High Temperature Electrolysis using Electrode-Supported Cells

Conference · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2010

OSTI ID:989880

O'Brien, J E; Stoots, C M

An experimental study is under way to assess the performance of electrode-supported solid-oxide cells operating in the steam electrolysis mode for hydrogen production. The cells currently under study were developed primarily for the fuel cell mode of operation. Results presented in this paper were obtained from single cells, with an active area of 16 cm2 per cell. The electrolysis cells are electrode-supported, with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes (~10 µm thick), nickel-YSZ steam/hydrogen electrodes (~1400 µm thick), and manganite (LSM) air-side electrodes (~90 µm thick). The purpose of the present study was to document and compare the performance and degradation rates of these cells in the fuel cell mode and in the electrolysis mode under various operating conditions. Initial performance was documented through a series of DC potential sweeps and AC impedance spectroscopy measurements. Degradation was determined through long-duration testing, first in the fuel cell mode, then in the electrolysis mode over more than 500 hours of operation. Results indicate accelerated degradation rates in the electrolysis mode compared to the fuel cell mode, possibly due to electrode delamination. The paper also includes details of the single-cell test apparatus developed specifically for these experiments.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 989880
• Report Number(s): INL/CON-10-18770
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROLYTES
FUEL CELLS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
IMPEDANCE
PERFORMANCE
SPECTROSCOPY
STEAM
TESTING
electrode-supported cells
high temperature electrolysis
hydrogen production