SOFC modeling and simulation under the U. S. doe SECA core technology program

The U. S. Department of Energy initiated the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) to facilitate the development of solid oxide fuel cell modules based on mass-customization concepts for use with commonly available fossil fuels at low cost. The U. S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory coordinate SECA activities. Commercial developers, universities, and government agencies, and other national laboratories participate in the Alliance in a tightly coordinated structure to develop precommercial prototypes. The SECA Core Technology Program supports industrial development teams by providing problem-solving research to overcome common technical barriers identified by the industry teams. Core Technology activities include programs in fuel processing, manufacturing, controls and diagnostics, power electronics, modeling and simulation, and materials. The modeling and simulation program develops computational tools to support development and commercialization of SECA technology. This paper reviews the various development and validation activities and availability of modeling tools at DOE national laboratories as part of the SECA Core Technology modeling and simulation program.