Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.53, No.51, 19690-19694, 2014
Study of Transient Behavior of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anode Degradation Using Percolation Theory
The transient behavior of solid oxide fuel cell anode degradation due to Ni coarsening is a critical phenomenon limiting its performance and usability. Percolation theory based model has been applied to understand the effect of morphological change in a nickel-yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni-YSZ) composite anode. The existing static model is converted to dynamic by using a time-dependent function of particle radii. Variations of effective ionic and electronic conductivities, triple-phase boundary density, percolation probabilities and coordination numbers are observed with respect to time, porosity, relative composition, and particle radii. Simulation results have been verified using experimental data from the literature. The results are presented in three-dimensional form, which can be used for optimization of cell parameters for enhanced performance over an extended period of operation.