Investigation of a proton-conducting SOFC with internal autothermal reforming of methane

This study presents a performance analysis of a proton-conducting SOFC (SOFC-H⁺) with internal reforming of methane. The autothermal reforming within the SOFC-H⁺ stack is considered to be a potential solution of the carbon formation problem facing in operation of internal steam reforming SOFC-H⁺. A one-dimensional, steady-state model of the SOFC-H⁺ coupled with a detailed electrochemical model is employed to investigate its performance in terms of power density and fuel cell efficiency. The simulation results show that when SOFC-H⁺ is operated under an autothermal reforming environment, the presence of carbon monoxide, which is a major cause of carbon formation, in the fuel cell stack decreases. Effect of key operating parameters, such as temperature, steam-to-carbon and oxygen-to-carbon feed ratios, current density and fuel utilization, on the SOFC-H⁺ performance in terms of electrical efficiencies and energy demand is also investigated. The results indicate that operating temperatures have strong influence on SOFC-H⁺ performance, carbon monoxide production and heat generation.