How efficient are SOFC?
State-of-the-art SOFC systems provide an electrical efficiency of around 60% and a CHP system efficiency up to 85–90% (Gür, 2016). SOFC-GT hybrid system can even achieve electrical efficiencies of as high as 70% (Buonomano et al., 2015).
What is a solid acid fuel cell explain its working?
A solid oxide fuel cell utilizes the movement of electrons and generates electricity in few basic steps. Natural gas goes through a steam-reforming process. This chemical reaction produces hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and steam (H2O).
What is the advantage of using solid oxide fuel cell?
Advantages of this class of fuel cells include high combined heat and power efficiency, long-term stability, fuel flexibility, low emissions, and relatively low cost. The largest disadvantage is the high operating temperature which results in longer start-up times and mechanical and chemical compatibility issues.
What is the difference between SOFCs and PEM based fuel cells?
PEMFC is compact and handles generally load variations better. SOFC is not as compact and works at higher temperatures than PEMFC. The SOFC can be combined with a gas turbine increasing its efficiency. If waste heat recovery is used its efficiency is further increased.
What fuel is used in SOFC?
Compared with other fuel cell systems, the main advantage of the SOFC is its ability to use not only hydrogen but also the currently available fossil fuels (such as methane, butane, or even gasoline and diesel), thus reducing operating costs and flexibility.
Is SOFC a hydrogen fuel cell?
A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is a highly efficient electrochemical device that converts hydrogen and carbon monoxide from hydrocarbon fuels directly into electricity. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells use dense solid oxide as electrolyte material that conduct negative oxygen ions from cathode to anode.
Which fuel cell has highest efficiency?
Alkaline Fuel Cells
Operating at 60-70ºC (140-158ºF), AFCs are among the most efficient type of fuel cells, reaching up to 60% efficiency and up to 87% combined heat and power.
What is principle of fuel cell?
A fuel, such as hydrogen, is fed to the anode, and air is fed to the cathode. In a hydrogen fuel cell, a catalyst at the anode separates hydrogen molecules into protons and electrons, which take different paths to the cathode. The electrons go through an external circuit, creating a flow of electricity.
How long do solid oxide fuel cells last?
40,000–80,000 h
Among the different fuel cells, the SOFC is one of the most efficient technologies for power generation as it is flexible to fuel choice, noiseless, showing low CO2 emissions, and has a potentially long lifetime of 40,000–80,000 h [8].
Who invented solid oxide fuel cell?
Swiss scientist Emil Baur and his colleague H. Preis experimented with solid oxide electrolytes in the late 1930s, using such materials as zirconium, yttrium, cerium, lanthanum, and tungsten.
Which is the best fuel cell technology?
What is the most powerful fuel cell?
A heavy truck hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer is claiming the world’s most high density power unit following third-party testing. Trials held by TUV Rheinland suggest Hyzon Motors’ fuel cell achieved a record peak power density above 6kW/L, the company headquartered in New York has announced.
What is one problem with fuel cell?
Expensive to manufacture due the high cost of catalysts (platinum) Lack of infrastructure to support the distribution of hydrogen. A lot of the currently available fuel cell technology is in the prototype stage and not yet validated. Hydrogen is expensive to produce and not widely available.
What are the types of fuel cell?
Types of Fuel Cells
- Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.
- Direct methanol fuel cells.
- Alkaline fuel cells.
- Phosphoric acid fuel cells.
- Molten carbonate fuel cells.
- Solid oxide fuel cells.
- Reversible fuel cells.
What is efficiency of fuel cell?
A conventional combustion-based power plant typically generates electricity at efficiencies of 33 to 35%, while fuel cell systems can generate electricity at ef- ficiencies up to 60% (and even higher with cogeneration).
Which electrolyte is used in solid oxide fuel cell?
yttria-stabilized zirconia
The most common solid electrolyte material used in solid oxide fuel cells is yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). Yttria is added to stabilize the conductive cubic fluorite phase, as well as to increase the concentration of oxygen vacancies, and thus increase the ionic conductivity.
What are solid oxide fuel cells made of?
Solid Oxide fuel cells (SOFC) use a hard, ceramic compound of metal (like calcium or zirconium) oxides (chemically, O2) as electrolyte. Efficiency is about 60 percent, and operating temperatures are about 1,000 °C (about 1,800 °F). Cells output is up to 100 kW.
Who is the leader in fuel cell technology?
FuelCell Energy, Inc.
FuelCell Energy, Inc. is a global leader in the design, manufacture, operation and service of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants.
Why don’t we use fuel cells?
The fuel cell can be dangerous due to its highly flammable nature. This makes it a dangerous fuel to have in a vehicle if it crashes. Last but not the least, the price point. Let alone IC engines, Hydrogen-powered cars are significantly costlier than electric vehicles, almost twice the asking price.
What is the future fuel for cars?
Hydrogen
Hydrogen can be used instead of fossil fuels in combustion engines. Hydrogen cars give out no harmful tailpipe emissions, only water. Critics point out it transfers energy consumption away to the plant that makes the hydrogen, and there is currently no hydrogen refuel infrastructure in place.
Why do batteries go dead but fuel cells do not?
Why do batteries go dead, but fuel cells do not? Batteries are self-contained and have a limited supply of reagents to expend before going dead. Alternatively, battery reaction byproducts accumulate and interfere with the reaction.
Can hydrogen fuel cell cars explode?
Hydrogen used in the fuel cells is a very flammable gas and can cause fires and explosions if it is not handled properly.
How long does fuel cell last?
The fuel cell stacks are designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle, about 150,000–200,000 miles. At the end of its lifespan, the fuel cell will be disassembled and the materials recycled, similar to what happens with vehicle components today.
What is a disadvantage of fuel cells?
Expensive to manufacture due the high cost of catalysts (platinum) Lack of infrastructure to support the distribution of hydrogen. A lot of the currently available fuel cell technology is in the prototype stage and not yet validated.
Who makes solid oxide fuel cells?
Bloom Energy is a leader in the SOFC industry, leveraging the technology to convert fuel into electricity at one of the highest efficiencies of any power solution today. The SOFCs generate primary power through Bloom Energy Servers, commonly known as ‘Bloom Boxes.