Prediction of transient thermal stress distribution in SOFC based on coupled computational fluid dynamics and thermodynamics modeling

Abstract

Long-term stability and safety are two key factors for the application of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology, with thermodynamics playing a central role in influencing this stability. Thus, understanding the thermodynamic behavior within SOFC and how it will depend on the stack structure are very important, especially at the start and stop stages. In this study, a 3D calculated fluid dynamics model and thermomechanical coupling model based on the actual component structures are established. We place emphasis on understanding how these factors evolve during dynamic phases, shedding light on the transient thermal stress behavior of the SOFC. The influence of different interconnect structures on the thermal stress distribution is studied. The coupling calculation results show that the first principal stress of the electrolyte is significantly affected by the specific interconnect structure. Adopting cylindrical ribs instead of rectangular ribs, the thermal stresses of the SOFC components can be reduced by 13–25 %, respectively.