Nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters

Conventionally, the reversible potential at inlet conditions is considered to be the ideal voltage for a fuel cell. However, the reversible potential in planar cells varies along the cell length due to changes in gas composition caused by consumption of fuel and oxidant. This contributes to voltage...

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Main Authors: Sharma, Ashwini Kumar, Ahmed, Khaliq, Birgersson, E.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Springer 2018
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68010
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author Sharma, Ashwini Kumar
Ahmed, Khaliq
Birgersson, E.
author_facet Sharma, Ashwini Kumar
Ahmed, Khaliq
Birgersson, E.
author_sort Sharma, Ashwini Kumar
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Conventionally, the reversible potential at inlet conditions is considered to be the ideal voltage for a fuel cell. However, the reversible potential in planar cells varies along the cell length due to changes in gas composition caused by consumption of fuel and oxidant. This contributes to voltage losses, referred to as Nernst losses, compared to the reversible potential at the inlet of the cell. In the conventional breakdown of cell voltage losses, the variation of reversible potential is not accounted for. To estimate the “true” losses, this needs to be accounted for by employing calculations of the reversible potential with changing composition. This paper quantifies such losses in the context of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) for which they are found to contribute significantly, in the range of 25 to 33% of the total voltage losses. The Nernst equation for fuel cell operation is analyzed and analytical expressions for Nernst losses are derived. The latter allows prediction of the effects of operating parameters which are later verified with an isothermal model of the SOFC.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2018
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-680102018-08-13T07:35:56Z Nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters Sharma, Ashwini Kumar Ahmed, Khaliq Birgersson, E. Conventionally, the reversible potential at inlet conditions is considered to be the ideal voltage for a fuel cell. However, the reversible potential in planar cells varies along the cell length due to changes in gas composition caused by consumption of fuel and oxidant. This contributes to voltage losses, referred to as Nernst losses, compared to the reversible potential at the inlet of the cell. In the conventional breakdown of cell voltage losses, the variation of reversible potential is not accounted for. To estimate the “true” losses, this needs to be accounted for by employing calculations of the reversible potential with changing composition. This paper quantifies such losses in the context of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) for which they are found to contribute significantly, in the range of 25 to 33% of the total voltage losses. The Nernst equation for fuel cell operation is analyzed and analytical expressions for Nernst losses are derived. The latter allows prediction of the effects of operating parameters which are later verified with an isothermal model of the SOFC. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68010 10.1007/s11581-018-2454-1 Springer restricted
spellingShingle Sharma, Ashwini Kumar
Ahmed, Khaliq
Birgersson, E.
Nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters
title Nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters
title_full Nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters
title_fullStr Nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters
title_full_unstemmed Nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters
title_short Nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters
title_sort nernst voltage losses in planar fuel cells caused by changes in chemical composition: effects of operating parameters
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68010