Simple Porous Electrode Models for Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

Abstract

Individual porous electrode models for the anode and cathode of a molten carbonate fuel cell are described in this paper. These models are used to calculate local cell overpotential and current density in an integral cell model which predicts overall current density and voltage of scaled-up isothermal and nonisothermal cells. The analysis is based on the thin film cylindrical pore model. In this model all electrochemical activity is assumed to occur on film-covered walls of the larger gas-filled pores. Smaller flooded pores were treated as chemically inert. The principle deficiency of the model, besides the oversimplified pore structure assumed, is the lack of measured values for film areas and thicknesses, forcing these parameters to be treated empirically. The main justification for using this model is pragmatic: it is the simplest model which predicts current densities equal to or greater than those already being measured.