CACHE Modules on Energy in the Curriculum

Fuel Cells
Module Title: Conduction, Convection, and Radiation Heat Transfer from a
Solid Oide Fuel Cell
Module Author: Michael D. Gross
Module A!liation: Department of Chemical Engineering
Bucknell University, Lewisurg, !" #$%&$
Course: 'eat (ransfer
Tet Reference: )ncropera an* De+itt ,
th
e*ition, -ections #../#.&, ..#/..., 0.#,
#..#/#..1
Conce"ts #llustrated: Con*uction, convection, an* ra*iation.
!rolem Motivation2 3uel cells are a promising alternative energy conversion
technology. (here are numerous types of fuel cells, as *escrie* in Mo*ule 4, which
are typically *istinguishe* 5an* name*6 y either #6 the ion con*ucte* across the
electrolyte or .6 the electrolyte material.

" general schematic of a -oli* 78i*e 3uel Cell 5-73C6 operating on '. fuel is shown
in 3igure #. 78ygen from air supplie* to the catho*e is re*uce* to 7
./
at the
catho*e, transporte* across the electrolyte, an* reacte* with '. fuel at the ano*e
releasing electrons. (he electrons release* at the ano*e are transporte* through an
e8ternal circuit where electrical power can e *rawn.
-73C reactions2
"no*e2 '. 9 7
/.
'.7 9
. e
/
Catho*e2 : 7. 9 . e
/

7
/.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
7verall2 '. 9 : 7.
'.7
3igure #. General schematic of -73C.
-73Cs typically operate in the temperature range of $44/#444<C. 'eat transfer with
a -73C system will e e8plore* in this mo*ule, which is particularly important *ue
to the high operating temperature.
'eat can e transferre* y materials in three ways2 #6 con*uction, .6 convection,
an* &6 ra*iation. Con*uction is heat transfer that occurs y atomic motion *ue to a
temperature gra*ient. Convection is heat transfer that occurs etween a surface
an* a li=ui* or gas that can >ow freely *ue to a temperature gra*ient. ?a*iation is
heat transfer that occurs through ra*iative heat waves an* applies to any type of
phase. )n calculating the ra*iation leaving a material only the material itself is
important, not the surroun*ing components.
Conduction
(he rate of heat transfer *ue to con*uction is governe* y 3ourier@s Law, as shown
in E=n. #.
E=n. #
(he terms in E=n. # are2
= A rate of heat transfer 5+6
k A thermal con*uctivity 5+BmCD6
" A surface area across which heat is transferre* 5m
.
6
E( A *ifference in temperature over which heat is transferre* 5D6
E8 A *istance over which heat is transferre* 5m6
(hermal con*uctivity in*icates the ease of heat transfer through a material an* is a
material *epen*ent property. (he E( term is the *riving force for heat transfer.
Convection
(he rate of heat transfer *ue to convection is *escrie* y E=n. ..
E=n. .
)n E=n. . the new term is2
h Aheat transfer coeFcient 5+Bm
.
CD6
)n E=n. ., the heat transfer coefficient replaces the kBE8 term in E=n. #. (he reason
this happens is ecause convection has a moile phase, an* thickness is no longer
an eGective way of *escriing how the heat is transferre*. (he heat transfer
coeFcient can e thought of as the inverse of the resistance to heat transfer. "lso,
ecause temperature is a function of *istance from a surface, the E( term is
calculate* etween the surface an* the ulk temperature of the moile phase.
Radiation
(he concept for ra*iation is that all materials are constantly emitting infrare*
ra*iation that is asore* y other materials. 3or this mo*ule, we will assume that
ra*iation is emitte* *irectly outwar* from the surface of oHects. +hile con*uction
an* convection are *riven y a temperature gra*ient, ra*iation is only ase* on the
temperature of the oHect emitting ra*iation.
(he rate of heat transfer *ue to ra*iation can e *escrie* y E=ns. & an* ,.
?a*iation Emitte*2 E=n. &
?a*iation "sore*2 E=n. ,
)n E=ns. & an* ,, the new terms are2
I A Emissivity, the ease with which a material emits ra*iation. Emissivity is a
*imensionless =uantity etween 4 an* #.
J A -tefan/BoltKmann constant 51.0$4 8 #4
/%
+Bm
.
CD
,
6. (his constant is use*
to *escrie the ma8imum amount of energy ra*iate* per surface area.
(s A (he surface temperature of the material 5D6
L A "sorptivity, the ease with which a material asors ra*iation.
"sorptivity is a *imensionless =uantity etween 4 an* #.
(o A (he temperature of oHects surroun*ing the material 5D6
"nother term commonly foun* in ra*iation e=uations is view factor. (his term
*escries the *egree of e8posure of a surface to other oHects. 3or e8ample, if ) am
trying to Mn* the temperature of a roof on a sunny *ay, then ) want to know how
much sunshine is hitting the roof. +hen the sun is at *iGerent positions in the sky,
the view factor is *iGerent. 3or this mo*ule, we will assume the view factor is #,
which means that an oHect has a full view.
"s an e8ample, let@s consi*er heat transfer for a fuel cell encase* with an insulating
o8. 3or this case, the mo*es of heat transfer are *epicte* in 3igure .. (he mo*e of
heat transfer through the walls of the o8 is con*uction. "t the outer surface of the
o8, heat is transferre* to the air surroun*ing the o8 y convection an* emitte*
ra*iation. "t the same time, heat is eing transferre* from the surroun*ings to the
o8 y asore* ra*iation.
3igure .. Depiction of the *iGerent mo*es of heat transfer for a fuel cell with
insulating o8.
3uel Cell
Con*uction
Convection
)nsulating Bo8
EN
7uter -urface
(emperature
)nner -urface
(emperature
Bulk (emperature
?a*iation 7ut
?a*iation )n
$ro%lem #nformation
Eam"le $ro%lem Statement:
Oou are operating a soli* o8i*e fuel cell system with hy*rogen fuel an* o8ygen. (he
fuel cell is encase* with an insulating o8. (he outsi*e surface temperature of the
o8 is #44<C.
a6 3or a fuel cell temperature of $44<C, calculate the net rate of heat transfer at
the insi*e surface of the o8. +ill the fuel cell temperature increase or
*ecrease over timeP
6 3or a fuel cell temperature of $44<C, calculate the net rate of heat transfer at
the outsi*e surface of the o8. +ill the fuel cell temperature increase or
*ecrease over timeP
c6 "t what temperature will the fuel cell operate isothermally 5i.e. what is the
stea*y state temperature of the fuel cell6P
&ecessary #nformation:
)nsulating o8 geometry2 cue with a surface area of # m
.
?eaction rate Q .4 mol '.Bh
'r8n Q .R4 kSBmol of '. reacte*
(he air surroun*ing the o8 has a ulk temperature of .1<C an* a heat transfer
coeFcient of .1 +Bm
.
CD
"ssumptions2
Tiew factor is #
'r8n has a negligile *epen*ence on temperature
'eat transfer is only *irectly outwar* through the walls
)nsulating Bo8 )nformation2
Eam"le $ro%lem Solution:
$art a'
"t the inner surface of the insulating o8, heat generate* y the fuel cell
reaction is a**e* to the system an* heat is lost y con*uction through the walls
of the o8.
Ste" ()
(he net heat transfer is calculate* with a heat alance.
Q .R Q
Ste" *)
(he net rate of heat transfer is positive, which means heat is accumulating in
the fuel cell. (herefore, the temperature of the fuel cell will increase over
time.
3uel Cell
Con*uction
Convection
)nsulating Bo8
EN
7uter -urface
(emperature
)nner -urface
(emperature
Bulk (emperature
?a*iation 7ut
?a*iation )n
'eat generate*
from reaction
$art %'
"t the outer surface of the insulating o8, heat is eing a**e* *ue to con*uction
through the walls of the o8 an* ra*iation from the surroun*ings. 'eat is eing
remove* y convection to the surroun*ings an* ra*iation y the o8.
Ste" ()
(he net rate of heat transfer is calculate* with a heat alance.
9
9
3uel Cell
Con*uction
Convection
)nsulating Bo8
EN
7uter -urface
(emperature
)nner -urface
(emperature
Bulk (emperature
?a*iation 7ut
?a*iation )n
'eat generate*
from reaction
Ste" *)
(he net rate of heat transfer is negative, which means heat is eing lost.
(herefore, the outer surface temperature of the o8 will *ecrease over time.
$art c'
(he fuel cell can e operate* isothermally when the net rate of heat transfer at the
insi*e surface of the o8 is Kero.

(o more eGectively visualiKe the eGect of temperature, results for =r8n, =con*, an* =net
are plotte* from $44<C to R44<C.
Home $ro%lem Statement:
(he stea*y state operating temperature of a soli* o8i*e fuel cell is %44<C. 3or safety
purposes, the fuel cell is to e encase* with an insulating o8 an* the outer surface
of that o8 must e maintaine* at a stea*y state temperature of U 14<C. (wo
insulating o8es are availale an* you have een aske* to evaluate
a6 whether or not each o8 meets the safety re=uirements
6 which material is more eGective
&ecessary #nformation:
)nsulating o8 geometry2 cue with a surface area of 4.% m
.
(he air surroun*ing the o8 has a ulk temperature of .4<C
Bo8 )nformation2
"ssumptions2
Tiew factor is #
'eat transfer is only *irectly outwar* through the walls