Thermal fields of a planar SOFC fed by methane: Steam reforming and water gas shift reaction effect

This paper presents an analysis of the heat source effect on the thermal fields of an anode supported planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). Heat sources are: i) heat source due to the endothermic steam reforming reaction and ii) heat source due to the exothermic water gas shift reaction. This study is studied by a 2-D numerical simulation, in the plane perpendicular to the gases flow, and requires a coupling of transport phenomena of energy and mass species. The law of flow is governed by Darcy´s law. The gases are air and fuel. The inlet fuel is composed by a mixture of methane CH₄, hydrogen H₂, carbon monoxide CO, carbon dioxide CO₂ and steam H₂O. Results are obtained by developing a program in FORTRAN language using the finite difference method. The results show the inlet gases temperature effect on the SOFC thermal fields.