A Direct Carbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack Based on a Single Electrolyte Plate Fabricated by Tape Casting Technique

doi:10.15541/jim20180345

Abstract

Abstract:

A direct carbon solid oxide fuel cell stack based on a single electrolyte plate was proposed and investigated for applications in small-scale power supplies. YSZ electrolyte plates were fabricated through tape casting technique. Small holes, contributing to electrical connection between the electrodes on opposite sides of the electrolyte, were punched on the green electrolyte plates. A stack with four cells electrically connected in series was prepared, whose total effective area was 5.6 cm ². The 4-cell-stack was tested with 5 g Fe-loaded (5wt%) activated carbon as fuel and ambient air as oxidant. The stack gave an open circuit voltage of 3.80 V and the a peak power of 1.66 W, corresponding to a power density of 296 mW×cm ^-2 at 850 ℃. Meanwhile, the peak power density of the first cell of the stack was 294 mW×cm ^-2, suggesting good consistency among the four cells constituting the stack. The stack discharged at a constant current of 300 mA for 11 h at 800 ℃, giving a discharging energy of 8.42 W×h and fuel utilization of 30%. This work shows the promise of developing DC-SOFCs for portable and distributed applications.

Key words: solid oxide fuel cell, single planar stack, carbon fuel, tape casting

CLC Number:

TM911

Wei WANG, Li-Li YUAN, Qian-Yuan QIU, Ming-Yang ZHOU, Mei-Lin LIU, Jiang LIU. A Direct Carbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack Based on a Single Electrolyte Plate Fabricated by Tape Casting Technique[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2019, 34(5): 509-514.

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of YSZ electrolyte-supported 4-cell-stack

Fig. 2 Diagrammatic drawing (a) and physical map (b) of 4-cell-stack

Fig. 3 Cross-sectional microstructures of DC-SOFC (a), YSZ electrolyte (b), interface between cathode and electrolyte (c), interface between anode and electrolyte (d)

Fig. 4 Output performance (a), impedance spectra under OCV of the first cell of the 4-cell-stack with insets showing magnified spectra and equivalent circuit (b) and Arrhenius plot for YSZ (c)

Fig. 5 Output performance (a) and impedance spectra under OCV (b) of 4-cell-stack of DC-SOFC operated at different temperatures with inset showing magnified spectra

Fig. 6 Discharge characteristic of the 4-cell-stack at 800 ℃ and 300 mA

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