Temperature and Current Distribution Along the Air Channel in Planar SOFC Stack: Model and Asymptotic Solution

Abstract

We report a model for coupled temperature and current distributions along the single channel in planar solid-oxide fuel cell stack. Approximate analytical solution to model equations is derived; the solution predicts that air and stack temperatures are close to each other and linearly increase with the distance along the channel. Maximal temperature at the channel outlet is proportional to the average stack current and inversely proportional to the air flow velocity. This means that temperature oscillations due to variable load can be compensated for by the respective variation in air flow velocity.