A simulation model for a tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) was developed by the object-based approach to calculate the current distribution, gas concentration distribution, and temperature distribution at the steady states and transient operation states. The transient electrical and temperature response to a load change was simulated for the both cells with the diameter of 22 mm (standard cell) and the diameter of 2.4 turn (micro-tube cell). The time required to reach the new steady state as the operating voltage was changed from 0.7 to 0.5 V for the micro-tube cell was found to be 15 s, which is much shorter than that of the standard cell. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.