A coupled electrochemical reaction and diffusion model has been developed and verified for investigation of mass transport processes in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) anode triple-phase boundary (TPB) regions. The coupled model utilizes a two-dimensional (2D), multi-species Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) to model the diffusion process. The electrochemical model is coupled through localized flux boundary conditions and is a function of applied activation overpotential and the localized hydrogen and water mole fractions. This model is designed so that the effects of the anode microstructure within TPB regions can be examined in detail. Results are provided for the independent validation of the electrochemical and diffusion sub-models, as well as for the coupled model. An analysis on a single closed pore is completed and validated with a Fick's law solution. A competition between the electrochemical reaction rate and the rate of mass transfer is observed to be dependent on inlet hydrogen mole fraction. The developed model is presented such that future studies on SOFC anode microstructures can be completed.
Modeling of a Gradient Porosity SOFC Anode using the Lattice Boltzmann Method
