Please cite this article in press as: Vakouftsi, E., et al., A detailed model for transport processes in a methane fed planar SOFC, Chem Eng Res Des (2010), doi:10.1016/j.cherd.2010.05.003 ARTICLE IN PRESS CHERD-530; No. of Pages 6 chemical engineering research and design xxx (2010) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Chemical Engineering Research and Design journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cherd A detailed model for transport processes in a methane fed planar SOFC E. Vakouftsi a , G. Marnellos a,b , C. Athanasiou a,b , F.A. Coutelieris a,c,* a Dept. of Engineering and Management of Energy Resources, University of Western Macedonia, Bakola & Sialvera, 50100 Kozani, Greece b Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute, Centre for Research & Technology, 6th km. Charilaou–Thermi Rd., 57001 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece c National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, 15310 Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, Greece abstract In the present work the basic transport processes occurring in a planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) were simulated. The Navier–Stokes and energy equations, including convective and diffusive terms, were numerically solved by the commercial CFD-ACE + program along with the mass and charge transport equations. To achieve this, a three- dimensional geometry for the planar fuel cell has been built. It was also assumed that the feedstream was a mixture of methane and steam in a ratio avoiding carbon formation. In accordance with the literature, the steam reforming reaction, the water–gas shift reaction as well as electrochemical reactions were introduced to the model. The spatial variation of the mixture’s velocity, the temperature profiles and the species concentrations (mass fractions) were obtained. Furthermore, the effect of temperature on the produced current density was investigated and compared to the outcomes from isothermal imposed conditions. © 2010 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Internal methane reforming; SOFC; Heat transfer; Modeling 1. Introduction The increased energy demands worldwide and the intense environmental impact have imposed the necessity of sub- stituting conventional energy systems based on fossil fuels and combustion processes with power plants based on renew- able energy sources (RES). Fuel cells seem to be an attractive solution since they can convert fuel’s chemical energy into electricity with high performances and low emissions (almost zero pollutants) because such devices are not restricted by the Carnot limitations. The majority of the fuel cell systems nowa- days operate with hydrogen which is neither cheap nor easy to store. However, the high operational temperature (873–1473 K) and the materials used in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) allow fuel flexibility in feedstream such as carbon monoxide, nat- ural gas and hydrocarbons (Douvartzides et al., 2004; Jeng ∗ Corresponding author at: Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, Seferi 2, 30100 Agrinio, Greece. Tel.: +30 2641074196; fax: +30 2641074176. E-mail addresses: evakouftsi@uowm.gr (E. Vakouftsi), gmarnellos@uowm.gr (G. Marnellos), costath@cperi.certh.gr (C. Athanasiou), fcouteliers@uowm.gr (F.A. Coutelieris). Received 22 April 2009; Received in revised form 27 April 2010; Accepted 19 May 2010 and Chen, 2002; Coutelieris et al., 2003; Hernandez-Pacheco et al., 2005; Aloui and Halouani, 2007). The advantage of such a choice is that these fuels can be naturally found and eas- ily stored and transported in opposition to hydrogen which is a highly demanding energy carrier. In the current simula- tion, a mixture of methane and steam was introduced to the fuel cell in a ratio preventing carbon formation, while internal methane reforming and water–gas shift reaction have been implemented as well (Park et al., 1999; Demin et al., 1992; Lehnert et al., 2000; Hou and Hughes, 2001; Xu and Froment, 1989; Morel et al., 2005; Ahmed and Foger, 2000; Achenbach and Riensche, 1994; Nikooyeh et al., 2007; Ho et al., 2009). A three-dimensional model was created and the fundamental transport processes have been examined. Furthermore, the effect of temperature on the produced current density for isothermal and non-isothermal conditions was investigated. 0263-8762/$ – see front matter © 2010 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.cherd.2010.05.003