Anode-side flow channel structure design for metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell: An investigation of discrete interconnect based on multi-physics coupling simulation

In this study, we aim to investigate the design of gas flow channel structure in the anode-side interconnect of metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell (MS-SOFC) through computational modeling and simulation. Firstly, a comparative analysis is first performed between MS-SOFC and anode-supported SOFC (AS-SOFC) with conventional straight-through interconnect under varying rib spacing conditions, and the results reveal that AS-SOFC exhibits a distinct performance inflection point caused by a sharp rise in ohmic loss with increasing rib spacing. In contrast, MS-SOFC sustains performance improvement by leveraging the supported layer's high electrical conductivity and progressively reduced concentration loss. Building on this finding, we design and compare the effect of conventional straight-through, segmented, and discrete interconnects on MS-SOFC performance. The discrete design demonstrates a power density 11.8 % higher than the conventional straight-through configuration and 7.5 % superior to the segmented variant. Subsequently, effect of spacing and diameter of cylindrical rib in discrete interconnect reveals a progressive 8.4 % enhancement in power density, as rib spacing expands from 3 mm to 6 mm.