Lattice Boltzmann Modeling of Methane Steam Reforming Reactions in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Abstract

The present study evaluated the rate of methane steam reforming (MSR) in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). In this regard, a numerical model is applied to investage the effects of different parameters on the reactants concentration and temperature distributions in the SOFCs. The developed model is based on the Lattice Boltzmann method (D2Q9) and validated with experimental results. Parametric effects, including current density, anode porosity, steam to carbon ratio (S/C), and Reynolds number of the inlet flow in the anode channel, are surveyed as a new parameter. Also, the results of reactant concentrations are illustrated in two-dimensions. These results showed that the porosity and Reynolds number of flow have the lowest and highest impact on the reaction rate of MSR, respectively. The lowest MSR rate at the center of the SOFC happened when the Reynolds number of the input flow equals 5, and the highest MSR rate occured when the Reynolds number is 15 or the steam to carbon ratio equaled to 1.

Keywords

• solid oxide fuel cell
• methane steam reforming
• lattice boltzmann method
• reaction rate
• concentration distribution