Testing and Evaluation of an Advanced High Performance Planar SOFC stack

摘要

Planar SOFC technology development at SOFCo, a McDermott Technology Inc./Ceramatec partnership, has the primary objective of demonstrating compact, high efficiency power generation systems with multi-fuel capability meeting commercial performance goals. SOFCo has conducted several programs which synergistically address this objective: an internally funded program focusing on stack development and system integration for pipeline natural gas (PNG) operation, a DARPA sponsored program to demonstrate logistic fuel operation, and a program to develop cell and stack technology for low temperature operation supported by EPRI. The primary objectives of the program were to establish stable operation in tall stacks and demonstrate sulfur tolerant operation of short stacks. Tall stacks tested under both internally funded and DARPA funded programs demonstrated significant progress toward achieving these goals. The tall stacks tested during the program period demonstrated a stability which was an order of magnitude better than the MEP-TRR test. Many of the instabilities in performance are traced to system related instabilities and steps have been taken to address those issues since the conclusion of this program. Short stacks using the advanced metal interconnects demonstrate a small drop in cell voltage with the presence of sulfur (in H2S form) and no appreciable change in stability over time. Thus a sulfur slip in the fuel is not expected to drastically affect the stack performance or endurance.