James Carton

The use of a high temperature wind tunnel for MT-SOFC testing—Part I: detailed experimental temperature measurement of an MT-SOFC using an avant-garde high temperature wind tunnel and various measurement techniques

The purpose of the first part of this study was to compare four different temperature measuring methods. The application of these tools for possible temperature monitoring or calibration of monitors of microtubular solid oxide fuel cells (MT-SOFCs) is explored. It was found that a thermographic camera is very useful to visualize the temperature gradient on the outside of a cell, while an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy method was useful for estimating the core temperature of a test cell. A standard thermocouple was also used in combination with the previous two methods. Furthermore, an inexpensive laser guided thermometer was also tested for MT-SOFC temperature measurement. This initial study has opened up a range of questions not only about the effect of the experimental apparatus on the measurement results but also about the radial temperature distribution through a MT-SOFC in a working mode. Both these topics will be further investigated in part II of this study through a computational fluid dynamics study. This should provide additional interesting information about any differences between testing single cells and those within a bundle of cells. The discussed results are expected to be mainly temperature related, which should have direct consequences on power output and optimized gas inlet temperatures.

Materials in PEM Fuel Cells

Tremendous efforts have been made in the last few decades to develop new energy sources that can replace the conventional power sources which relay on fossil resources. Among the different alternative power sources, the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is considered one of the most promising alternative clean power generators, since it offer the possibility of zero-emission by converting the chemical energy stored in hydrogen fuel directly into electricity with water as the only by-product.