Two-dimensional micro/macroscale model for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells considering the direct internal reforming of methane

•A two-dimensional micro/macroscale model for methane-fueled IT-SOFCs is presented.•Direct internal reforming (DIR) of methane on Ni surface in the anode is fully considered.•Effects of DIR on current density and temperature distribution are investigated.•Parametric studies for inlet temperature, air flow rate, and cell length are conducted.

In this study, a two-dimensional micro/macroscale model is developed to simulate the operation of anode-supported, planar, intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) fed with partially reformed methane fuel. The previous micro/macroscale model for hydrogen-fueled IT-SOFCs is extended to take into account the direct internal reforming (DIR) of methane inside the porous cermet anode and the multi-component mass transport and reforming reaction heat consumption. The intrinsic reaction kinetics for steam methane reforming (SMR) at the nickel catalyst surface is fully considered based on the micro/macroscale calculation framework under the assumption of fully-developed laminar channel flow. Using the developed micro/macroscale model, a detailed investigation of the methane-fueled IT-SOFC operation is conducted, followed by parametric studies on the effects of the inlet temperature, the co- or counter-flow configuration, the air flow rate, and the cell length on performance.