A numerical study on the performance of a novel arc-shaped solid oxide fuel cell

The geometric structure and parameters of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) are critical in determining its performance. This study introduces a novel arc-shaped SOFC design , characterized by an arc-shaped positive-electrolyte-negative (PEN) structure, and compares its performance with that of the conventional planar-type SOFC. Numerical simulation studies using COMSOL Multiphysics. The results indicate that when the cell voltage is 0.6V, both the arc-shaped and planar-type SOFCs reach their maximum power density . However, the arc-shaped SOFC achieved 4497.8 W/m 2 —a 358 W/m 2 (8.6%) increase over the planar-type SOFC's 4139.8 W/m 2 . Meanwhile, the arc-shaped SOFC exhibits superior heat dissipation. The study investigates the impact of geometric parameters on the performance differences between the arc-shaped and planar-type SOFCs at 0.6V. This research provides valuable insights for the design of SOFCs in practical engineering applications by analyzing the output performance of these two distinct SOFC geometries and studying the effects of structural parameters. • The proposed novel arc-shaped geometry SOFC has enhance the cell power density. • The arc-shaped SOFC exhibits excellent heat dissipation performance. • The arc-shaped SOFC was more significantly affected by the cathode thickness. • The rib width was observed to have a greater effect on the planar-type SOFC.