Demonstration of high power, direct conversion of waste-derived carbon in a hybrid direct carbon fuel cell

Abstract

Direct carbon fuel cells offer highly efficient means of converting carbon from waste, biomass or coal to electricity producing an exhaust stream that is well-suited to CO 2 sequestration and, hence could underpin a new, clean carbon economy. If this technology is to contribute significantly to improving our impending global energy crisis, three aspects must first be addressed: competitive performance with extant fuel cell technologies, development of practical systems to handle available carbon resources and demonstration of sufficient durability, i.e. 40 000 hours minimum for system. In the present study, we demonstrate excellent performance from a hybrid direct carbon fuel cell based upon an yttriumstabilised zirconia electrolyte to use solid carbons as fuels directly. Good stability of the zirconia is observed during and after fuel cell testing and in corrosion tests under reducing conditions; however, significant intergrain erosion is observed under oxidising conditions. The carbon fuel chosen is a waste product, Medium Density Fibreboard, which is widely available and difficult to recycle. Cells exhibit excellent electrochemical performance at 750 C, with a maximum power density of 390 mW cm À2 using a lanthanum doped strontium manganite (LSM) cathode and 878 mW cm À2 using a lanthanum doped strontium cobalt (LSC) cathode under flowing air. This is comparable with current commercial Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and significantly in excess of commercial Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) performance. This hybrid direct carbon fuel cell therefore offers the clean utilisation of coal, waste and renewable carbon sources and hence merits development as a realistic alternative technology.

Performance of Direct Carbon Fuel Cells Operated on Coal and Effect of Operation Mode

“…Stable power density was also observed when pyrolyzed fiberboard is used as a fuel in our previous studies. 20,21 This congruence was attributed to facile gasification and oxidation kinetics on biomassderived charcoal because of high pore volume and low crystallinity. Especially, gasification reaction produces reducing gases such as H 2 and CO, which stabilize cell performance in the beginning when solid electrode/ electrolyte is used.…”

“…[19][20][21][22] The HDCFC has a hybridstate (molten and solid) electrode/ electrolyte design, which combines advantage of SOFC and MCFC. We have demonstrated the feasibility of HDCFC on bottom cells that increase cell performance by mediation of molten salts and improved contact above solid electrolyte.…”

Application of infiltrated LSCM–GDC oxide anode in direct carbon/coal fuel cells

“…A high DCFC power output that is comparable to a commercial SOFC was demonstrated 12 . Also a range of carbon forms including graphite, activated carbon, coals at different ranks and pine charcoal were tested in failure in long term operation.…”

Perspective—Low-Carbon Electricity Is Great: What about “Less-Carbon”?

“…• C using a waste-derived pyrolyzed carbon in a hybrid molten-carbonate/solid oxide electrolyte fuel cell configuration, 23 and 450 mW/cm 2 reported at 850…”