Performance enhancement of planar solid oxide fuel cell using a novel interconnector design

This study presents a novel interconnector design, termed groove and rib-finned inter connector, to improve the performance of the planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). We have conducted a detailed comparative study on the flow characteristics and electrical performance of conventional straight channel interconnectors and novel interconnectors through a three-dimensional model. Compared with the conventional straight channel interconnector, the result shows that the novel interconnector can provide higher fuel utilization, and the output power density at a low fuel flow is still higher than that of the conventional design at a high fuel flow. The novel interconnector increases the velocity and vorticity of the reactant gas, and promotes gas disturbance, and enhances the mass transport in the electrode. The novel interconnector eliminates the oxygen-free zone of the cathode under the rib and provides sufficient oxygen with uniform concentration distribution for the electrochemical reaction. Therefore, the novel interconnector significantly reduces the activation and concentration overpotentials and improves the electrical performance of the SOFC stack. (c) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study presents a novel interconnector design, named groove and rib-finned interconnector, to improve the performance of planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) by enhancing fuel utilization and output power density. The novel interconnector increases reactant gas velocity and vorticity, eliminates oxygen-free zone, reduces overpotentials, and improves the electrical performance of the SOFC stack.