Experimental analysis of the flow structure in the laboratory model of SOFC fuel cell channels

In the presented paper a flow structure in the gas channel of planar SOFC fuel cell is presented. The model taken for analysis was constructed based on the channel geometry manufactured by SOFC Power company. The shape of a channel was rectangular filled with large number of obstacles which role is to divide the flow into segments with possibly homogenous velocity distribution. The model itself was constructed from Plexiglas and the reactant gases flow was modelled by water motion. To investigate and visualize the flow structures a PIV technique was applied. Three different flow rates were taken for investigations and the flow uniformity and time dependence was studied.