Research on transient characteristics of solid oxide fuel cells considering coupling features of multiphysics fields

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20240865

Abstract

Abstract:

In order to solve the problems of fossil energy depletion and environmental pollution, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) have been rapidly developed as efficient energy conversion equipment. A multiphysics coupling model of a planar SOFC was established using COMSOL software, which comprehensively considers the interactions among electrical, thermal, flow, and mass transfer fields to study the local transient response characteristics of the SOFC under varying conditions of output voltage, air flow rate, and fuel flow rate. The results show that when the output voltage was set at 0.5, 0.6, and 0.8 V, and fuel flow rate suddenly dropped to zero, the power density changed by -67%, -60%, and -56%, respectively. The average temperature changes and trends in the functional layers of the cell showed significant differences. The impact of fuel flow rate on cell performance was notably greater than that of changes in air flow rate. Due to the direct involvement of electrochemical reactions in the cell and rapid reactions at the electrode surfaces, the power density responded most quickly to changes in output voltage. This study provides important theoretical foundations and technical support for the optimization design of SOFC.

Key words: solid oxide fuel cell, COMSOL, transient response, dynamic simulation, mass transfer

摘要：

为了解决化石能源枯竭和环境污染的问题，固体氧化物燃料电池（solid oxide fuel cell，SOFC）作为能量高效转换设备得到了快速发展。采用COMSOL软件建立平板式SOFC多物理场耦合模型，综合考虑电、热、流动和传质多物理场的相互作用，研究SOFC在输出电压、空气流速和燃料流速变化条件下的局部瞬态响应特性。结果表明，在输出电压为0.5、0.6和0.8 V时，燃料流速突降为0，功率密度变化幅度分别为-67%、-60%和-56%；电池功能层平均温度变化幅度和趋势呈现显著差异；燃料流速对于电池性能的影响明显大于空气流速变化；由于电池中电化学反应的直接参与和电极表面的快速反应，导致输出电压变化时，功率密度的响应速度最快。本研究为SOFC的优化设计提供了重要的理论依据和技术支撑。

关键词: 固体氧化物燃料电池, COMSOL, 瞬态响应, 动态仿真, 传热

CLC Number:

TM 911

Ke QI, Di WANG, Zhe XIE, Dongsheng CHEN, Yunlong ZHOU, Lingfang SUN. Research on transient characteristics of solid oxide fuel cells considering coupling features of multiphysics fields[J]. CIESC Journal, 2025, 76(3): 1264-1274.

齐珂, 王迪, 谢喆, 陈东升, 周云龙, 孙灵芳. 考虑多物理场耦合特性的固体氧化物燃料电池瞬态特性研究[J]. 化工学报, 2025, 76(3): 1264-1274.

Figures/Tables 13

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几何结构	数值
电池长度L	40 mm
集流板高度H_L	1.5 mm
集流板宽度W_L	2 mm
流道高度H_C	1 mm
阳极支撑层厚度H_ASL	0.4 mm
阳极功能层厚度H_AFL	0.01 mm
电解质厚度H_ELE	0.01 mm
阴极功能层厚度H_CFL	0.01 mm
阴极电流收集层厚度H_CCCL	0.015 mm

几何结构	数值
电池长度L	40 mm
集流板高度H_L	1.5 mm
集流板宽度W_L	2 mm
流道高度H_C	1 mm
阳极支撑层厚度H_ASL	0.4 mm
阳极功能层厚度H_AFL	0.01 mm
电解质厚度H_ELE	0.01 mm
阴极功能层厚度H_CFL	0.01 mm
阴极电流收集层厚度H_CCCL	0.015 mm

边界条件	数值	边界条件	数值
气体入口温度	1073 K	阳极热导率	6 W/(m·K)
空气进口流速	3 m/s	电解质热导率	2.7 W/(m·K)
燃料气体进口流速	0.5 m/s	阴极热导率	11 W/(m·K)
初始工作压力	1 atm	集流板热导率	20 W/(m·K)
阴极孔隙率	0.3	阳极孔隙率	0.3
阳极渗透率	1.76×10^-11 m²	开路电压	1 V
阴极渗透率	1.76×10^-11 m²	初始极化值	0.05 V
阳极侧气体物质摩尔分数占比	H₂∶H₂O=0.97∶0.03	阴极侧气体物质摩尔分数占比	N₂∶O₂= 0.79∶0.21

边界条件	数值	边界条件	数值
气体入口温度	1073 K	阳极热导率	6 W/(m·K)
空气进口流速	3 m/s	电解质热导率	2.7 W/(m·K)
燃料气体进口流速	0.5 m/s	阴极热导率	11 W/(m·K)
初始工作压力	1 atm	集流板热导率	20 W/(m·K)
阴极孔隙率	0.3	阳极孔隙率	0.3
阳极渗透率	1.76×10^-11 m²	开路电压	1 V
阴极渗透率	1.76×10^-11 m²	初始极化值	0.05 V
阳极侧气体物质摩尔分数占比	H₂∶H₂O=0.97∶0.03	阴极侧气体物质摩尔分数占比	N₂∶O₂= 0.79∶0.21

输出电压/V	温度梯度/(K/cm)
输出电压/V	1.1 s	10 s	50 s	100 s	200 s	300 s
0.5+0.1	0.13	2.68	8.47	10.59	11.10	11.11
0.5-0.1	0.16	3.32	10.67	13.79	15.03	15.20