Abstract
Thispaperpresentsanumericalmodelforfuelcellsandelectrolysiscellsthatusecermetsas electrodes. The mass and charge continuity equations were demonstrated inside the elec- trodesandinthedivergence term,surfaceratioswereusedinsteadofmoreusual volumetric ratios. The Butler e Volmer equation for electrokinetics was used with concentration coef- ficients in order to predict correctly the concentration effects on the value of the transfer current density in the cermets. In addition, it was considered that the reaction takes place inside all of cermet's volume inste1 ad of a thin layer near the electrolyte. The model was tested for the proton-conducting SOEC technology on a generic cell design and the calcu- lations were performed with COMSOL Multiphysics 4.1 . A parametric analysis was carried out on a proton-conducting SOEC in galvanostatic mode in order to evaluate the influence of parameters on oxygen production across the electrode in the anodic compartment. This analysis showed that the structural parameters of the cermets such as grain radius or volumetric ratios of the conductors play a major role in the distribution of reaction kinetics.