CACHE Modules on Energy in the Curriculum Fuel Cells Module Title: Conduction, Convection, and Radiation Heat Transfer

from a Solid O ide Fuel Cell Module Author: Michael D. Gross Module Affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering Bucknell University, Lewis urg, !" #$%&$ Course: Te t Reference: 'eat (ransfer )ncropera an* De+itt ,th e*ition, -ections #../#.&, ..#/..., 0.#, #..#/#..1 Con*uction, convection, an* ra*iation.

Conce!ts "llustrated:

!ro lem Motivation2 3uel cells are a promising alternative energy conversion technology. (here are numerous types of fuel cells, as *escri e* 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.

H2 + O2- H2O + 2eFuel eAnode

O2-

-73C reactions2
Electrolyte
O2-

"no*e2 '. 9 7/. '.7 9 . e/ Catho*e2 : 7. 9 . e/ 7/.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

Cathode eAir O2 + 2e- O2-

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 flow 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 = @ rate of heat transfer 5+6 k @ thermal con*uctivity 5+AmBC6 " @ surface area across which heat is transferre* 5m.6 D( @ *ifference in temperature over which heat is transferre* 5C6 D8 @ *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 D( term is the *riving force for heat transfer.

Convection (he rate of heat transfer *ue to convection is *escri e* y E=n. .. E=n. . )n E=n. . the new term is2 h @heat transfer coefficient 5+Am.BC6 )n E=n. ., the heat transfer coefficient replaces the kAD8 term in E=n. #. (he reason this happens is ecause convection has a mo ile phase, an* thickness is no longer an effective way of *escri ing how the heat is transferre*. (he heat transfer coefficient 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 D( term is calculate* etween the surface an* the ulk temperature of the mo ile phase.

Radiation (he concept for ra*iation is that all materials are constantly emitting infrare* ra*iation that is a sor e* y other materials. 3or this mo*ule, we will assume that ra*iation is emitte* *irectly outwar* from the surface of o Eects. +hile con*uction an* convection are *riven y a temperature gra*ient, ra*iation is only ase* on the temperature of the o Eect emitting ra*iation. (he rate of heat transfer *ue to ra*iation can e *escri e* y E=ns. & an* ,. >a*iation Emitte*2 >a*iation " sor e*2 )n E=ns. & an* ,, the new terms are2 F @ Emissivity, the ease with which a material emits ra*iation. Emissivity is a *imensionless =uantity etween 4 an* #. G @ -tefan/BoltHmann constant 51.0$4 8 #4/% +Am.BC,6. (his constant is use* to *escri e the ma8imum amount of energy ra*iate* per surface area. (s @ (he surface temperature of the material 5C6 I @ " sorptivity, the ease with which a material a sor s ra*iation. " sorptivity is a *imensionless =uantity etween 4 an* #. (o @ (he temperature of o Eects surroun*ing the material 5C6 "nother term commonly foun* in ra*iation e=uations is view factor. (his term *escri es the *egree of e8posure of a surface to other o Eects. 3or e8ample, if ) am trying to fin* 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 *ifferent positions in the sky, the view factor is *ifferent. 3or this mo*ule, we will assume the view factor is #, which means that an o Eect 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 a sor e* ra*iation. E=n. & E=n. ,

>a*iation )n

Convection

Con*uction

>a*iation 7ut

3uel Cell
Bulk (emperature )nner -urface (emperature DJ

7uter -urface (emperature

)nsulating Bo8
3igure .. Depiction of the *ifferent mo*es of heat transfer for a fuel cell with insulating o8.

#ro$lem "nformation E am!le #ro$lem Statement: Kou 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 timeL 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 timeL c6 "t what temperature will the fuel cell operate isothermally 5i.e. what is the stea*y state temperature of the fuel cell6L %ecessary "nformation: )nsulating o8 geometry2 cu e with a surface area of # m. >eaction rate M .4 mol '.Ah 'r8n M .N4 kOAmol of '. reacte* (he air surroun*ing the o8 has a ulk temperature of .1<C an* a heat transfer coefficient of .1 +Am.BC "ssumptions2 Piew factor is # 'r8n has a negligi le *epen*ence on temperature 'eat transfer is only *irectly outwar* through the walls )nsulating Bo8 )nformation2

Con*uction o8 wall k 5+A mBC6 thickness 5m6 4.## 4.41

>a*iation F 4.N I 4.%1

E am!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. >a*iation )n

Convection

Con*uction

>a*iation 7ut

3uel Cell
'eat generate* from reaction )nner -urface (emperature DJ Bulk (emperature

7uter -urface (emperature

)nsulating Bo8

Ste! '( (he net heat transfer is calculate* with a heat alance.

M .N

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.

#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. >a*iation )n

Convection

Con*uction

>a*iation 7ut

3uel Cell
'eat generate* from reaction )nner -urface (emperature DJ Bulk (emperature

7uter -urface (emperature

)nsulating Bo8

Ste! '( (he net rate of heat transfer is calculate* with a heat alance.

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 Hero.

(o more effectively visualiHe the effect of temperature, results for =r8n, =con*, an* =net are plotte* from $44<C to N44<C.
#%44 #044 #,44 #.44 #444 %44

= r8n = con* = net

& s , + *
044 ,44 .44 4 /.44 014 $44 $14 %44 %14

N44

N14

Tem!erature +. C&

(5<C6 (5C6 $44 N$& $14 #4.& %44 #4$& %&..&.& ##41.&.& %14 ##.& N44 ##$&

=r8n 5OA s6 #0## #0## #0## #0## #0## #0##

=con* 5OA s6 #&.4 #,&4 #1,4 #0## #014 #$04

=net 5OA s6 .N#.## #%#.## $#.## 4.44 /&%.%N /#,%.%N

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 Q 14<C. (wo insulating o8es are availa le an* you have een aske* to evaluate a6 whether or not each o8 meets the safety re=uirements 6 which material is more effective %ecessary "nformation: )nsulating o8 geometry2 cu e with a surface area of 4.% m. (he air surroun*ing the o8 has a ulk temperature of .4<C Bo8 )nformation2

Material " B

Con*uction o8 wall k 5+A mBC6 thickness 5m6 4.4% 4.#. 4.41 4.41

Convection hair 5+A mBC6 .1 .14

>a*iation F 4.% 4.N I 4.N 4.%

"ssumptions2 Piew factor is # 'eat transfer is only *irectly outwar* through the walls