James F. McElroy

Optimization and Demonstration of a Solid Oxide Regenerative Fuel Cell System

Single cell solid oxide regenerative fuel cells (SORFCs) have been demonstrated for over 1000 hours of operation at degradation rates as low as 0.5% per thousand hours for current densities as high as 300mA/cm{sup 2}. Efficiency levels (fuel cell power out vs. electrolysis power in) have been demonstrated in excess of 80% at 100mA/cm{sup 2}. All testing has been performed with metallic based interconnects and non-noble metal electrodes in order to limit fabrication costs for commercial considerations. The SORFC cell technology will be scaled up to a 1kW sized stack which will be demonstrated in Year 2 of the program. A self contained SORFC system requires efficient thermal management in order to maintain operating temperatures during exothermic and endothermic operational modes. The use of LiF as a phase change material (PCM) was selected as the optimum thermal storage medium by virtue of its superior thermal energy density by volume. Thermal storage experiments were performed using LiF and a simulated SORFC stack. The thermal storage concept was deemed to be technically viable for larger well insulated systems, although it would not enable a high efficiency thermally self-sufficient SORFC system at the 1 kW level.