The optimal heat-up strategy of solid-oxide fuel cells

A thermal-structure coupled simulation model has been developed and employed to evaluate the heat-up time of solid-oxide fuel cells and the associated thermal stress for various heat-up processes. Simulation results show that effects of the residual stress of the PEN structure on the evaluation of the thermal stress are significant. Noticeably, the dual-channel heating approach is found more favorable than the single-channel heating approach. Among the investigated heat-up processes, the dual-channel heating approach is the optimal heat-up strategy for the lowest thermal stress and a shorter heat-up time.