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The effect of heat transfer on the polarizations within an intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell

Navasa, Maria LU ; Andersson, Martin LU ; Yuan, Jinliang LU and Sundén, Bengt LU (2012) Heat Transfer 2012
Abstract
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising candidates for future energy systems due to their ability to use renewable fuels and that they are energy efficient. A fully coupled two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on the finite element method (using COMSOL Multiphysics) is developed to describe an intermediate temperature SOFC single cell. Governing equations for various transport processes including heat, mass, momentum and charge transport (ion and electron) are implemented and coupled with the chemical and electrochemical reactions that take place inside the cell.



The chemical and electrochemical reactions are strongly bonded to heat transfer being special contributors to the global and... (More)
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising candidates for future energy systems due to their ability to use renewable fuels and that they are energy efficient. A fully coupled two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on the finite element method (using COMSOL Multiphysics) is developed to describe an intermediate temperature SOFC single cell. Governing equations for various transport processes including heat, mass, momentum and charge transport (ion and electron) are implemented and coupled with the chemical and electrochemical reactions that take place inside the cell.



The chemical and electrochemical reactions are strongly bonded to heat transfer being special contributors to the global and local energy balances of the cell. Thus, the effect of methane in the fuel composition on the reaction rate focusing on the polarizations is studied. When considering a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen as the electrochemically active fuels, a lower open circuit voltage is observed, which means lower activation polarizations, increased reaction rates and an increase in the temperature difference of the whole cell unit. Consequently, by reducing the methane concentration, less methane steam reforming is required which leads to a higher cell temperature difference increasing the electrochemical reaction rate. Nevertheless, high temperature gradients introduce mechanical stresses and material degradation which may cause cell failure. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Advanced Computational Methods and Experiments in Heat Transfer XII
editor
Institute of Technollogy, Wessex
conference name
Heat Transfer 2012
conference location
Split, Croatia
conference dates
2012-06-28
external identifiers
  • scopus:84867911509
ISBN
978-1-84564-602-8
DOI
10.2495/HT120011
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8aaeede2-f8ed-47cd-a102-9afed91c7fb6 (old id 3132609)
alternative location
http://library.witpress.com/pages/PaperInfo.asp?PaperID=23595
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 14:36:24
date last changed
2022-01-30 02:17:13
@inproceedings{8aaeede2-f8ed-47cd-a102-9afed91c7fb6,
  abstract     = {{Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising candidates for future energy systems due to their ability to use renewable fuels and that they are energy efficient. A fully coupled two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on the finite element method (using COMSOL Multiphysics) is developed to describe an intermediate temperature SOFC single cell. Governing equations for various transport processes including heat, mass, momentum and charge transport (ion and electron) are implemented and coupled with the chemical and electrochemical reactions that take place inside the cell. <br/><br>
<br/><br>
The chemical and electrochemical reactions are strongly bonded to heat transfer being special contributors to the global and local energy balances of the cell. Thus, the effect of methane in the fuel composition on the reaction rate focusing on the polarizations is studied. When considering a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen as the electrochemically active fuels, a lower open circuit voltage is observed, which means lower activation polarizations, increased reaction rates and an increase in the temperature difference of the whole cell unit. Consequently, by reducing the methane concentration, less methane steam reforming is required which leads to a higher cell temperature difference increasing the electrochemical reaction rate. Nevertheless, high temperature gradients introduce mechanical stresses and material degradation which may cause cell failure.}},
  author       = {{Navasa, Maria and Andersson, Martin and Yuan, Jinliang and Sundén, Bengt}},
  booktitle    = {{Advanced Computational Methods and Experiments in Heat Transfer XII}},
  editor       = {{Institute of Technollogy, Wessex}},
  isbn         = {{978-1-84564-602-8}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{The effect of heat transfer on the polarizations within an intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/HT120011}},
  doi          = {{10.2495/HT120011}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}