THESIS
2014
xxiv, 170 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 30 cm
Abstract
Direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) has been widely introduced as a desirable energy
technology to reform the conventional thermal power system. The thermodynamic efficiency
of DCFC can reach up to 100 %, with achieving practical efficiency of 80 %. Another
advantage of DCFC is the diversity of feedstocks as carbon fuels. Various feedstocks,
including coal, have been demonstrated as the carbon fuel for DCFCs. In addition, DCFC
consumes solid carbon to produce CO
2 in relatively high purity, which exempts expensive
gas separation process. In this study, three types of DCFC devices were designed and
manufactured. DCFC technology was studied in the manufactured devices at intermediate
temperature region (500-700 ℃). Modifications of cell structures, carbon fuels, and cell
materials were...[
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Direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) has been widely introduced as a desirable energy
technology to reform the conventional thermal power system. The thermodynamic efficiency
of DCFC can reach up to 100 %, with achieving practical efficiency of 80 %. Another
advantage of DCFC is the diversity of feedstocks as carbon fuels. Various feedstocks,
including coal, have been demonstrated as the carbon fuel for DCFCs. In addition, DCFC
consumes solid carbon to produce CO
2 in relatively high purity, which exempts expensive
gas separation process. In this study, three types of DCFC devices were designed and
manufactured. DCFC technology was studied in the manufactured devices at intermediate
temperature region (500-700 ℃). Modifications of cell structures, carbon fuels, and cell
materials were employed to improve the cell performances.
First, a cell testing system was designed and established, including the cell main body and
other ancillary equipment. Upgrades and modifications were applied to improve the
reliability and stability of the cell testing system. Second, diverse feedstocks of carbon
sources were selected and processed as the anode fuels for the DCFCs. The physical and
chemical properties of the acquired carbon sources were investigated via various techniques,
such as SEM, XRD, XPS, TGA, etc. Third, advanced materials of electrolyte and electrode
were synthesized for DCFCs and then characterized by XRD, SEM, and TEM to confirm the
formation of required microstructures. Finally, the single cells in planar types were tested and the cell performances, including power density, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
(EIS), and cell stability, were measured to evaluate the DCFC technology at intermediate
temperature region.
The study indicated that the modifications of anode configuration and carbon fuels can
significantly influence the cell performance of DCFC technology at intermediate temperature
region. As a result, high-performance was achieved in an intermediate temperature DCFC fed
with multi-elemental carbon fuels. In addition, the application of advanced cell materials can
also enhance the cell performance of intermediate temperature DCFCs. It was demonstrated
in this study by an intermediate temperature DCFC with Cu
0.2Zn
0.8O/SDC nano composite
anode.
In summary, DCFC technology was studied at intermediate temperature region by
modifying cell structures, carbon fuels, and cell materials. High cell performance was
achieved by a single cell fed with multi-elemental carbon fuels. In addition, Cu
0.2Zn
0.8O/SDC
nano composite was demonstrated as promising anode material of intermediate temperature
DCFCs.
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