Carbonization, fuel

AFC = all line fuel ceU MCFC = molten carbonate fuel ceU PAFC = phosphoric acid fuel ceU PEFC = polymer electrolyte fuel ceU and SOFC = solid oxide fuel ceU. 

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell. The electrolyte ia the MCFC is usually a combiaation of alkah (Li, Na, K) carbonates retaiaed ia a ceramic matrix of LiA102 particles. The fuel cell operates at 600 to 700°C where the alkah carbonates form a highly conductive molten salt and carbonate ions provide ionic conduction. At the operating temperatures ia MCFCs, Ni-based materials containing chromium (anode) and nickel oxide (cathode) can function as electrode materials, and noble metals are not required. 

S. Sato, in J. R. Sehnan and co-workers, eds.. Proceedings of the Second Symposium on Molten Carbonate Fuel CellTechnology, The Electrochemical Society, Inc., Pennington, N.J., 1990, p. 137. 

Hydrogen use as a fuel in fuel cell appHcations is expected to increase. Fuel cells (qv) are devices which convert the chemical energy of a fuel and oxidant directiy into d-c electrical energy on a continuous basis, potentially approaching 100% efficiency. Large-scale (11 MW) phosphoric acid fuel cells have been commercially available since 1985 (276). Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) ate expected to be commercially available in the mid-1990s (277). 

An emerging electrochemical appHcation of lithium compounds is in molten carbonate fuel ceUs (qv) for high efficiency, low poUuting electrical power generation. The electrolyte for these fuel ceUs is a potassium carbonate—hthium carbonate eutectic contained within a lithium aluminate matrix. The cathode is a Hthiated metal oxide such as lithium nickel oxide. 

The molten carbonate fuel ceU uses eutectic blends of Hthium and potassium carbonates as the electrolyte. A special grade of Hthium carbonate is used in treatment of affective mental (mood) disorders, including clinical depression and bipolar disorders. Lithium has also been evaluated in treatment of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, alcoholism, and periodic aggressive behavior (56). 

Not all of the gas is wasted. About 300 MW of electricity is generated from landfills. A variety of electric generation systems have been employed by a small number of developers. Most projects use simple technology and are small (2—10 MW). However, an EPRI study has estimated that landfill gas resources in the United States could support 6,000 MW of generation if utilized in 2-MW-sized carbonate fuel cells. Constmction on the world s first utihty-scale direct carbonate fuel cell demonstration was begun in California. If successful, EPRI estimates that precommercial 3-MW plants based on this design could become available by the end of this decade at an installed cost of 17,000/kW. 

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell The electrolyte in the MCFC is a... 

Obviously the availability of a non-carbon fuel, usually hydrogen, would obviate the need for carbon dioxide extraction and disposal, and a plant with combustion of such a fuel becomes a simple solution (Cycle Cl, a hydrogen burning CBT plant, and Cycles C2 and C3, hydrogen burning CCGT plants). 

Cycle.s C with combustion using non-carbon fuel... 

Obviously, u.se of a non-carbon fuel—usually containing hydrogen—obviates the need for any carbon dioxide extraction and disposal. These cycles are listed in Table 8.1C, and the associated Figs. 8.15-8.17. 

Fig. B.4 (after Davidson and Keeley [5]) shows values of A plotted against thermal efficiency for a high carbon fuel (coal) and a lower carbon fuel (natural gas). It illustrates that one obvious route towards a desired low production of this greenhouse gas is to seek high thermal efficiency (another is to use lower carbon fuel).

Fuel. Wood, paper, coal, and gas are just a few of tlie products commonly tliought of as fuels. However, from a chemical standpoint, tlie conunon fuel elements are carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). Carbon is found in coal, coke, lignite, and peat. Otlier carbon fuels include fat, petroleum, and natural gas. Hydrogen is conunonly found in conjunction witli tliese carbon compounds. 

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell developed by Baur (1921)... 

The PAFC is, however, suitable for stationary power generation, but faces several direct fuel cell competitors. One is the molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), which operates at "650°C and uses an electrolyte made from molten potassium and lithium carbonate salts. Fligh-teinperature operation is ideal for stationary applications because the waste heat can enable co-generation it also allows fossil fuels to be reformed directly within the cells, and this reduces system size and complexity. Systems providing up to 2 MW have been demonstrated. 

The Surface Fractal Investigatioii of Anode Electrode of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell... 

In order to describe the geometrical and structural properties of several anode electrodes of the molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), a fractal analysis has been applied. Four kinds of the anode electrodes, such as Ni, Ni-Cr (lOwt.%), Ni-NiaAl (7wt.%), Ni-Cr (5wt.%)-NijAl(5wt.%) were prepared [1,2] and their fractal dimensions were evaluated by nitrogen adsorption (fractal FHH equation) and mercury porosimetry. These methods of fractal analysis and the resulting values are discussed and compared with other characteristic methods and the performances as anode of MCFC. 

W. He and Kas Hemmes, Operating characteristics of a reformer for molten carbonate fuel-cell power-generation systems. Fuel Processing Technology, 67 (2000) 61. 

Figure 28. Isotherms of the shear viscosities of (Li, Na)2C03. (Reprinted from Y. Sato, T. Yamamura, H. Zhu, M. Endo, T. Yamazaki, H. Kato, and T. Ejima, Viscosities of Alkali Carbonate Melts for MCFC, in Carbonate Fuel Cell Technology, D. Shores, H. Mam, I. Uchida, and J. R. Selman, eds., p. 427, Fig. 9, 1993. Reproduced by permission of the Electrochemical Society, Inc.)...

Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Carbonate Fuel Cell Technology, Ed. by D. Shores, H. Mara, I. Uchida, and I R. Sehnan, The Electrochemical Society, Pennington, NJ, 1993, p. 416. 

High-temperature molten-carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). The electrolyte is a molten mixture of carbonates of sodium, potassium, and lithium the working temperature is about 650°C. Experimental plants with a power of up to... 

Schmidt TJ, Gasteiger HA, Behm RJ. 1999b. Rotating disk electrode measurements on a high-surface area Pt/Vulcan carbon fuel cell catalyst. J Electrochem Soc 146 1296-1304. 

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