CFD model for tubular SOFC cells fed directly by biomass - a complete integrated system

In this work, an innovative solution under development in the DB-SOFC project to produce electrical power from a SOFC stack feed by syngas obtained from the gasification of residual biomass inside the stack is presented. Firstly, the CFD model of a single SOFC tubular cell was developed. Secondly, the model was applied to simulate the operation of a 25-cells stack feed by syngas in two different configurations (square, circular) and with two different cooling systems (air, water). The results show the squared stack cooled by air is able to reach the 200 W target power of the project. The circular stack configuration provides lower power in all the investigated conditions because of the difficult management of the current collection of the cells that have different current outputs, limiting the total current inside the stack, demonstrating the higher potential of a squared configuration.