Extension of an effective MCFC kinetic model to a wider range of operating conditions

The aim of this work is to improve the semi-empirical MCFC kinetics model previously developed by the authors for laboratory and industrial simulation to make it applicable to a wider range of feeding compositions. New parameters are taken into account and identified to describe O₂ and cathode induced flux effects, which were neglected in the previous formulation. The newly obtained equation is integrated as kinetic core in the SIMFC (SIMulation of Fuel Cells) code, an MCFC 3D model set up by the UNIGE PERT group, to test its reliability. Validation is performed using experimental data collected through experimental tests carried out at the Fuel Cell Research Centre laboratories of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) using 100 cm² single cell facilities. The results will be discussed in detail giving examples of the simulated performance varying operating conditions and evaluating the different polarisation contributions. Through the final formulation the average percentage error obtained for all the simulated cases respect to experimental results is maintained around 1% despite the very wide operating range.