Solid oxide fuel cell Direct conversion

Singh, P., Ruka, R.J., and George, R.A Direct utilization of hydrocarbon fuels in high temperature solid oxide fuel cells, In Proc 24 1 intersociety energy conversion engineering conference. Pub. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, 1989, pp 1553 1563. 

Note PAFC phosphoric acid fuel cell PEMFC proton exchange membrane fuel cell/polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell MBFC microbiological fuel cell DMFC direct methanol conversion fuel cell AFC alkaline fuel cell MCFC molten carbonate fuel cell SOFC solid oxide fuel cell ZAFC zinc air fuel cell. 

Recently, sensational papers about direct oxidation of methane and hydrocarbon in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) at relative low temperatures about 7(X) C were published.Even though the conversion of almost dry CH4 on... 

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFQ are promising electrochemical energy conversion systems to produce power for portable, mobile, and stationary apphcations ranging from several W to MW. The advantage that SOFCs have over other fuel cell systems is their direct operation on hydrocarbons and air (without being restricted to a hydrogen distribution net). Operation principle, temperature regime, and materials were introduced and are detailed in further articles. 

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are the most efficient devices yet invented for conversion of chemical fuels directly into electrical power. Originally the basic ideas and materials were proposed by Nernst and his colleagues [1-3] in Gottingen at the end of the nineteenth century, as described in Chapter 2. but considerable advances in theory and experiment are still being made over 100 years later. 

Catalysts for Alcohol-Fuelled Direct Oxidation Fuel Cells 7 Solid Oxide Fuel Cells From Materials to System Modeling 8 Solar Energy Conversion Dynamics of Interfacial Electron and Excitation Transfer... 

The Direct Methanol Fuel Cell, DMFC, (see Fig. 7-6 in section 7.2.2.4.) is another low temperature fuel cell enjoying a renaissance after significant improvements in current density. The DMFC runs on either liquid or, with better performance but higher system complexity, on gaseous methanol and is normally based on a solid polymer electrolyte (SPFC). R-Ru catalysts were found to produce best oxidation results at the anode, still the power density is relatively low [5, 29]. Conversion rates up to 34 % of the energy content into electricity were measured, an efficiency of 45 % is expected to be feasible in the future. SPFC in the power order of several kW to be used in automobile applications are currently in the development phase. 

Direct Carbon Fuel Cells (DCFC). In direct carbon fuel cells, solid carbon (presumably a fuel derived from coal, pet-coke or biomass) is used directly in the anode, without an intermediate gasification step. Concepts with solid oxide, molten carbonate, and alkaline electrolytes are all under development. The thermodynamics of the reactions in a DCFC allow very high efficiency conversion. Therefore, if the technology can be developed into practical systems, it could ultimately have a significant impact on coal-based power generation. 

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