Hybrid Direct Carbon Fuel Cell Performance With Anode Current Collector Material

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Deleebeeck ◽  
Kent Kammer Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Catalytic Activity ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Current Collector ◽  
Anode Current ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Current Collectors ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
Carbonate Carbon ◽  
Direct Carbon Fuel Cell ◽  
Current Voltage

The influence of the current collector on the performance of a hybrid direct carbon fuel cell (HDCFC), consisting of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with a molten carbonate–carbon slurry in contact with the anode, has been investigated using current–voltage curves. Four different anode current collectors were studied: Au, Ni, Ag, and Pt. It was shown that the performance of the direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) is dependent on the current collector materials, Ni and Pt giving the best performance, due to their catalytic activity. Gold is suggested to be the best material as an inert current collector, due to its low catalytic activity.

The Effect of Gas Channels-Electrode Interface Area on SOFCs Performance

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio C. Moreno-Blanco ◽  
Francisco Elizalde-Blancas ◽  
Abel Hernandez-Guerrero ◽  
Cuauhtemoc Rubio-Arana
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Current Collector ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Current Collectors ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
Cell Components ◽  
Electrode Interface ◽  
Flow Distributor

It is well known that the main overpotentials during the operation of a fuel cell are activation, ohmic and concentration overpotentials. In order to operate more efficiently these devices that convert the chemical energy of the fuel into electrical energy, it is necessary to reduce as much as possible the overpotentials aforementioned. Some of the components of a fuel cell are the so called current collectors. These components affect the fuel cell performance mainly by means of two overpotentials, the ohmic and concentration overpotentials. The second one, is however, affected indirectly by the current collector design, since it may only help to distribute more uniformly the gases over the electrodes. The activation overpotential is basically not affected because it is mainly related with the electrode properties such as the exchange current density. In this work, the effect of the current collectors design on the performance of planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) is assessed by means of fully three-dimensional numerical simulations by comparing the V-I and power density curves of a planar cell. The goal of this study is not to find the optimal design of the current collectors but a way in which the overpotentials relate with their design in order to propose some helpful recommendations during the design process of these fuel cell components. These recommendations may lead to design an improved or optimal flow distributor.

Performance Optimization Based on Modeling of a Molten Carbonate Direct Carbon Fuel Cell

2020 ◽  
Vol MA2020-01 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-49
Author(s):  
Datong Song ◽  
Zhong Xie ◽  
Xinge Zhang ◽  
Wei Qu ◽  
Qianpu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Performance Optimization ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Direct Carbon Fuel Cell

Effect of Anode and Cathode Current-Collector Structure on Performance of a Passive Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

2011 ◽  
Vol 347-353 ◽  
pp. 3275-3280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xian Qi Cao ◽  
Ji Tian Han ◽  
Ze Ting Yu ◽  
Pei Pei Chen
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ◽  
Current Collector ◽  
Cell Voltage ◽  
Methanol Concentration ◽  
Membrane Area ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Cathode Current ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cell

In this work, the effect of the current-collector structure on the performance of a passive direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was investigated. Parallel current-collector (PACC) and other two kinds of perforated current collectors (PECC) were designed, fabricated and tested. The studies were conducted in a passive DMFC with active membrane area of 9 cm2, working at ambient temperature and pressure. Two kinds of methanol solution of 2 M and 4 M were used. Results showed that the PACC as anode current-collector has a positive effect on cell voltage and power. For the cathode current-collector structure, the methanol concentration of 2 M for PECC-2 (higher open ratio 50.27 %) increased performance of DMFC. But the methanol concentration of 4 M led to an enhancement of fuel cell performance that used PACC or PECC-2 as cathode current-collector.

Investigation Into Mechanical Behavior of the Current Collector for the Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Through Finite Element Analysis Using Hexahedral Mesh Coarsening

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang-Whan Lee ◽  
Dong-Yol Yang ◽  
Jong-seung Park ◽  
Yun-sung Kim ◽  
Tae-Won Lee
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Mechanical Behavior ◽  
Current Collector ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Hexahedral Mesh ◽  
Forming Process ◽  
Simulation Results ◽  
Carbonate Fuel Cell ◽  
Mesh Coarsening

The current collector for the molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), which is a repeated structure of sheared protrusions, is manufactured from the three-stage forming process. For the precise and efficient simulation of the mechanical behavior of the current collector, the results of the forming process such as the deformed geometry and the distribution of plastic strain should be considered properly. In this work, an efficient method to construct the simulation model of the current collector considering the results of the forming process was introduced. First, hexahedral mesh coarsening was first conducted using the simulation results of the three-stage forming process of a sheared protrusion. Then, the equivalent plastic strain was mapped from the old mesh to the newly generated mesh. Finally, the simulation model for the current collector was constructed by duplicating and reflecting the newly generated mesh. For the verification of the proposed method, various numerical examples were investigated. The simulation results using the proposed method were compared with the experimental results of the three-point bending at 20 °C (room temperature) and 650 °C (operating temperature of the MCFC). From the examples for verification, it was found that the proposed simulation for the current collector was found to be efficient and applicable to the simulation of the mechanical behavior of the current collector for practical application.

Modeling of a Methane Fuelled Direct Carbon Fuel Cell System

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Hemmes ◽  
M. Houwing ◽  
N. Woudstra
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell ◽  
Total System ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Heating Value ◽  
Carbon Particles ◽  
Direct Carbon Fuel Cell ◽  
Air Stream

Direct Carbon Fuel Cells (DCFCs) have great thermodynamic advantages over other high temperature fuel cells such as molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) and solid oxide fuel cell. They can have 100% fuel utilization, no Nernst loss (at the anode), and the CO2 produced at the anode is not mixed with other gases and is ready for re-use or sequestration. So far only studies have been reported on cell development. In this paper we study in particular the integration of the production of clean and reactive carbon particles from methane as a fuel for the direct carbon fuel cell. In the thermal decomposition process heat is upgraded to chemical energy in the carbon and hydrogen produced. The hydrogen is seen as a product as well as the power and heat. Under the assumptions given the net system electric efficiencies are 22.9% (based on methane lower heating value, LHV) and 20.7% (higher heating value, HHV). The hydrogen production efficiencies are 65.5% (based on methane LHV) and 59.1% (HHV), which leads to total system efficiencies of 88.4% (LHV) and 79.8% (HHV). Although a pure CO2 stream is produced at the anode outlet, which is seen as a large advantage of DCFC systems, this advantage is unfortunately reduced due to the need for CO2 in the cathode air stream. Due to the applied assumed constraint that the cathode outlet stream should at least contain 4% CO2 for the proper functioning of the cathode, similar to MCFC cathodes, a major part of the pure CO2 has to be mixed with incoming air. Further optimization of the DCFC and the system is needed to obtain a larger fraction of the output streams as pure CO2 for sequestration or re-use.

Optimization of a MCFC Hybrid System for Combined Production of Electricity and Hydrogen

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vittorio Verda ◽  
Flavio Nicolin
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Unit Cost ◽  
Hybrid Plant ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance ◽  
Micro Gas Turbine ◽  
Pressure Swing ◽  
Economic Objective

In this paper, a hybrid plant obtained by integrating a molten carbonate fuel cell stack with a micro gas turbine and a steam reformer is considered. The system also produces hydrogen through a pressure swing absorption system. The aim of this work is the multi-objective optimisation of the system, considering energy and economic objective functions. Possible off-design operating conditions accounting for degradation of the fuel cell performance and time variation in the biogas composition are considered, as well as variation in the ambient temperature. The results show that the operating temperature of the fuel cell is a crucial design parameter as its value strongly affects the plant efficiency, its lifetime and the unit cost of electricity.

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