Effect of Reduced Temperature and Cathode Porosity on the Performance of Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

The effect of decreasing the inlet temperature and the cathode porosity of tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell with one air channel and one fuel channel was investigated using CFD approach. A CFD model of the cell was developed using the commercial CFD software Fluent 6.2. A Fluent based SOFC model was used to simulate the electrochemical effects. The cathode and the anode of the cell were resolved in the model and the convection and conduction heat transfer modes were included. The results of the CFD model are presented at inlet temperatures of 700°C, 600°C, and 500°C and with cathode porosity of 30%, 20% and 10%. The resulting thermal, electrical, and flow fields are presented and discussed. It was found that the Fluent based SOFC model is effective tool for analyzing the complex and highly interactive three-dimensional electrical, thermal, and fluid flow fields, generally associated with the SOFCs. The comprehensive current density and thermal fields generated with the Fluent based model are necessary to assist a life-cycle analysis of the cell through prediction of thermal stresses.