Modeling of direct H2S fueled solid oxide fuel cells with reforming chemical kinetics

Abstract

A direct H2S fueled SOFC model is developed based on Ni-YSZ/YSZ/YSZ-LSM button cell test stand. The model considers the detailed reforming chemical processes of H2S and multi-physics transport processes in the fuel cell and fuel supply tubes. The model is validated using experimental data. Extensive simulations are performed to study the complicated interactions between multi-physics transport processes and chemical/ electrochemical reactions. The results elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of direct H2S fueled SOFCs. It is found that suitably increasing the H2O content in the supplied H2S fuel can improve SOFC electrochemical performance; high operating temperature may facilitate the reforming of H2S and improve the electrochemical performance. The sulfur poisoning effect may be mitigated by increasing the H2O content in the fuel, increasing the operating temperature, decreasing the flow rate, and/or making the cell work at low voltage (or high current) conditions. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.