from that of a laboratory button cell. The ability to reliably predict the operating behaviors of SOFC stacks is crucial for the technology advancement. The existing stack models either rely on simplified geometries, or handle a few selected fields that are relatively easy to couple. This paper reports the first successful development of a high geometry resolution, multiphysics fully coupled numerical model for production scale planar SOFC stacks. The computational model is developed through in-house developed multiphysics modules combined with commercial software FLUENT®. All stack components such as flow channels, manifolds, cathode-electrolyte-anode assemblies, interconnects, seals and frames are resolved in the numerical grids. The mathematical model includes the fully coupled equations of momentum, mass, species, heat and charge transports, electrochemical reaction, and methane steam reforming and shift reactions. An accurate relationship between the O2 transport and electrochemistry within the cathode-rib structure is established and used to enhance the numerical efficiency of the stack model. The stack model is validated with the experimental data. The numerical stability and modeling capability of this multiphysics stack model are illustrated by simulating a 30-cell stack of 27 million grid points. Detailed information about the distributions of flows, temperature, current and chemical species, etc, is revealed. Comparative studies show that the results obtained by simplifications of stack geometries or reductions of multiphysics couplings are unreliable, illustrating the necessity of employing a true multiphysics computational tool.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Ang & Song, Ce & Lin, Zijing, 2017. "A multiphysics fully coupled modeling tool for the design and operation analysis of planar solid oxide fuel cell stacks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 1234-1244.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:190:y:2017:i:c:p:1234-1244
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.01.034
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Karol K. Śreniawski & Maciej Chalusiak & Marcin Moździerz & Janusz S. Szmyd & Grzegorz Brus, 2023. "Transport Phenomena in a Banded Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack—Part 1: Model and Validation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-25, June.
    3. Zarabi Golkhatmi, Sanaz & Asghar, Muhammad Imran & Lund, Peter D., 2022. "A review on solid oxide fuel cell durability: Latest progress, mechanisms, and study tools," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    4. Zhu, Pengfei & Wu, Zhen & Yang, Yuchen & Wang, Huan & Li, Ruiqing & Yang, Fusheng & Zhang, Zaoxiao, 2023. "The dynamic response of solid oxide fuel cell fueled by syngas during the operating condition variations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).
    5. Kishimoto, Masashi & Kishida, Shohei & Seo, Haewon & Iwai, Hiroshi & Yoshida, Hideo, 2021. "Prediction of electrochemical characteristics of practical-size solid oxide fuel cells based on database of unit cell performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    6. Xu, Boshi & Yang, Yang & Li, Jun & Ye, Dingding & Wang, Yang & Zhang, Liang & Zhu, Xun & Liao, Qiang, 2024. "A comprehensive study of parameters distribution in a short PEM water electrolyzer stack utilizing a full-scale multi-physics model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    7. Zaghloul, Mohamed A.S. & Mason, Jerry H. & Wang, Mohan & Buric, Michael & Peng, Zhaoqiang & Lee, Shiwoo & Ohodnicki, Paul & Abernathy, Harry & Chen, Kevin Peng, 2021. "High spatial resolution temperature profile measurements of solid-oxide fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    8. Zeng, Zezhi & Qian, Yuping & Zhang, Yangjun & Hao, Changkun & Dan, Dan & Zhuge, Weilin, 2020. "A review of heat transfer and thermal management methods for temperature gradient reduction in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    9. Wehrle, Lukas & Schmider, Daniel & Dailly, Julian & Banerjee, Aayan & Deutschmann, Olaf, 2022. "Benchmarking solid oxide electrolysis cell-stacks for industrial Power-to-Methane systems via hierarchical multi-scale modelling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    10. Shao, Qian & Gao, Enlai & Mara, Thierry & Hu, Heng & Liu, Tong & Makradi, Ahmed, 2020. "Global sensitivity analysis of solid oxide fuel cells with Bayesian sparse polynomial chaos expansions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    11. Tanaka, T. & Inui, Y. & Pongratz, G. & Subotić, V. & Hochenauer, C., 2021. "Numerical investigation on the performance and detection of an industrial-sized planar solid oxide fuel cell with fuel gas leakage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    12. Fang, Xiurong & Lin, Zijing, 2018. "Numerical study on the mechanical stress and mechanical failure of planar solid oxide fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 63-68.
    13. Gong, Chengyuan & Tu, Zhengkai & Hwa Chan, Siew, 2023. "A novel flow field design with flow re-distribution for advanced thermal management in Solid oxide fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    14. Miao, Xing-Yuan & Rizvandi, Omid Babaie & Navasa, Maria & Frandsen, Henrik Lund, 2021. "Modelling of local mechanical failures in solid oxide cell stacks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    15. Guo, Meiting & Ru, Xiao & Yang, Lin & Ni, Meng & Lin, Zijing, 2022. "Effects of methane steam reforming on the mechanical stability of solid oxide fuel cell stack," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).

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