Non-Continuum Mass Transport in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes by the Lattice Boltzmann Method

Author(s):  
Abhijit S. Joshi ◽  
Kyle N. Grew ◽  
Aldo A. Peracchio ◽  
Wilson K. S. Chiu

At the length scales and temperatures present in a typical SOFC, both continuum and non-continuum transport of fuel and product species are important. Fuel and product transport through a representative, microscopic, two-dimensional (2D) channel present in the porous anode of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is examined. Non-continuum transport, which can be broken down into the slip, transition and free molecular regimes, is modeled for a ternary system (H2, H2O, and N2) using the Stefan-Maxwell (SM) model, the Dusty-Gas (DG) model and the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Results obtained show that the LBM can provide a suitable framework for continuum as well as non-continuum transport in a SOFC up to the transition regime. LBM can also handle complex porous geometries, which are currently intractable by other modeling approaches, e.g. SM and DG. However, further work is required to extend the range of application of the present LBM to the free-molecular flow regime.

2012 ◽  
Vol 472-475 ◽  
pp. 260-273
Author(s):  
Wang Jun Feng ◽  
Gong Wei Wu ◽  
You Sheng Xu

Based on models of a porous electrode, a more accurate lattice Boltzmann model for simulating the performance of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is proposed. Results show good agreement between simulated and measured data. The accuracy of concentration over potential prediction is crucial for low reactant concentrations. The addition of a small amount of air to the fuel yields fully stable performance without measurable carbon deposits detected on the catalyst layer or the fuel cell. Cell performance increases with the temperature. As a first test of the model, a benchmark problem regarding the performance of an internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell (IR-SOFC) is investigated. When the catalyst activity decreases, the rate of methane conversion decreases near the reactor


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