A SIMPLIFIED TEST METHOD FOR PLANAR SOFCs

摘要

Testing planar SOFCs can be expensive and time-consuming. Particular problems are sealing, manifolding, current collection and cracking of the ceramic parts. This paper describes a simplified test method which alleviates a number of these problems. A rig for testing 50 by 50 mm zirconia cells was built. The parts were all ceramic and they could be assembled and taken apart easily in a few minutes. In particular the fuel inlet was leak-proof with this new design. Single cells were electrochemically characterised at 800 ℃ within 30 minutes The theory of oxygen gradient within the test cell was obtained by solving the reaction-diffusion equations. When compared to experimental results, the theory gave a good description of the diameter of the reduced nickel cermet in the fuel compartment. A range of cermet anode formulations has been tested by the new method.