Advanced technology fuel cell program. Annual report, December 1978

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6408901· OSTI ID:6408901

Houghtby, W. E.; King, Jr., J. M.; Thompson, R. A.

Molten carbonate fuel cells, advanced phosphoric acid fuel cells, advanced fuel processors, and the use of coal and coal products in central stations or dispersed fuel cell power plants are under investigation. The effort is carried out in parallel with activities funded by United to define materials, configurations, processes, and power plant designs consistent with program goals, and pertinent results of that activity are presented. During this period, a subscale molten carbonate cell achieved 15,370 hours endurance with stable performance through 13,000 hours. Post test analysis showed the anode structure was stable. Shutdown of the cell resulted from edge seal corrosion; an improved seal has been demonstrated through 5,000 hours of corrosion tests and 1150 hours of cell tests. Sulfur tolerance of molten carbonate cells was found to be very low; however, sulfur removal from the cell fuel gas appears to result in accpetable power plant characteristics. Testing advanced fuel processors showed that an approach referred to as adiabatic reforming has promise for achieving acceptable performance and cost while operating on distillate fuels with higher end points and sulfur levels. Laboratory tests of a regenerable scrubber for removing sulfur from gaseous processed fuel were promising. The tolerance of phosphoric acid fuel cells to sulfur in the fuel gas was investigated.

• Research Organization: United Technologies Corp., South Windsor, CT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6408901
• Report Number(s): EPRI-EM-956
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
08 HYDROGEN
ACID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
COAL FUEL CELLS
HIGH-TEMPERATURE FUEL CELLS
HYDROCARBON FUEL CELLS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
REFORMER PROCESSES
ANODES
CARBONATES
COAL GAS
DESULFURIZATION
EPRI
FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS
IMPURITIES
LEAKS
MOLTEN SALTS
PETROLEUM
PHOSPHORIC ACID
POISONING
SCRUBBERS
SEALS
SULFUR
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL CELLS
FUELS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
POWER PLANTS
SALTS
TESTING
300501* - Fuel Cells- Design & Development
300502 - Fuel Cells- Performance & Testing
300503 - Fuel Cells- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
080100 - Hydrogen- Production