Modeling and Simulation of Power Yield in Thermal, Chemical and Electrochemical Systems: Fuel Cell Case

Abstract

AbstractThis paper represents the research direction which deals with various computer aided energy converters, in particular thermal or chemical engines and fuel cells. Applying this general framework we can derive formulae for a family of converters’ efficiencies and apply them to estimate irreversible power limits in practical systems. Thermal engines can be analyzed as linear units and radiation engines may be treated as Stefan-Boltzmann systems. We can also consider power limits for thermal systems as those propelled by differences of temperatures and chemical ones as those driven by differences of chemical potentials. In this paper we focus on fuel cells which are the electrochemical energy generators. We show that fuel cells satisfy the same modeling principles and apply similar computer schemes as thermal machines.KeywordsFuel CellSolid Oxide Fuel CellThermal EngineElectrode Surface AreaIncomplete ConversionThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.