Numerical Analysis of the Effect of Pore Size Toward the Performance of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell.

The effect of the anode pore size is numerically investigated with the aids of artificial solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) microstructure information. The standalone effect of the pore size is impossible to be realized by the experimental approach. Additionally, the complete real microstructure information is also limited in the open literature as it required sub-micron 3D imaging equipment. The dusty-gas model is implemented into the developed quasi-3D SOFC model for the gas diffusion in the anode. The model with real microstructure information is successfully validated. The actual anode pore radius of 0.283 μm is artificially replaced with a radius of 0.025, 0.050, 0.250, 0.500, and 2.500 μm. Decrement of area-specific reactant (ASR) for the anode concentration is found with the increment of pore radius. Also, such increment promotes a small increment of ASRs for the anode activation and the anode ohmic loss.