A novel experimental technique is developed to measure the in situ surface deformation and temperature of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode surface along with the cell electrochemical performance. The experimental setup consists of a NexTech Probostat™ SOFC button cell test apparatus integrated with a Sagnac interferometric optical method and an infrared sensor for in situ surface deformation and temperature measurements, respectively. The button cell is fed with hydrogen or simulated coal syngas under SOFC operating conditions. The surface deformation is measured over time to estimate the anode structural degradation. The cell surface transient temperature is also monitored with different applied current densities under hydrogen and simulated coal syngas. The experimental results are useful to validate and develop SOFC structural durability and electrochemical models.
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are being extensively researched for clean power generation from coal‐derived syngas. Some of the contaminants in syngas such as phosphine (PH3) may interact with the SOFC anode material, and degrade its electrochemical performance and material properties. In this paper, a modified Sagnac interferometry method is utilized to monitor the anode surface transient temperature as a function of applied current densities under hydrogen and simulated coal syngas. Moreover, the poisoning effects of PH3 contaminant on the SOFCs performance are investigated in dry and moist conditions. The experimental results indicate that the Ni‐cermet‐based SOFC anode is more susceptible to degradation due to PH3 in the presence of steam than under dry conditions. These experiments are valuable for the validation and the development of SOFC electrochemical models, and understanding the anode‐contaminant interaction.
An experimental technique is developed that can measure in-situ surface deformation and monitor surface temperature of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode, along with its electrochemical performance. In this research, a NexTech Probostat™ button cell test apparatus is modified and integrated with Sagnac interferometric optical setup and infrared sensor for anode surface deformation and temperature measurement respectively. The cell surface transient temperature is monitored as a function of applied current densities in hydrogen and simulated syngas environment. The surface deformation is also measured over time to estimate the anode material degradation to predict its structural life. The experimental results are useful to validate the SOFC structural and electrochemical models.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) is one of the enabling technologies that are being extensively researched for clean power generation from coal-derived syngas. Anode structural degradation is one of the problems that limit the SOFCs operation lifetime and it is further aggravated by some common contaminants found in coal syngas such as phosphine. An accurate model for predicting the degradation patterns inside an SOFC anode operating under different conditions will be an effective tool for advancement of this technology. In this study, a structural durability model developed earlier for button SOFC anodes is extended to simulate the planar-SOFC anodes. The model accounts for thermo-mechanical and fuel gas contaminants effects on the anode material properties to predict evolution, in space and time, of degradation patterns inside the anode and consequently its lifetime. The temperature field and contaminant concentration distribution inside the SOFC anode are the required inputs for the degradation model which are obtained from DREAM-SOFC: a multi-physics code for SOFC modeling. Due to larger active areas compared to button cell, planar-SOFCs bear greater spatial and temporal temperature gradients which lead to higher thermo-mechanical degradation. Moreover, fuel contaminants are distributed on the anode surface which leads to non-uniform microstructure degradation along the fuel flow. For the case of co-flow configuration, anode thermo-mechanical degradation is severe at the anode-electrolyte interface at the fuel outlet. Whereas the fuel gas contaminants effects on the anode microstructure begin at the fuel inlet and propagate through the anode thickness and along the fuel flow. This research will be useful to establish control parameters to achieve desired service life of SOFC stacks working under coal syngas.
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operate under harsh environments, which cause the deterioration of anode material properties and service life. In addition to electrochemical performance, the structural integrity of the SOFC anode is essential for successful long‐term operation. The SOFC anode is subjected to stresses at high temperature, thermal/redox cycles, and fuel gas contaminant effects during long‐term operation. These mechanisms can alter the anode microstructure and affect its electrochemical and structural properties. In this research, anode material degradation mechanisms are briefly reviewed and an anode material durability model is developed and implemented in finite‐element analysis. The model takes into account thermomechanical and fuel gas contaminant degradation mechanisms for predicting the long‐term structural integrity of the SOFC anode. The proposed model is validated experimentally using a NexTech Probostat™ SOFC button cell test apparatus integrated with a Sagnac optical setup for simultaneously measuring electrochemical performance and in situ anode surface deformation.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) operate under harsh environments, which cause the deterioration of anode material properties and reduce their service life. In addition to electrochemical performance, structural integrity of the SOFC anode is essential for successful long-term operation. Anode-supported SOFCs rely on the anode to provide mechanical strength to the positive-electrolyte-negative (PEN) structure. The stress field in the anode may arise from a variety of phenomena including thermal expansion mismatch between layers in the PEN structure, thermal/redox cycles and external mechanical loads. Moreover, some fuel contaminants such as phosphine (PH 3) interact with the anode materials which lead to the formation of secondary phases and grain growth. These mechanisms result in the formation of microcracks, and degrade anode structural and electrochemical properties. Assessments of the evolution of anode mechanical properties during long-term operation are therefore essential to predict SOFC working life. supervision, encouragement, and support throughout my graduate studies at the West Virginia University. His mentorship was absolutely vital in the completion of this dissertation. He encouraged me to develop not only as a researcher but also as an instructor. It's a great experience to complete my doctoral studies under his guidance. Special thanks to Dr. Ismail Celik for providing me with valuable technical suggestions
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.