Appropriate chemical reactions for SOFC and PEMFC are used to predict the local current density and voltage distributions at the electrolyte surfaces. The ionic transport across the electrolyte is assumed to be one-dimensional. The electrochemical model takes into account the losses due to activation overpotential (kinetic losses), ohmic overpotential (losses due to ionic transport in the electrolyte), and concentration overpotential (losses due to inadequate diffusion of species through the electrodes). Binary diffusion coefficients are used to calculate the molecular diffusion of the (gaseous) species throughout the domain.

Temperature contours on the cathode side of the electrolyte

The current density and voltage on a surface through the electrolyte