OD and 1D modeling and experimental

validation of electrolyte supported solid

oxide electrolysis cells
Gaurav Mahadev Tambade
Motivation

• Meeting growing energy demand

• Intermittent nature of Solar Wind

and Hydropower

• Need for energy storage devices

1 !"
• SOECs convert electricity to 𝐻! 𝑂 + 2𝑒 " ⟶ 𝐻! + 𝑂
2 !

Hydrogen fuel Figure: Schematics of working principle of Solid oxide electrolysis cell
Modeling Studies
• Modeling is necessary to understand the cell performance at various
operating conditions
• Macroscale cell level models are capable of analyzing transport
processes and electrochemical reactions
• Absence of enough validation of models at different operating
conditions in literature
• Model developed in literature are computationally intenstive
Objectives
• To develop isothermal cell level model capable of predicting
distribution of mole fractions, current density, overpotentials in 1D
• To develop non isothermal stack level model which can predict
temperature of PEN, gases and interconnects in addition
• Validation of the model for a range of operating conditions
• Obtain an accurate yet computationally inexpensive model
Methodology
Model Description
Electrolyte supported cell materials
• Cathode : Ni-GDC
• Electrolyte : 3YSZ
• Anode : LSCF
• Interconnects : Stainless steel

Figure 1: Schematic representation of the geometry and co-ordinate system used for the simulation of SRU in co-flow mode

(NOT DRAWN TO SCALE)

Electrochemical Module
• Mass Transfer
1. Gas flow along the channels

2. Diffusion through porous

electrodes

DGM Model by combining Knudsen

and Maxwell Stefan Diffusion
Electrochemical Module
• Electrochemical module
Activation Overpotentials
Cell Voltage
1. Open Circuit Voltage

Concentration overpotentials
2. Closed circuit voltage
Thermal Module
• Energy Balances
1. Solid Phase
• Conduction
• Heat Sources
• Convection
• Radiation
2. Gas Phases
• Convection
Solution methodology
Solution for 0D model
• Lumped parameter
assumption
• Isothermal model
• No energy balance
• Operating temperature = Cell
temperature
• Non Isothermal
• Energy balance to calculate cell
temperature
Solution for 1D model
Validation
Validation for isothermal model
• Small deviations in experimental • Ohmic overpotential from EIS
OCV

Figure : EIS nyquist plots at 3 temperatures

𝛿𝑒
𝑅𝑜ℎ𝑚 =
𝜎3𝑌𝑆𝑍
−10284
𝜎3𝑌𝑆𝑍 Ω−1 𝑐𝑚−1 = 166 ∙ ex p
𝑇 𝐾

Figure : Comparison of theoretical and simulated OCVs

Polarization curve for isothermal model
• Operating conditions
No. Temperatur 𝑥!"# 𝑥!" Steam Conversion
e %
750 °C 0.241 0.7 28.32
1. 800 °C 0.241 0.7 42.48
850 °C 0.241 0.7 63.73
750 °C 0.482 0.4 14.16
2. 800 °C 0.482 0.4 31.86
850 °C 0.482 0.4 28.32
750 °C 0.723 0.1 9.4
3. 800 °C 0.723 0.1 14.16
850 °C 0.723 0.1 21.24

Table :Operating conditions and steam conversions for the polarization curves Figure: Polarization Curve for H2O:H2 = 0.241 : 0.7
 Validation for non isothermal model
• Voltage Polarization

Figure: Comparison of U-j curve from Riedel et al. with the simulated curve using non-Isothermal model Figure : Comparison of T-j curve from Riedel et al . with the simulated curve using non-
Isothermal model
Results and Discussion
• Non-Isothermal model for a cell of active area 77.44 cm2 based on Laurencin et al.
• Electrolyte Supported Cell materials and dimensions
Active area 8cm x 8 cm
Thickness of electrolyte (8YSZ) 90 µm
Thickness of fuel electrode (Ni-YSZ) 50 µm
Thickness of air electrode (LSM) 50 µm

• Reference Operating conditions

Cathode gas mixture of H2O, H2 and N2 inlet flow Anode gas (air)
conditions
Total mole xH2O xN2 Temperature Total Temperature at Inlet
flow rate at Inlet (K) mole flow (K)
(mol/s) rate
0.001185 0.45 0.10 1073 0.002370 1073
 • Smaller number of cell segments : Prediction of lower Cell Voltage

Grid Independence
Test
Tradeoff between accuracy and
computational time

• Reason: Imprecise prediction of TPB mole fraction distribution and

concentration overpotential

20 cell segments are chosen to present

subsequent results
At High Steam Conversion
• Current Density • Overpotentials

Figure : Evolution of current density in non isothermal model under reference operating conditions Figure : Evolution of overpotentials in non isothermal model under reference operating conditions
At High Steam Conversion
• Temperatures • Heat Fluxes for cell

Figure: Evolution of Temperature profile in non isothermal model under reference operating conditions Figure : Evolution at heat fluxes to and from the cell in non isothermal model under reference operating conditions
At High Steam Conversion
• Temperatures • Heat Fluxes for interconnects

Figure: Evolution of Temperature profile in non isothermal model under reference operating conditions Figure : Evolution at heat fluxes to and from the interconnects in non isothermal model under reference operating conditions
Impact of operating temperature
• Cell performance is better at • Endothermal operating current
higher temperatures zone increases
• Lower ionic resistance, activation
overpotentials

Figure .: Impact of operating temperature on cell voltage Figure: Impact of operating temperature on endothermal zone
Impact of H2:H2O ratio at cathode inlet
• H2:H2O ratio for case 2 was 1:9 ASR is lower for lower H2:H2O ratio

• Steam mole flow rates same in

both cases for similar thermal
behaviour
• Cathodic activation overpotentials
were the main cause

Figure: Impact of H2:steam ratio on cell voltage

Impact of H2:H2O ratio at cathode inlet
• H2:H2O ratio for case 2 was 1:9 ASR is lower for lower H2:H2O ratio

• Steam mole flow rates same in

both cases for similar thermal
behaviour
• Cathodic activation overpotentials
were the main cause

Figure: Impact of H2:steam ratio on cathode activation overpotential

Comparison of CSC Vs ESC
Cathode thickness : 1000 µm CSC exhibits a better performance

Lower limiting current density

Figure :Comparison of polarization curves of CSC and ESC in reference case operating conditions
Figure: Evolution of mole fraction in channels and TPB for CSC at 0.85 A/cm2
Sensitivity Analysis
In decreasing order of sensitivity
• Anodic exchange current density
( 0.25 V) Figure: Sensitivity analysis of anodic exchange current density on polarization curve

• Cathodic exchange current

density (~0.1 V at high SC)
• Interconnect Emissivity (~0.1 V at
high SC)
• Interconnect conductivity
(0.025V at 96% SC) Figure: Sensitivity analysis of cathodic exchange current density on polarization curve