Solid oxide fuel cell processing using plasma arc spray deposition techniques
The Westinghouse Electric Corporation, in conjunction with the Thermal Spray Laboratory of the State University of New York, Stony Brook, investigated the fabrication of a gas-tight interconnect layer on a tubular solid oxide fuel cell with plasma arc spray deposition. The principal objective was to determine the process variables for the plasma spray deposition of an interconnect with adequate electrical conductivity and other desired properties. Plasma arc spray deposition is a process where the coating material in powder form is heated to or above its melting temperature, while being accelerated by a carrier gas stream through a high power electric arc. The molten powder particles are directed at the substrate, and on impact, form a coating consisting of many layers of overlapping, thin, lenticular particles or splats. The variables investigated were gun power, spray distance, powder feed rate, plasma gas flow rates, number of gun passes, powder size distribution, injection angle of powder into the plasma plume, vacuum or atmospheric plasma spraying, and substrate heating. Typically, coatings produced by both systems showed bands of lanthanum rich material and cracking with the coating. Preheating the substrate reduced but did not eliminate internal coating cracking. A uniformly thick, dense, adherent interconnect of the desired chemistry was finally achieved with sufficient gas- tightness to allow fabrication of cells and samples for measurement of physical and electrical properties. A cell was tested successfully at 1000{degree}C for over 1,000 hours demonstrating the mechanical, electrical, and chemical stability of a plasma-arc sprayed interconnect layer.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Advanced Energy Conversion Dept.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC21-88MC25167
- OSTI ID:
- 7102027
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/MC/25167-2986; ON: DE91002066
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COATINGS
PLASMA ARC SPRAYING
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
SOLID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
CONNECTORS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
FABRICATION
OXIDES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PROGRESS REPORT
STABILITY
CHALCOGENIDES
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
EQUIPMENT
FUEL CELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SPRAY COATING
SURFACE COATING
TESTING
300501* - Fuel Cells- Design & Development
300502 - Fuel Cells- Performance & Testing