Thermo-mechanical modeling of a micro-fabricated solid oxide fuel cell

A micro-fabricated solid oxide fuel cell is currently being designed by the Micro-chemical Power Team(funded under the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative(MURI) Research Program). In the current design a plate structure vital to power generation is exposed to harsh thermal operation conditions, making it susceptible to structural failure. This thesis investigates the mechanisms of its structural failure, develops tools and models to understand the mechanisms quantitatively, and gives suggestions to guide the design process with the models developed. The thesis begins with a brief overview of the principles of fuel cell operation, their associated operating conditions, along with a description of how these conditions may lead to structural failure. Next a representative structure of a portion of a fuel cell critical to power generation is analyzed, for a given temperature distribution. Different temperature distributions across the same structure are also analyzed. Results from these analyses are then used to provide guidance for the design process. Finally future directions for research are given.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Ie, Tze Yung Andrew, 1978-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• S. Mark Spearing.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/17772

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/17772