PERFORMANCE OF A NOVEL HELIUM-STIRRED SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL WITH MOLTEN METAL ANODE FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION AND OXYGEN DISSOLUTION IN MOLTEN METAL

  • O. O. Agbede Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
  • K. Hellgardt Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
  • G. H. Kelsall Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Keywords: solid oxide fuel cell, molten metal anode, YSZ electrolyte, electricity, tin, oxygen

Abstract

 A novel helium-stirred solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with a molten metal anode for electricity generation and oxygen dissolution in a molten metal was investigated. This SOFC configuration employs conventional cathode and electrolyte but incorporates a molten metal contained in an alumina crucible as anode and inert gas stirring of the molten metal. Tin was the metal used in this study because it is non-toxic and inexpensive, it also has a relatively low melting point and very low vapour pressure at high temperatures. The performance of a SOFC with molten tin anode at 850 oC was evaluated by the techniques of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. A peak power density of ca. 100 W m-2 at a potential difference of ca. 0.45 V and current density of ca. 222 A m-2 was achieved. Impedance spectra showed that ohmic potential losses controlled the reactor performance, with about 59% of those arising from the inherent difficulty in achieving a low resistance contact at the silver wire (silver wool) current collector | cathode interface. The molten metal bath provided a relatively large reservoir of molten metal for oxygen absorption and transport compared to a thin film of molten metal while gas stirring of molten metal enhanced the transport of dissolved oxygen atoms from the yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte | molten metal interface to the bulk molten metal and assisted in preventing oxide formation at the YSZ electrolyte | molten metal interface. 

Author Biographies

O. O. Agbede, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria

Department of Chemical Engineering

K. Hellgardt, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK

Department of Chemical Engineering

G. H. Kelsall, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK

Department of Chemical Engineering

Published
2018-03-03
How to Cite
Agbede, O., Hellgardt, K., & Kelsall, G. (2018). PERFORMANCE OF A NOVEL HELIUM-STIRRED SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL WITH MOLTEN METAL ANODE FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION AND OXYGEN DISSOLUTION IN MOLTEN METAL. LAUTECH Journal of Engineering and Technology, 10(2), 145-155. Retrieved from https://laujet.com/index.php/laujet/article/view/299