Thermal imaging of solid oxide cells operating under electrolysis conditions

Abstract

h i g h l i g h t sHighly sensitive technique for remote temperature measurement of an SOC. Very little temperature variation across the diameter of the cell during operation. Observed switch from endo (electrolysis) to exo (joule heating) thermic regimes. Changes in electroethermal activity is directly observed during operation. a b s t r a c tSolid oxide fuel cells remain at the forefront of research into electrochemical energy conversion technology. More recent interest has focused on operating in electrolyser mode to convert steam or carbon dioxide into hydrogen or carbon monoxide, respectively. The mechanism of these reactions is not fully understood, particularly when operated in co-electrolysis mode using both steam and CO 2 . This contribution reports the use of a thermal camera to directly observe changes in the cell temperature during operation, providing a remote, non-contact and highly sensitive method for monitoring an operational cell.

In situ, simultaneous thermal imaging and infrared molecular emission studies of solid oxide fuel cell electrodes

“…This group also collaborated with Geller et al later to attribute surface emissivity changes near electrochemically active regions of an SOEC to a change in a ceria electrode's oxidation state [18]. Tachikawa et al implemented a combined visible/NIR imaging technique to distinguish between thermal and emissivity changes in situ [21], while Cumming and Elder used this technique in SOEC applications to observe temperature changes that were sensitive to different cathode environments [22].…”

A review on various temperature-indication methods for Li-ion batteries

“…Depending on the measurement setup, spatial resolutions of 0.1 to 0.3 mm can be achieved [315,318,319]. A recent specific review on IR thermal imaging of electrochemical systems, including batteries and fuel cells, can be found in Ref.…”

Thermal Imaging of Electrochemical Power Systems: A Review

“…Reproduced from [64] with permission from Elsevier. SOFCs were examined in electrolysis mode by Cumming et al [66,67] who showed that temperature rises were similar irrespective of the location, or absolute temperature of the cell. It was suggested that this observation (which contradicts that reported by Brett et al [64] for operation in fuel cell mode) was as a result of the decreased electrolyte thickness.…”