Developing micro-scale heterogeneous numerical simulation of a solid oxide fuel cell anode

Abstract

In this article a fully three dimensional, multiphase, meso-scale Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) anode transport phenomena model is described. The Butler-Volmer model is combined with empirical relations for conductivity and diffusivity - notably the Fuller-Shetler-Giddings equation - for transport of gas reagents. Numerical simulation is used to obtain partial pressure and electric potential fields for each phase, accounting for activation and concentration overpotential as well as ohmic losses. Mesh generator and a solver have been developed to provide an in-house code for the computations. The findings are presented alongside a parametric study of a specific YSZ electrolyte-based SOFC anode microstructure. Despite high dependence of SOFC anode performance on the geometry of its anisotropic, three-phase microstructure, meso-scale numerical models simulating transport phenomena within these electrodes are not very common.