Experimental and CFD evaluation of SOFC cells and stacks for biosyngas based operation
The combination of SOFCs and biosyngas has the potential to become an attractive technology for the production of clean renewable energy. Model-based steady-state and dynamic performances of anode-supported intermediate temperature direct internal reforming solid oxide fuel cells have been studied fuelled withbiosyngas in our group. And it has been mathematically proved that fuelling SOFCs with biosyngas are both safe for nickel oxidation and carbon deposition, considering steam reforming and water gas shift reactions with the data from the literatures. However, the kinetics of internal steam reforming reaction in biosyngas fed SOFC anodes has not been well experimentally established, and more reliable data are needed for further investigations.
Mathematical modelling together with simulation is a useful approach for designing SOFCs and predicting their operation safety. Mathematical models can provide a preview of cell potential, current density, different species concentrations and temperature, temperature gradient as functions of position, for various cell configurations and operating conditions, and be used to test the effects of changes on one or more variables and the relative system sensitivity to relevant design parameters. The model can also be useful in predicting the possibilities of both carbon deposition and nickel oxidation, thus giving suggestions for safe fuel cell operation.