Final Technical Report, Oct 2004 - Nov. 2006, High Performance Flexible Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
This report summarizes the work performed for the program entitled “High Performance Flexible Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell” under Cooperative Agreement DE-FC36-04GO14351 for the U. S. Department of Energy. The overall objective of this project is to demonstrate a single modular stack that generates electricity from a variety of fuels (hydrogen and other fuels such as biomass, distributed natural gas, etc.) and when operated in the reverse mode, produces hydrogen from steam. This project has evaluated and selected baseline cell materials, developed a set of materials for oxygen and hydrogen electrodes, and optimized electrode microstructures for reversible solid oxide fuel cells (RSOFCs); and demonstrated the feasibility and operation of a RSOFC multi-cell stack. A 10-cell reversible SOFC stack was operated over 1000 hours alternating between fuel cell (with hydrogen and methane as fuel) and steam electrolysis modes. The stack ran very successfully with high power density of 480 mW/cm2 at 0.7V and 80% fuel utilization in fuel cell mode and >6 SLPM hydrogen production in steam electrolysis mode using about 1.1 kW electrical power. The hydrogen generation is equivalent to a specific capability of 2.59 Nm3/m2 with electrical energy demand of 3 kWh/Nm3. The performance stability in electrolysis mode was improved vastly during the program with a degradation rate reduction from 8000 to 200 mohm-cm2/1000 hrs. This was accomplished by increasing the activity and improving microstructure of the oxygen electrode. Both cost estimate and technology assessment were conducted. Besides the flexibility running under both fuel cell mode and electrolysis mode, the reversible SOFC system has the potentials for low cost and high efficient hydrogen production through steam electrolysis. The cost for hydrogen production at large scale was estimated at ~$2.7/kg H2, comparing favorably with other electrolysis techology.
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Global Research, Niskayuna, NY 12309
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE Golden Field Office, Golden, CO 80401
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC36-04GO14351
- OSTI ID:
- 899650
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/GO14351; TRN: US200711%%694
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BIOMASS
ELECTRICITY
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ENERGY DEMAND
FLEXIBILITY
FUEL CELLS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
METHANE
MICROSTRUCTURE
NATURAL GAS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
POWER DENSITY
SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS
STABILITY
STEAM
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
High Performance Flexible Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell