Title: A parametric study on exergetic performance of a YSZ electrolyte supported SOFC stack

Authors: Adnan Midilli; Ugur Akbulut; Ibrahim Dincer

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, 53100, Rize, Turkey ' Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, 53100, Rize, Turkey ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, L1H 7K4, Ontario, Canada

Abstract: This paper presents a parametric study on the exergetic performance assessment of an electrolyte supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack. Considering the operating and design parameters of yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte supported SOFC stack, the variations of overpotentials, the rational overpotentials and the exergetic efficiencies are investigated for comparison purposes. Consequently, considering the selected operating conditions and design parameters, it is suggested that the YSZ electrolyte supported SOFC stack having higher exergetic efficiency than 30% is used. Moreover, in order to operate such a fuel cell in an exergetically more efficient manner, the minimum YSZ electrolyte thickness needs to be thicker than 150 μm. Otherwise, some durability and manufacture problems may occur. However, a decrease of operating temperatures from 1273 K to 1073 K and an increase of YSZ electrolyte thickness from 150 μm to 500 μm will result in a reduced exergetic efficiency.

Keywords: SOFC; solid oxide fuel cell; hydrogen; YSZ; yttria stabilised zirconia; exergy efficiency; electrolyte.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2017.087653

International Journal of Exergy, 2017 Vol.24 No.2/3/4, pp.173 - 200

Received: 19 Nov 2016
Accepted: 27 Mar 2017
Published online: 30 Oct 2017 *

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