Discrete triangular interconnector design for performance enhancement of planar solid oxide fuel cells.

In this study, a three-dimensional Multiphysics field model of a planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is established based on computational fluid dynamics methods. The study introduces a new interconnector design known as the triangular interconnector. The results indicate that compared with the conventional interconnector, the discrete arrangement of ribs has a positive impact on the uniformity of oxygen distribution and hydrogen consumption rate. Furthermore, the triangular interconnector under counter-flow effectively increases the value of current density under the ribs, and the triangular interconnector achieved optimal performance in counter-flow configuration. Compared with conventional interconnector in counter-flow, the peak power increased by 28.64%, even when considering pressure drop, the increased parasitic power only accounts for 4.19% of the cell output power. Moreover, compared to the conventional interconnector structure; the activation overpotential, concentration overpotential, ohmic overpotential, and contact overpotential of the triangular interconnector structure under counter-flow configuration are reduced by 27.6%, 63.9%, 39.3%, and 20%, respectively. In addition, the total overpotential is reduced by 42.6%, indicating that optimizing fuel cell performance by rearranging the ribs is a reliable method. • Design a triangular interconnector to enhance the oxygen concentration under the ribs. • The flow distribution dominates the temperature distribution, but the interconnector influences the highest temperature. • Triangular interconnectors improve both cell power and net power. • Triangular interconnectors under counter-flow reduce overpotential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]