A master programme thesis from Aalborg University
Design and Dynamic Modelling of a 40 kW Solid Oxide Electrolysis System
Author(s)
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2025
Submitted on
2025-05-27
Pages
54 pages
Abstract
Hydrogen production using electrochemical processes has gained significant interest, as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel-based methods. High temperature electrolysis has been growing due to its enhanced thermodynamics and kinetics at elevated temperatures in comparison to low temperature electrolysis. This thesis presents the design of a onedimensional dynamic model of a 40 kW Solid Oxide Electrolyser Cell (SOEC) stack. The model consisting of electrochemical kinetics, mass, and energy balances, is employed to study the dynamic behaviour of the SOEC stack under step load changes, with spatial discretization applied to resolve temperature and composition profiles along the cell length. Balance-of-plant components such as heat exchangers and electric heaters are also included. The results demonstrate that the system achieves over 80 % efficiency over the simulation period. Transient behaviour under step load changes was stable, with temperature gradients remaining below 10 K/cm. The stack produced approximately 7 kg of hydrogen over a 10 hour simulation with a specific energy consumption close to 34 kWh/kg. The model aims to demonstrate the SOEC’s suitability for dynamic hydrogen production scenarios, supporting its integration in renewable-based energy systems.
Keywords
Documents
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