• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.170-179
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• 2005

Electrolyte loss is considered as one of the major obstacles limiting the life time of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). Unit cells with an effective area of 100 $cm^2$ were prepared and were operated to determine the optimum matrix thickness which contains the maximum amount of electrolyte without serious preformance loss caused by high resistance. Matrices with different thickness, 1.45, 1.8, and 2.3 mm, were used in unit cells and those cells were operared about 5000, 10000, and 4000 hrs. The unit cell used 1.8 mm thick matrix showed 0.85 V (at 150 mA/$cm^2$) as the intial performance and this cell voltage is not lower than the cell voltage obtained in the cell with 1 mm thick matrix. This cell was operated for 10000 hrs. The cell used 1.45 mm thick matrices showed 16.6 % in the electrolyte loss after 5000 hr operation. In the case of the cell with 2.3 mm thick matrix, the initial cell voltage was below 0.80 V (at 150 mA/$cm^2$). For thermal cycle test, the gas crossover amount of unit cell used 1.8 mm thick matrix was much less than that of the cell with 1.0 mm thick matrix.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.3049-3052
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• 2008

MCFC(molten carbonate fuel cell) power generation system is prime candidate for the utilization of fossil based fuels to generate ultra clean power with a high efficiency. In the MCFC power plant system, a combustor performs a role to supply high temperature mixture gases for cathode and heat for reformer by using the stack off-gas of the anode which includes a high concentration of $H_2O$ and $CO_2$. Since a combustor needs to be operated in a very lean condition and to avoid excessive local heating, catalytic combustor is usually used. The catalytic combustion is accomplished by the catalytic chemical reaction between fuel and oxidizer at catalyst surface, different from conventional combustion. In this study, a mathematical model for the prediction of internal flow and catalytic combustion characteristics in the catalytic combustor adopted in the MCFC power plant system is suggested by using the numerical methods. The numerical simulation models are then implemented into the commercial CFD code. After verifying result by comparing with the experimental data and calibrated kinetic parameters of catalytic combustion reaction, a numerical simulation is performed to investigate the variation of flow and combustion characteristics by changing such various parameters as inlet configuration and inlet temperature. The result show that the catalytic combustion can be effectively improved for most of the case by using the perforated plate and subsequent stable catalytic combustion is expected.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.1350-1352
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• 2003

For developing a 100 kW MCFC power generation system, Several design parameters for a fuel cell stack and system analysis results by Cycle Tempo, a processing computer soft ware, were described. Approximately two substacks with 90 cells are required to generate 100 kW at a current density of $125\;mA/cm^2$ with $6000\;cm^2$ of cells. An overall heat balance was calculated to predict exit temperature. The 100 kW power is expected only under pressurized operation condition at 3 atm. Recycle of cathode gas by more than 50% is recommended to run the stack at $125\;mA/cm^2$ and 3 atm. Manifolds should be designed based on gas flow rates for the suggested operating condition. The fuel cell power generation system was designed conceptually with several choices of utilization of anode exhaust gas. To operate and evaluate the MCFC system, control and measurement system and operation mode are designed before 100 MCFC system construction. In system control schematics, OS, PLC and MMI were consisted and have roles for MCFC system control. For operation of 100 kW MCFC system, NS, PS PR mode were considerated step by step and simulated.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.134-134
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• 2010

Fuel cell is a device that directly converts chemical energy in the form of a fuel into electrical energy by way of an electrochemical reaction. In the anode for a high temperature fuel cell, nickel or nickel alloy has been used in consideration of the cost, oxidation catalystic ability of hydrogen which is used as fuel, electron conductivity, and high temperature stability in reducing atmosphere. Most MCFC stacks currently operate at an average temperature of $650^{\circ}C$. There is some gains with decreased temperature in MCFC to diminish the electrolyte loss from evaporation and the material corrosion, which could improve the MCFC life. However, operating temperature has a strong related on a number of electrode reaction rates and ohmic losses. Baker et al. reported the effect of temperature (575 to $650^{\circ}C$). The rates of cell voltage loss were 1.4mV/$^{\circ}C$ for a reduction in temperature from 650 to $600^{\circ}C$, and 2.16mV/$^{\circ}C$ for a decrease from 600 to $575^{\circ}C$. The two major contributors responsible for the change in cell voltage with reducing operation temperature are the ohmic polarization and electrode polarization. It appears that in the temperature range of 550 to $650^{\circ}C$, about 1/3 of the total change in cell voltage with decreasing temperature is due to an increase in ohmic polarization, and the electrode polarization at the anode and cathode. In addition, the oxidation reaction of hydrogen on an ordinary nickel alloy anode in MCFC is generally considered to take place in the three phase zone, but anyway the area contributing to this reaction is limited. Therefore, in order to maintain a high performance of the fuel cell, it is necessary to keep this reaction responsible area as wide as possible, that is, it is needed to keep the porosity and specific surface area of the anode at a high level. In this study effective anodes are prepared for low temperature MCFC capable of enhancing the cell performance by using zirconium hydride at least in part of anode material.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2015

Hydrogen production from commercial diesel fuels is an attactive option for energy generation purpose due to the low cost and good availability of diesel fuels. However, in order to utilize commercial diesel fuels, the sulfur contents must be removed down to approximately 0.1 ppm level to protect the fuel cell catalysts from poisoning. Commercial catalysts $CoMo/Al_2O_3$ and $NiMo/Al_2O_3$ were tested for HDS (Hydrodesulfurization) of model diesel and commercial diesel. The experimental conditions were $250-400^{\circ}C$ and LHSV (Liquid Hourly Space Velocity) $0.27-2.12hr^{-1}$. $NiMo/Al_2O_3$ was found to be more effective than $CoMo/Al_2O_3$ in removing sulfur from model diesel. Based on the experimental results of model diesel, commercial diesel fuel purchased from a local petrol station was tested for HDS using $NiMo/Al_2O_3$. The GC-SCD (Gas Chromatography Sulfur Chemiluminescence Detector) results showed that the DMDBT (Dimethyldibenzothiophene) derivatives were fully removed from the commercial diesel fuel proving that HDS with $NiMo/Al_2O_3$ is technically feasible for industrial applications.