Dynamic Modeling of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell and its Dynamic Response : Time Response for the Load Change in the Parallel-and Counterflow Types

Abstract

This paper first presents a mathematical model which describes the temperature variations at each place in the molten carbonate fuel cell based upon the thermal and material balances and electrochemical reaction in the electrodes. Then, the coefficients of these derived dynamic equations are all nondimensionalized. Since these are partial differential equations with respect to the non-dimensional place and time, they are approximated by using the Method of Weighted Residuals and dynamic responses of the temperatures in the cell for load change are shown. The theoretical and experimental results are in good agreement. The difference between the counterflow and parallelflow types of fuel and oxidizing gases is discussed.