Lifetime Prediction and Rapid Design Evaluation of SteelCell® Stacks Using Advanced Multiphysics Modeling

Abstract

A major challenge in the development of SOC stacks designed for long operating lives of the order of 50-100kh is predicting through-life performance without running durability tests under a particular set of operating conditions for 5-10 years. Whilst durability testing is necessary it is not commercially viable when product development cycles are a small fraction of the product life. The application of SOC stacks to many applications can drive significant investments to repeat experimental validation for a change in operating conditions, a new application, or a new generation of stack technology. To address this issue Ceres Power has invested heavily in Multiphysics simulation capability for stacks using COMSOL Multiphysics, incorporating fluid dynamics, heat transfer, electrochemical, and heterogeneous chemical reactions. The Multiphysics model also incorporates a dynamic solver which allows through-life performance degradation prediction based on mathematical models derived from extensive experimental investigations into cell and stack degradation mechanisms. In this way stack operating life can be predicted under a particular set of operating conditions with limited testing.