Study on Direct Flame Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Using Flat Burner and Ethylene Flame

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental investigation of direct flame solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) by using a flat-flame burner and fuelrich ethylene/air premixed flames. A direct flame fuel cell (DFFC) setup is designed and implemented to measure electrochemical characteristics of electrolyte supported (i.e., single cell consisting of Ce 0.9 Ni 0.1 O 2-δ anode/GDC electrolyte/LSCF-GDC cathode) fuel cell. The fuel cell temperature and cell performance were investigated by operating various fuel/air equivalence ratios and varying distance between burner surface and the fuel cell. A maximum power density of 41 mW/cm 2 and current density of 121 mA/cm 2 were achieved. Experimental results suggest that the fuel cell performance was greatly influenced by the flame operating conditions and cell position in the flame. The uniformity of the flame temperature and the fuel cell stability were also investigated and calculations of equilibrium gas species composition were performed.

Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells operated in direct-flame configuration

“…Direct-flame SOFCs have been operated with a variety of gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels, including methane [2], propane [6], butane [4], ethylene [5], ethanol [15], methanol [8], parrafin [4], and wood [4].…”

A Comprehensive Review of Thermal Management in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: Focus on Burners, Heat Exchangers, and Strategies

“…Noie et al [45] recognized the issues with indirect heating methods, including the need for heat exchangers and high-temperature piping to transfer heat from the combustor to the module, which complicates the structure and results in thermal losses. Hossain et al [61] evaluated an electrolyte-supported SOFC with air/ethylene premixed flames, analyzing its performance through electrochemical reactions with ethylene. They examined power density changes in relation to cell-burner spacing and air/fuel mix ratios, especially at maximum power density points corresponding to current density shifts.…”

Personal power using metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells operated in a camping stove flame

“…This "direct-flame" setup yields relatively low performance and very low fuel-to-power efficiency, but has been studied extensively in the literature due to the simplicity and appeal of the system; no costly balance of plant is required to produce power . Direct-flame SOFCs have been operated with a variety of gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels, including methane [2], propane [6], butane [4], ethylene [5], ethanol [15], methanol [8], parrafin [4], and wood [4]. A wide variety of burner configurations have been implemented, including jet burner tube which provides a simple setup and stable flame [19], micro-jet flame [7], multi-element diffusion flame burner [16], and flat flame burner [28] which provides very uniform temperature and concentration distributions across the cell area.…”