Performance evaluation of solid oxide fuel cell for exergy recuperation of exhaust heat by electrochemical partial oxidation

Electrochemical partial oxidation (EPOx) of methane can convert exhaust heat into electricity as much as difference between change of Gibbs free energy and change of enthalpy. To quantify recuperated heat and converted electric power of EPOx, we simulated the performance of EPOx in the microtubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) using Gadolinium Doped Ceria as electrolyte. The quasi-two dimensional and non-isothermal model applied to this SOFC simulation, which consisted of three solid layers and two gas layers, considering with mass, energy and chemical species conservation equations as well as detailed electrochemical reaction. The simulation computed temperature and current density distributions, and evaluated energy flow in SOFC. The simulation code was validated by consistency between the simulation result of power generation using H2 as fuel and the result of previous experimental report. The results showed that EPOx could convert 40% of theoretically recuperated heat into the electric power at the operation condition maximizing total regenerated heat.