The high-temperature SOFC environment creates the potential for extensive chemical transformations to occur prior to the electrochemical oxidation event. A proper understanding of these reactions is essential to be able to determine the composition of the mixture near the three-phase-boundary and thus available to participate in the charge-exchange reactions. We have developed mechanisms that accurately describe the gas-phase kinetics of a variety of hydrocarbons and oxygenates under SOFC conditions. We are using data from separated-anode experiments to extend existing microkinetic models to describe the on-anode reforming kinetics as well as the reforming and CPOX kinetics in external fuel-conditioning reactors.

Detailed Kinetic Modeling