Thermodynamic Modeling and Performance Analysis of SOFC Fuel Cells

The fuel cell is a technology that converts fuel directly into electricity, water, and heat to provide energy. The solid oxide fuel cell is a high-temperature fuel cell and one of the potential future power generators. In this study, a parametric analysis of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system was performed based on a few parameters including cell inlet temperature, current density, and fuel utilization to observe their effect on fuel cell performance, including electrical power, activation losses, ohmic losses, concentration losses, and fuel cell voltage for a better characterization of the fuel cell voltage. A process simulation program based on a thermodynamic model has been developed. The study shows that power increases with current density and inversely with cell voltage, while electrical power is improved by reducing fuel utilization.