A Computational Fluid Dynamics Model of a SOFC

A three-dimensional model has been developed to simulate the steady state single cell performance of a planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The governing equations for heat and mass balances were solved numerically with a computational fluid dynamics code (CFD) based on the finite volume method. Numerical results from this simulation show that the concentration of fuel is reduced along the flow direction as the reactant is consumed, leading to a similar distribution for the current density. Temperature variation due to the conjugate heat transfer between fluid and solid also rise with the flow. The results are indicative of significant temperature gradients within the cell, and identify mechanical integrity as a significant issue for SOFCs.