Feb 17 2006
The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has developed a micro tubular solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) which is operable at low temperatures between 500 and 600°C. Since SOFCs are fabricated from solid materials, they are highly reliable and easy to handle, in spite of high operating temperatures. On the other hand, since conventional SOFCs are used at temperatures of 800-900°C, their fields of application are limited. Thus, development of SOFCs operable at lower temperatures has been expected.
Using a ceria based material, which exhibits high oxygen-ion conduction at low temperatures, as an electrolyte, AIST has successfully enhanced the fuel reaction efficiency of the cell, and increased the thermal shock resistance to overcome the breakage problems caused by thermal distortion, which is serious especially for ceria based materials. Moreover, using the micro SOFC, we have dramatically enhanced the volumetric power density compared to that of conventional SOFCs. Once stacking technology for the micro SOFCs is developed, this micro tubular SOFCs will be widely applied, e.g., to distributed power sources for homes and portable electronic devices, and auxiliary power sources for vehicles.
This research work was carried out for the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) project, "The Advanced Ceramic Reactor Project" and will be presented on January 26, 2006 at "FC EXPO2006", and on July, 2006 at the "7th EUROPEAN SOFC FORUM".
Key Points
- Applying our advanced ceramic processing techniques, we have succeeded in the fabrication of a micro tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) of millimeters to sub-millimeters in diameter, which is operable at low temperatures between 500 and 600°C.
- By optimizing the structures of the ceramic electrodes, we have achieved the generation of a power density of 1 W/cm2 at 570°C, which is the world's highest power density among SOFCs with ceria based electrolytes.
- In developing micro ceramic parts, the thermal shock resistance of the cell has been dramatically enhanced, thus enabling the fabrication of compact SOFC modules that can be used in rapid startup and shutdown operations.
http://www.aist.go.jp