Thermal stress and probability of survival investigation in a multi-bundle integrated-planar solid oxide fuel cells IP-SOFC (integrated-planar solid oxide fuel cell)

A multi-cell model based on a prototypical, IP-SOFC (integrated-planar solid oxide fuel cell) stack design was constructed in this study to perform comprehensive thermal stress analyses and to calculate the probability of survival. The temperature profiles generated by a thermo-electrochemical model were applied to calculate the thermal stress distributions in a multiple-cell module. The effect of coefficient of thermal expansion and Young's modulus variation of the materials used in the IP-SOFC are investigated in a parameter study. The results indicate that the IP-SOFC cells are submitted to the moderate thermal stress at the inlet fuel-flow and it undergoes a high thermal stress at the outlet of the module. The mechanical and the thermal proprieties mismatch between the layers had a greater influence on the strain and on the probability of survival of the cell components. The probability of survival of the electrolyte is lower than the other components. The global durability of the cell components has been increased by decreasing the operating temperature. The results obtained from the comparison between the bundles performances indicate that the bundle to bundle power increased continuously, however the probability of survival decreases. The optimum performances have been obtained for the fourth bundle. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.