Effect of Operation Parameters on the Thermal Characteristics in a Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell.

Effective operation strategies in the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) can adjust the spatial distribution of temperature gradient favoring the long-term stability. To investigate the effects of different operating conditions on the thermal behavior inside SOFC, a three-dimensional model is developed in this study. The model is verified by comparing it with the experimental data. The heat generation rate and its variation under different operating conditions are analyzed. The combined effects of operating voltage and gas temperature are considered to be the key factor influencing the temperature gradient. Compared to the original case, the temperature of SOFC decreases by 21.4 K when the fuel velocity reaches 5 m/s. But the maximum temperature gradient increases by 21.2%. Meanwhile, higher fuel velocities can eliminate about 32% of the area with higher temperature gradient. And when the oxidant velocity reaches 7.5 m/s, the peak temperature gradient effectively decreases by 16.59%. Simultaneous adjustment of the oxidant and fuel velocities can effectively reduce the peak temperature gradient and increase the safety zone. The effects of operation conditions on the temperature gradient of the cell are clarified in this study, which can be a reference for further research on the reliability of SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]