Combining structural, electrochemical, and numerical studies to investigate the relation between microstructure and the stack performance

Abstract

In this study, the static characteristics of a planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack with a standard power output of 300 W were investigated. After a power generation experiment, the microstructure parameters of the tested cell were quantified. SOFC has a complex composite structure for both the anode and the cathode. The electrode microstructure is an important factor determining the electrochemical performance of the entire cell and consequently the entire stack of cells. The most precise information about a cell microstructure can be derived from real structural analysis. A method such as a combination of focused ion beam and scanning electron microscope (FIB–SEM) can provide very detailed information about the electrode microstructure. The presented studies provide a detailed microstructure analysis coupled with stack level electrochemical measurements. The obtained microstructure is implemented into numerical simulation and compared with the stack level simulation. This study proves the import role of microstructure in predicting current–voltage characteristic and the power output of a stack. The presented research can also be used as a benchmark for increasing a number of stack numerical simulations.