Mathematical modeling of plate solid oxide fuel cell

In this research, three-dimensional model for a planar solid oxide fuel cell was developed, which includes the flow channels, electrodes, current collectors, and electrolyte. The proposed model includes mass and momentum transport in the flow channels and electrodes, electrochemical reaction in electrodes, and charge transfer in all parts of fuel cell. The most important characteristic of this model is consideration of all electrodes’ thickness as triple phase boundaries, thin layers in the vicinity of the electrolyte, where the electrochemical reactions take place and produce electrons, oxide ions and water vapor. It was observed that the concentration profile of hydrogen and oxygen decreases with increasing the voltage of cell along the fuel channels and electrodes. Furthermore, out results showed that the concentration of gases, as well as the rate of reaction and current density, increases by rising the temperature. The performance of SOFC is also validated with measured data found in the literatures and good agreement is found between the results of this model and experimental data