Momentum-species-heat-electrochemistry distribution characteristics within solid oxide fuel cell stack with complex inter-digital fuel channels

Obtaining the real working details within solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks are essential to the commercializing of SOFC technology. However, high operation temperature and small channel space features are two obstacles to achieving these details. In order to predict the complex physical item distribution characteristics within those SOFC stacks adopting inter-digital fuel channels, a comprehensive 5-cell large-scale model is firstly developed. The 3D model consists of all the complex solid, space, and porous medium components. After high-quality messes are addressed, the momentum, species, energy, e− and O2− charge conservation equations, and anodic/cathodic electrochemical reaction equations are coupled to the corresponding zones. The air/fuel flows, hydrogen/oxygen mole fractions, temperature, electrochemical active sites, and electric current distributing details within the stack are successfully achieved. It is an important step to further optimize the component structures for balancing the physics-chemical processes on stack level.