Multi-physics field modeling and electrochemical performance analysis of medium-temperature methanol-fueled proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell

A two-dimensional axisymmetric multi-physics field simulation for a methanol-fueled proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell (CH3OH-SOFC-H) was created in this work. The influence of structural and operating parameters on the performance of the cell was analyzed. Moreover, the cell performance was compared with that of a methanol-oxygen ion-conducting SOFC (CH3OH-SOFC-O) under the same operating conditions. It was found that the anode support enables CH3OH-SOFC-H to exhibit higher performance, with the highest power density being 1493.3 W‧m−2 at 973 K. As the anode flow rate rises, the current density rises and subsequently falls, with a peak of 7623.6 A‧m−2. Meanwhile, as the methanol content in the gas composition and the cathode flow rate increase, so does the current density. CH3OH-SOFC-H has better electrochemical performance at low and medium temperatures, reaching 562.64 W‧m−2 at 773K (66% higher than that of CH3OH-SOFC-O at the same operating conditions). Meanwhile, CH3OH-SOFC-O has better performance at high temperatures. This study provides a theoretical reference for the subsequent application and promotion of CH3OH-SOFC-H.