Status : Verified
| Personal Name | Mendoza, Jan Christian J. |
|---|---|
| Resource Title | Investigation and development of ANB flow channel design for solid oxide fuel cell interconnects via multi-physics simulation |
| Date Issued | 09 January 2025 |
| Abstract | Optimization of interconnect flow channel design is critical for maximizing SOFC stack performance and efficiency as it significantly affects gas distribution, current collection, and heat management. This study evaluated the impact of alternating narrowing- broadening (ANB) channels on SOFC performance, focusing on current and power generation, fuel utilization, and the distribution of pressure, velocity, current density, and gas species. ANB channel design targets to create a pressure gradient perpendicular to the channels, promoting better diffusion of gas species into the electrode regions covered by the interconnect ribs. This study investigated the effects of (i) channel geometry (parallel straight (PS) vs. ANB), (ii) broad width-narrow width ratio (BNR), and (iii) channel height via ANSYS software. Results revealed that ANB channels significantly improved fuel utilization to 42.45% and generated a peak power density (PPD) of 1.03 W/cm², a 13.8% increase compared to conventional PS. The significant enhancement in performance was attributed to the optimized gas distribution facilitated by the ANB channel design. This improved gas distribution minimizes mass transport limitations, leading to reduced concentration polarization and accelerated electrochemical reaction kinetics, ultimately resulting in higher power density. Moreover, decreasing BNR from 3.0 to 1.5 further enhanced PPD by 9.71% due to increased electrode area directly exposed to gas reactants, slower gas velocities, and improved reactant consumption. Reducing channel height to 0.5 mm initially caused O2 starvation, which could be an indication that oxidant consumption was enhanced, but was resolved by increasing the O2 mole fraction in the cathode inlet. This reduction in channel height improved PPD by 4.71% through enhanced gas distribution due to the increase in pressure when the area perpendicular to flow was reduced. Findings of this study could be pivotal for future design considerations as mo |
| Degree Course | Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering |
| Language | English |
| Keyword | SOFC, interconnect, ANSYS, CFD, flow channel design |
| Material Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Preliminary Pages
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Category : I - Has patentable or registrable invention of creation.
Access Permission : Limited Access