STATUS OF MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS RESEARCH, INC.'S (MSRI'S) ANODE-SUPPORTED SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

摘要

The focus of MSRI's project is the demonstration of a 2 kW, anode-supported, intermediate temperature (<800℃), internally manifolded, SOFC stack with a metallic interconnect, for residential applications. The materials of cell construction are as follows: electrolyte: dense 8 mol.% Y_2O_3-doped zirconia (YSZ); anode: porous Ni + YSZ, and cathode: porous Sr-doped LaMnO_3 (LSM) + YSZ. The cells are anode-supported wherein the typical thicknesses of the three cell components are: electrolyte ～10 μm, cathode: ～50-100 μm, and anode: ～1-2 mm. Cells are made by tape-casting of anode precursor (NiO + YSZ) upon which the electrolyte is applied by spray-coating. The cells are sintered in a conventional electric furnace. The cathode is applied after the cells are sintered. Reduction of NiO to Ni in the anode is achieved in-situ during the first test cycle. The active area of typical cells is 5 cm X 5 cm. These cells are used for stacks up to a few hundred watts in capacity. For larger capacity stacks (～1 kW), the cell dimensions (active area) are 10 cm X 10 cm.