Mathematical Modelling and Validation of a Tubular-SOFC

Experiment and validation of tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) fuelled with hydrogen is presented in this work. An isothermal mathematical modelling based on first principles is developed. The fuel cell is divided into seven subsystems and the factors such as mass/momentum transfer, diffusion through porous media, electrochemical reactions, and polarization losses inside the subsystems are presented. The model is validated using experimental fuel cell performance data for at 923 and 1023 K. The present model could predict the experimentally observed dependence of current density on cell potential very well at 923–1023 K. It is observed from the experimental data and simulation results that the fuel cell performance at 1023 K is higher than that obtained at 923 K due to reducing the overpotentials in higher operating temperature.