Low Temperature P-SOFC 300W Power Source

Light-weight, rugged, fuel-efficient, and quiet power sources are key to the success of military missions. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are an efficient and fuel-flexible electrochemical energy conversion technology with high volumetric and gravimetric energy densities, which can function as reliable and portable power sources. SOFCs relatively high operating temperatures (e.g., >700°C) are slowing the adoption of SOFCs for military applications. If the operating temperature can be reduced to 500°C or lower, its reliability for portable power sources can be greatly enhanced while the system cost can be reduced.  Therefore, there is a strong need for a low-temperature (e.g., 500°C) and high-performance SOFC system that can enable the direct use of military fuels (e.g., JP-8) for reliable power generation. This Phase I project will address this problem by harnessing the materials advancements on proton-conducting materials and triple conducting cathodes and building on the extensive achievements in tubular SOFC system design, manufacturing, and developments. Proton-conducting SOFCs (P-SOFCs), like their higher-temperature oxygen-ion solid oxide fuel cell counterparts, can directly use both hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels to efficiently produce electricity. Thanks to the low activation energy of proton conduction and the development of triple conducting cathode, BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3-δ which exhibits excellent oxygen reduction reaction activity, P-SOFCs can efficiently generate electricity at 500°C. This Phase I project will manufacture P-SOFCs in tubular geometry to enhance its robustness and employ BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3-δ as the cathode to reduce its operating temperatures. The team will test its performances and durability using propane as the fuel at 500-600 °C. Additionally, the team will perform conceptual design and analysis for the 300W P-SOFC system. Those results will guide the development of 300W JP-8 fueled P-SOFC systems at 500 °C in Phase II. The success of this project will design and develop low-temperature P-SOFC systems and offer reliable, noiseless, portable, and efficient military-oriented power sources.