SOFC technology

The tubular design is the most advanced SOFC technology. Tests of a nominal WFC 25-kW SOFC unit were started in 1992 at Rokko Island near Osaka, Japan in a joint program by Kansai Electric Co., Osaka Gas, and Tokyo Gas Co. This unit consists of 1152 cells, 50-cm length, which are contained... 

While the PEM fuel cells appear to be suitable for mobile applications, SOFC technology appears more applicable for stationary applications. The high operating temperature gives it flexibility towards the type of fuel used, which enables, for example, the use of methane. The heat thus generated can be used to produce additional electricity. Consequently, the efficiency of the SOFC is -60 %, compared with 45 % for PEMFC under optimal conditions. 

George RA and Bessette NF. Reducing the manufacturing cost of tubular SOFC technology. J. Power Sources 1998 71 131—137. 

Siemens Power Generation is a partner with ConocoPhillips and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., (APCI) to develop large-scale fuel cell systems based upon their gas turbine and SECA SOFC technologies. The design will use an ion transport membrane (ITM) oxygen air separation unit (ASU) from APCI with improved system efficiency. 

BMW, Delphi, Global Thermoelectric4 passenger car 1-5kWnet Gasoline, SOFC Technology development program... 

Active technology development efforts in both PEFC and planar SOFC technology, driven primarily by the interest in distributed generation and automotive propulsion markets, have achieved significant progress in the development of these technologies. For distributed power applications refined and even early commercial prototypes are being constructed. 

Relatively few developers of SOFC technology have paid attention to non-stationary markets. 

Detailed cost and design studies for both PEFC and SOFC systems at sizes ranging from 5kW to 1 MW were made that point to the fundamental differences between PEFC and SOFC technology that impact the system design and by implication the cost structure. These differences will be discussed in the following paragraphs. 

As can be seen, there is a reasonably large range in the value of K between these references. As the SOFC technology matures, these differences may reconcile to a more cohesive set of values. In the interim, the following single average combination of the above K values may help the reader if no specific information is available. 

A. Khandkar et al., "Planar SOFC Technology Status and Overview," Ceramatec, Inc., Fuel Cell Seminar Program and Abstracts, 1992 Fuel Cell Seminar, Tucson, AZ,... 

High-performance, reduced-temperature SOFC technology," N. Q. Minh, et al., Honeywell, Fuel Cell Bulletin, March 1999. 

Australian company Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (CFCL) is a world leader in planar SOFC technology and plans to demonstrate units in 2004. It should be noted that CFCL also seeks to work with application development partners to create market-ready packages incorporating solid oxide fuel cells. 

Research on SOFC is concentrated at Sulzer Hexis, in close collaboration with the Federal Laboratory for Materials Research and the Federal Institutes of Technology Zurich and Lausanne. The industrial lead in SOFC-Technology is Sulzer Hexis. There are new activities in SOFC manufacturing by the... 

Thematic networkon SOFC Technology (SO FCnet) (Ris0 National Laboratory (DK) together with 45 European partners from academia and industry). 

Thermal integration is an important aspect of the system. Figure 3a depicts a fuel cell coupled to a catalytic POX reformer. This reformer thermally matches very well with the 800°C SOFC technologies being developed. However, both the reformer and fuel cell involve exothermic oxidation reactions, and heat is in... 

Gardner F.J., Day M.J., Brandon N.R, Pashley M.N., Cassidy M. (2000) SOFC technology development at Rolls-Royce. Journal of Power Sources 86, 122-129. 

Magistri F., Traverso A., Cerutti F., Bozzolo M., Costamagna P., Massardo A.F. (2005) Modelling of pressurised hybrid systems based on integrated planar solid oxide fuel cell (IP-SOFC) technology. Fuel Cells -From Fundamentals to Systems 5, 80-96. 

Details of the ceramics and approaches to fabrication involved in SOFC technology are many and complex and well beyond the scope of the present text. The following summary provides the framework to which the details can be added. The articles by N.Q. Minh [10], B.C.H. Steele [11,12], B.C.H. Steele and A. Heinzel [3, pp. 345-52], and S.C. Singhal [13] serve as good entries to the more specialized literature. 

Figure A.6 Practicality in direct oxidation via IT/SOFC technology...

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