Structure Optimization of a High-Temperature Oxygen-Membrane Module Using Finite Element Analysis

The oxygen transport membrane (OTM) is a high-density ion-conducting ceramic membrane that selectively transfers oxygen ions and electrons through the pressure differential across its layers. It can operate at more than 800 °C and serves as an economical method for gas separation. However, it is difficult to predict the material properties of the OTM through experiments or analyses because its structure contains pores and depends on the characteristics of the ceramic composite. In addition, the transmittance of porous ceramic materials fluctuates strongly owing to their irregular structure and arbitrary shape, making it difficult to design such materials using conventional methods. This study analyzes the structural weakness of an OTM using CAE software (ANSYS Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, USA). To enhance the structural strength, a structurally optimized design of the OTM was proposed by identifying the relevant geometric parameters.

Smart Oxygen Membrane

Oxygen selective membrane based on δ-Bi2O3/Ag cermet has maximum potential in separating oxygen from air. However, the achieved oxygen flow is inferior to high-temperature membrane. The paper proposes a new approach to creating a smart oxygen membrane with a selective layer from a nanocomposite with a complex architecture, operating at intermediate temperatures (Top ~550-600 °C). At the stage of obtaining nanopowders of membrane components, the potential and features of the mechanochemical ceramic method are taken into account. Mild conditions at the stage of consolidation by hot pressing are provided by the composition of the AgCu-matrix alloy. Achieving a gas-tight selective layer at the stage of reaching Top is ensured by dilatation of some components during the oxidation of copper alloys. The choice of Top for the oxygen membrane is based on the possibility of regeneration while maintaining the nanoscale microstructure. New solutions allow the creation of stable thin membranes with a reduced cost, including due to the silver contentnear the percolation threshold.

Long-range oxygen ordering linked to topotactic oxygen release in Pr2NiO4+δ fuel cell cathode material

Complex oxygen ordering evidenced for the oxygen membrane cathode material Pr2NiO4.25 at room temperature with translational periodicities attaining almost 100 Å by single-crystal synchrotron diffraction studies.