TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRACTICAL, EFFICIENT, DIRECT CARBON FUEL CELL

摘要

There is a growing and continuing need to minimize production of waste materials, maximize their recycle, and minimize energy consumption. One beneficial way to meet these objectives is to convert carbonaceous wastes, such as paper, wood, vegetation, and municipal solid waste fractions into a carbon-rich feedstock by pyrolysis to fuel Direct Carbon Fuel Cells (DCFCs).For example, char from pyrolysis of medium density fiberboard (MDF) (the major waste from discarded household wooden furniture), has been utilized as a fuel in a DCFC, as well as char from other pyrolyzed waste wood and starch sources. DCFCs can be used to generate electrical power from almost any carbonaceous fuel, including carbonaceous waste, coal, graphite, charcoal, carbon black,etc. Indeed, the U.S. Army has been investigating this approach with respect to waste generated from their installations.