Development and calibration of a fast flow model for solid oxide cell stack internal manifolds

Due to the commercialization of solid oxide cells (SOC) progressing at an accelerated pace, computationally inexpensive SOC models adapted to the iterative nature of the engineering process are in increasing demand. Flow simulation in the stack is especially challenging in this regard because detailed computational fluid mechanic models are computationally demanding, while simplified models rely on pressure loss coefficients and friction factors not readily available in the literature. In this study, a computationally inexpensive algebraic model of an SOC stack internal manifold is developed and calibrated for laminar flow conditions. Thereby, pressure loss coefficients and Darcy friction factors are determined for a broad range of operating conditions through symbolic regression of Navier–Stokes flow simulation results of stacks of 20 to 40 cells. The derived Darcy friction factors for the inlet and outlet manifolds prove to be of particular importance, as they deviate strongly from the expressions assumed in similar modeling studies. The predictive power of the developed model is demonstrated by providing accurate predictions of the flow distribution in the stack, even outside of the calibration window.