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Research Papers

# Modeling of Co-planar Type Single-Chamber Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

[+] Author and Article Information
Naveed Akhtar

School of Applied Mathematics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKnavtar433@yahoo.com

Stephen P. Decent, Daniel Loghin

School of Applied Mathematics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

Kevin Kendall

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol 8(4), 041014 (Apr 01, 2011) (10 pages) doi:10.1115/1.4003636 History: Received November 03, 2010; Revised December 07, 2010; Published April 01, 2011; Online April 01, 2011

## Abstract

A two dimensional, nonisothermal numerical model of a single-chamber solid oxide fuel cell has been developed. For the sake of simplicity in developing the model, hydrogen-air mixture (80% hydrogen, 20% air by volume, which is considered as safe) has been chosen instead of hydrocarbon-air mixtures (which require complex modeling strategy such as reforming via partial oxidation and modeling of two active fuels, i.e., hydrogen and carbon monoxide). The model is based on considering yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) as an electrolyte supported material, nickel yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni-YSZ) as anode, and lanthanum strontium manganite as a cathode material. The effect of varying distance between anode and cathode, flow rate, temperature, porosity, and electrolyte thickness has been investigated in terms of electrochemical performance. It has been found that the flow rate and distance between the electrodes’ pair are the most sensitive parameters in such type of fuel cells. The model was coded in a commercial software package of finite element analysis, i.e., COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS, 3.3a .

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## Figures

Figure 2

Velocity field for Case 1

Figure 1

Schematic of the coplanar SC-SOFC

Figure 3

Hydrogen concentration for Case 1

Figure 4

Oxygen concentration for Case 1

Figure 5

Water vapor concentration for Case 1

Figure 6

Velocity field for Case 2

Figure 7

Hydrogen concentration for Case 2

Figure 8

Oxygen concentration for Case 2

Figure 9

Water vapor concentration for Case 2

Figure 17

Temperature at different operating voltages for Case 1

Figure 10

Velocity field for Case 3

Figure 11

Hydrogen concentration for Case 3

Figure 12

Oxygen concentration for Case 3

Figure 13

Water vapor concentration for Case 3

Figure 14

Ohmic loss variation with electrolyte thickness for Case 1

Figure 15

Hydrogen concentration for different electrode porosities for Case 1

Figure 16

Oxygen concentration for different electrode porosities for Case 1

## Errata

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