Analyzing different planar biogas-fueled SOFC stack designs and their effects on the flow uniformity

Muhammad Adeel Ashraf, Kashif Rashid, Iman Rahimipetroudi, Hyeon Jin Kim and Sang Keun Dong

Energy, 2020, vol. 190, issue C

Abstract: In this analysis, a 3D mechanistic model is developed for two different stack designs consist of five planar solid-oxide fuel cells fueled with biogas. Stack flow uniformity index criteria are employed to investigate the flow characteristics. The Detailed transport processes and chemical/electrochemical reactions with overpotential losses are also employed to evaluate the effects of the flow uniformity on the performance of the stacks. The model is validated by comparing the simulated results with the experimental data. Comparison of species, temperature, and current density distribution along with the normalized mass flow rate for two different designs are conducted. The results revealed that the uniformity indexes for the stack design with rectangular strips separators exceed 0.98, whereas for the other design with circular guiding vane separators, are approximately 0.88. Despite the higher flow uniformity of the rectangular separator design, temperature and current density distributions are found to be more uniform with the circular guiding vane separators. An error analysis is also conducted to establish the accuracy of the model. The error analysis demonstrated that the mean relative error (MRE) and root mean square error (RMSE) indexes (%) are 1.7157 and 7.7921 for 120 × 120 mm2, and 1.5147 and 6.89 for 100 × 100 mm2, respectively.

Keywords: Planar solid oxide fuel cell stack; Biogas; Flow uniformity; Computational fluid dynamics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:190:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219321450

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116450

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