Steady state thermal stress analyses of two-dimensional and three-dimensional solid oxide fuel cells

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices which convert fuels directly into electrical energy without combustion. The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is the most promising energy saving technology to generate electric power. The present work characterizes the thermal stresses arising during the operation of planar solid oxide fuel cells which is a critical factor in the development of an efficient fuel cell. The thermal stresses are calculated from the temperature fields using ANSYS(TM). A sequentially coupled thermal stress analysis approach is implemented for the two-dimensional five stack fuel cell model and a structural analysis for the three-dimensional single stack fuel cell. The stresses due to the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of the components of the fuel cell, geometry of the model and temperature gradients is presented in the results.

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2005

Author dc:creator

• Valluru, Srividya

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bruce Kang.

• Mechanical engineering

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/1583

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-2586