Lightweight and efficient tubular SOFC design for UAV applications: multi-physics modeling and performance optimization

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising power sources for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), yet their widespread application is hindered by the inherent contradiction between the demand for rapid dynamic response and the constraints of heat and mass transfer. Traditional decoupled control strategies struggle to resolve the complex, coupled conflicts between heat and mass transfer under high dynamic loads. To address this challenge, this study utilizes a validated multi-physics model to develop and validate an advanced integrated synergistic control strategy. The investigation first reveals the highly asymmetric dynamic response of the single cell to flow velocity adjustments and innovatively proposes that this response signature can be used for online efficiency optimization. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that single feedforward strategies are inherently flawed: aggressive pre-heating induces power overshoot and fuel starvation, while a simple flow velocity increase prolongs thermal stabilization due to its convective cooling effect. To resolve this dilemma, an integrated synergistic control strategy that intelligently couples active pre-heating and dynamic flow velocity is proposed. Validation under a typical UAV mission profile shows that, compared to baseline control, the synergistic strategy shortens the stabilization time by 90 %, completely eliminates dynamic undershoot, delivers a steady-state power output up to 70 % higher during maneuvering, and reduces the peak thermal stress by over 35 %. Additionally, the superiority of a multi-channel anode design in mitigating coking risk is confirmed. Overall, the proposed synergistic strategy effectively resolves the conflict between rapid response and stability offering critical insights and a practical framework for managing transient thermos-electrochemical couplings which constitutes a necessary step toward realizing high performance SOFC propulsion in actual UAV flight missions.