scholarly journals Power Generation from Melon Seed Husk Biochar Using Fuel Cell

2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-44
Author(s):  
O. D. Adeniyi ◽  
B. Ngozichukwu ◽  
M. I. Adeniyi ◽  
M. A. Olutoye ◽  
U. Musa ◽  
...  

Melon seed husk (MSH) biochar was used in a single cell direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) as an alternative biofuel. The DCFCs belong to a generation of energy conversion devices that are characterised with higher efficiencies, lower emission of pollutants and MSH biochar as the fuel. Several analytical techniques (proximate, ultimate and thermo-chemical analysis) were employed to analyse the characteristics of the biomass fuel, their effects on the cell’s performance, and the electrochemical reactions between the fuel and the electrolyte in the system. High carbon content and calorific values are some of the parameters responsible for good performances. The performance of a lab-scale DCFC made of ceramic tubes using molten carbonate electrolyte was investigated. Binary carbonates mixture (Na2CO3-K2CO3, 38-62 mol.%) was used as electrolyte and the waste MSH carbonised at 450oC as biofuel. A practical evaluation of the fuel used in the DCFC system was conducted, for varying temperature of 100 - 800oC. The maximum open circuit voltage (OCV) was 0.71 V. With an applied load resistance and active surface area of 5.73 cm2 the maximum power density was 5.50 mWcm-2 and the current density was 29.67 mAcm-2 at 800oC.

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiao Xia Li ◽  
Ming Shuang Liu ◽  
Qun Jie Xu ◽  
Hong Min Mao

Two kinds of carbon-support 20% Pd/C catalysts for use in direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) have been prepared by an impregnation reduction method using NaBH4and NaH2PO2as reductants, respectively, in this study. The catalysts were characterized by XRD and TEM. The results show that the catalysts had been completely reduced, and the catalysts are spherical and homogeneously dispersed on carbon. The electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts was investigated by electrochemical measurements. The results indicate that the catalysts had an average particle size of 3.3 nm and showed the better catalytic performance, when NaBH4was used as the reducing agent. The electrochemical active surface area of Pd/C (NaBH4) was 56.4 m2·g−1. The electrochemical activity of the Pd/C (NaBH4) was much higher than that of Pd/C (NaH2PO2).


2020 ◽  
Vol MA2020-01 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-49
Author(s):  
Datong Song ◽  
Zhong Xie ◽  
Xinge Zhang ◽  
Wei Qu ◽  
Qianpu Wang

2013 ◽  
Vol 346 ◽  
pp. 23-28
Author(s):  
Jarosław Milewski ◽  
Wojciech Bujalski ◽  
Marcin Wołowicz ◽  
Kamil Futyma ◽  
Jan Kucowski ◽  
...  

This work considers electronic conductance in a molten carbonate fuel cell and consequences of its existence. The voltage characteristics of cells show differences between a theoretical maximum circuit voltage and open circuit voltage (OCV). A relationship is assumed between the OCV value and electronic conductance. Based on experimental measurements an appropriate mathematical model was created. The model is used to calculate the temperature dependence of electronic conductance for the most popular types of electrolyte: Li2CO3/K2CO3. The results obtained point to the possible existence of a very close relationship between electronic conductance and open circuit voltage. This relationship enables OCV to be calculated when electronic conductance is known. Appropriate formulae can be determined. Temperature is one of the factors affecting electronic conductance. Other influencing factors do exist, but their impact on OCV is not well known. This article mentions some of them.


Author(s):  
K. Hemmes ◽  
M. Houwing ◽  
N. Woudstra

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.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirui Guo ◽  
Huseyin Sarialtin ◽  
Shaun Alia ◽  
Hayri Engin Akin ◽  
Yushan Yan ◽  
...  

AbstractThe direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is a promising power source for electronic applications due to its high efficiency and compactness. To improve the efficiency, many support materials have been developed. We investigated uniform graphene nanoflake films as a support for catalytic Pt nanoparticles in direct carbon monooxide and formic acid electro-oxidation. Pt nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of graphene films with chemical reduction method. Chemical functionalization of graphene with ethylenediamine enables Pt nanoparticles mobilize on graphene uniformly. By simply changing the loading amount of Pt precursor, various particle sizes were achieved. The particle size of Pt plays prominent role in fuel cell test. The electrochemically active surface area of different sample are 6.3 (5 wt% Pt/G), 4.1 (20 wt% Pt/G), and 3.0 (50 wt% Pt/G) cm2mg-1 corresponding to the particle size 3±1nm, 10±2nm, 20±2nm respectively. The results obtained are ascribed to a uniform network made of 2-4 nm Pt monolayer nanopaticles on the surface of graphene flakes. Graphene will play significant role in developing next-generation advanced Pt based fuel cells and their relevant electrodes in the field of energy.


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