Polarization effects in intermediate temperature, anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells
- Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
- Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
Anode-supported sold oxide fuel cells with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte, Sr-doped LaMnO{sub 3} (LSM) + YSZ cathode, and Ni + YSZ anode were fabricated and their performance was evaluated between 650 and 800 C with humidified hydrogen as the fuel and air as the oxidant. Maximum power densities measured were {approximately} 1.8 W/cm{sup 2} at 800 C and {approximately} 0.82 W/cm{sup 2} at 650 C. Voltage (V) vs. current density (i) traces were nonlinear; V vs. i exhibited a concave-up curvature [d{sup 2}V/di{sup 2} {ge} 0] at low values of i and a convex-up curvature [d{sup 2}V/di{sup 2} {le} 0] at higher values of i, typical of many low temperature fuel cells. Analysis of concentration polarization based on transport of gaseous species through porous electrodes, in part, is used to explain nonlinear V vs. i traces. The effects of activation polarization in the Tafel limit are also included. It is shown that in anode-supported cells, the initial concave-up curvature can be due either to activation or concentration polarization, or both. By contrast, in cathode-supported cells, the initial concave-up curvature is entirely due to activation polarization. From the experimentally observed V vs. i traces for anode-supported cells, effective binary diffusivity of gaseous species on the anodic side was estimated to be between {approximately} 0.1 cm{sup 2}/s at 650 C and {approximately} 0.2 cm{sup 2}/s at 800 C. The area specific resistance of the cell (ohmic part), varied between {approximately} 0.18 {Omega} cm{sup 2} at 650 C and {approximately} 0.07 {Omega} cm{sup 2} at 800 C with an activation energy of {approximately} 65 kJ/mol.
- OSTI ID:
- 321131
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 146, Issue 1; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
LOW-TEMPERATURE, ANODE-SUPPORTED HIGH POWER DENSITY SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS WITH NANOSTRUCTURED ELECTRODES
All-Sputtered, Superior Power Density Thin-Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with a Novel Nanofibrous Ceramic Cathode