Experimental Activities on a Hydrogen-Powered Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System and Guidelines for Its Implementation in Aviation and Maritime Sectors

Abstract

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems are spreading worldwide and, for limited applications, also in the transport sector where high power rates are required. In this context, this paper investigates the performance of a six-cell SOFC stack by means of experimental tests at different power levels. The experimental campaign is based on two different stages: the heating phase, useful for leading the system temperature to approximately 750 °C, and the test stage, in which the experimental activities are properly carried out with varying input parameters, such as the DC current load. In addition, a detailed post-processing activity is conducted to investigate the main performance that could be used in the scale-up processes to design and size a SOFC-based system for transportation. The experimental results concern the electrical power, which reaches 165 W, roughly 27 W for each cell and with 52% electrical efficiency, as well as the theoretical thermal power and efficiency, useful for cogeneration processes, with maximum values of 80 W and 25%, respectively, achieved at maximum load. This discussion then shifts to an in-depth analysis of the possible applications of SOFCs in sustainable mobility, particularly in the maritime and aviation industries. The complexities of the issues presented underscore the field’s multidisciplinary nature, ranging from materials science to system integration, and environmental science to regulatory standards. The findings presented could be useful to scientists, engineers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders working on the development and commercialization of SOFC systems in the sustainable transportation sectors.

A review of technologies in the area of production, storage and use of hydrogen in the automotive industry

“…The system has a shielded, electromagnetically resistant housing and meets the requirements of the IEC-62282-2 and GB/T 33978 standards. It is intended for all applications requiring power greater than 150 kW, especially for driving trucks, trains, ships [21] and even airplanes [12]. EKPO did not show the appearance of the hydrogen system inside the housing.…”

Numerical and Thermodynamic Analysis of the Effect of Operating Temperature in Methane-Fueled SOFC

“…Thanks to these features, SOFCs provide fuel flexibility in energy production, effectively utilizing various fuel sources such as hydrogen, biogas, and methane. Experimental and numerical studies on the use of hydrocarbon-based fuels in SOFCs are documented in the literature [7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Rath et al conducted a performance analysis of an anode-supported SOFC under various operating conditions.…”

Strategic Model for Yellow Hydrogen Production Using the Metalog Family of Probability Distributions

“…The first of these reasons is the availability of technology for producing hydrogen from water using electrolytic methods [42]. Currently, the market offers electrolyzers with alkaline technology [13,[43][44][45], PEM [46][47][48][49][50], AEM [51,52], and SOE [53][54][55]. Another aspect is the availability of relatively cheap energy from renewable energy sources (RES) [56].…”