Comparison of heat and mass transfer between planar and MOLB-type SOFCs

A numerical simulation tool for calculating the planar and mono-block layer built (MOLB) type solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) is described. The tool combines the commercial computational fluid dynamics simulation code with an electrochemical calculation subroutine. Its function is to simulate the heat and mass transfer and to predict the temperature distribution and mass fraction of gaseous species in the SOFC system. The three-dimensional geometry model of SOFC was designed to simulate a co-flow case and counter-flow case. The finite volume method was employed to calculate the conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy. Moreover, the influences of working conditions on the performances of planar and MOLB-type SOFCs were also discussed and compared, such as the delivery rate of gas and the components of fuel gas. Simulation results show that the MOLB-type SOFC has higher fuel utilization than the planar SOFC. For the co-flow case, average temperatures of PEN (positive electrode–electrolyte–negative electrode) in both types of SOFCs rise with the increase in delivery rate and mass fraction of hydrogen. In particular, the temperature of planar SOFC is more sensitive to the working conditions. In order to decrease the average temperatures in SOFC, it is effective to increase the delivery rate of air.