The operation of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) involves complex multi-physics coupling

where temperature non-uniformities can induce thermal stress concentration

material degradation

and performance attenuation

ultimately affecting the reliability and durability of the cell. This work employs a fiber optic sensing array to achieve 32 in-plane temperature measurement points within the cell

demonstrating the feasibility of fiber optic thermometry in SOFCs and confirming that the integrated fibers do not impact cell performance. This enables high spatial resolution temperature measurements and reconstruction of the temperature field

facilitating the analysis of transient thermal responses and steady-state temperature distributions of SOFCs under varying current loads

fuel compositions

and air flow rates. The results indicate that increasing the current density enhances electrochemical reactions and raises the in-plane temperature

with a maximum temperature rise of 8.37℃ and a temperature gradient of 6.15℃ at 0.7 A/cm². Higher hydrogen concentrations accelerate reaction rates and elevate overall temperatures

while lower hydrogen concentrations lead to increased polarization heat

resulting in localized temperature rises up to 4.45℃ at 0.5 A/cm². Additionally

increasing the air flow rate helps reduce the cell temperature and improve the uniformity of the temperature distribution

whereas low air flow rates tend to cause local overheating

with a maximum temperature rise of 8.10℃ at 0.6 A/cm². This study verifies the effectiveness of multi-point fiber optic temperature measurement technology and provides experimental support for the optimization of SOFC thermal management.