A two-dimensional thermal-fluid model was developed to study the performance of a planar solid oxide fuel cell (SCFC). The laminar fluid flow and conjugate heat transfer, as well as the electrochemical reaction in the SOFC were fully considered The governing equations were numerically solved using the Finite Volume Method (FVM) Simulation results were compared with data from the literature and good agreement was found Parametric simulations were conducted to investigate the effects of operating and structural parameters on SOFC performance. The effects of operating potential, inlet gas composition, inlet gas velocity, electrode permeability and electrode porosity on the coupled transport and electrochemical reaction as well as the electric output of the SOFC were invested in detail. The model developed in this paper is capable of predicting the complex physical-chemical processes in SOFCs and can serve as a useful tool for SOFC design and investigations. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.