• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.309-317
• /
• 2011

The effect of physical properties of coal fuels and carbon particle on performance of DCFC (Direct Carbon Fuel Cell) was investigated. Shenhua and Adaro were selected as coal fuel and carbon particle was used for comparing with coal. The Ultimate, proximate, SEM, XRD, and BET analysis of samples were conducted. The component of char was more important than that of raw coal because the operating temperature of reactor is higher than devolatilization region of coal. The surface area and volume of pores affected significantly the performance of the system than content of fixed carbon or char rates. The performance of DCFC with carbon particle was in proportional to working temperature.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.426-431
• /
• 2012

Carbon-rich coal can be utilized as a fuel for direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC). However, left-behind ash after the electrochemical oxidation may hinder the electrochemical reactions. In this study, we produced ash-free coal (AFC) by thermal extraction and then tested it as a fuel for DCFC. DCFC was built based on solid oxide electrolyte and the electrochemical performance of AFC mixed with $K_2CO_3$ was compared with AFC only. Significantly enhanced power density was found by catalytic steam gasification of AFC. However, an increase of the power density by catalytic pyrolysis was negligible. This result indicated that a catalyst activated the steam gasification reactions, producing much more $H_2$ and thus increasing the power density, compared to AFC only. Results of a quantitative analysis showed much improved kinetics in AFC with $K_2CO_3$ in agreement with DCFC results. A secondary phase of potassium on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) surface was observed after the cell operation. This probably caused poor long-term behavior of AFC with $K_2CO_3$. A thin YSZ (30 ${\mu}m$ thick) was found to be higher in the power density than 0.9 mm of YSZ.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.527-534
• /
• 2015

This study offers a novel method for improving the physical contact between the anode and fuel in a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC): a direct generation of carbon in a porous Ni anode through the thermal decomposition of gaseous hydrocarbons. Three kinds of alkane hydrocarbons with different carbon numbers (CH4, C2H6, and C3H8) are tested. From electron microscope observations of the carbon particles generated from each hydrocarbon, we confirm that more carbon spheres (CS), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and carbon nanofibers (CNF) were identified with increasing carbon number. Raman scattering results revealed that the carbon samples became less crystalline and more flexible with increasing carbon number. DCFC performance was measured at $700^{\circ}C$ with the anode fueled by the same mass of each carbon sample. One-dimensional carbon fuels of CNT and CNF more actively produced and had power densities 148 and 210 times higher than that of the CS, respectively. This difference is partly attributed to the findings that the less-crystalline CNT and CNF have much lower charge transfer resistances than the CS.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
• /
• 1998.10a
• /
• pp.318-322
• /
• 1998

• Plant Journal
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.10-16
• /
• 2011

• Plant Journal
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.4-14
• /
• 2011

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.49 no.6
• /
• pp.786-789
• /
• 2011

In order to estimate the possibility of applying electrolytes generally used in solid oxide fuel cells(SOFCs) to direct carbon fuel cells(DCFCs), properties of YSZ(yttria stabilized zirconia) electrolyte were evaluated. In this study, vacuum slurry coating method was adapted to coat thin layer on anode support substrate. After sintering the electrolyte at $1400^{\circ}C$ for 5hrs, microstructure was analyzed by using SEM image. Also, gas permeability and ionic conductivity were measured to find out the potential possibility of electrolyte for DCFCs. The YSZ electrolyte represented dense coating layer and low gas permeability value. The ionic conductivity of YSZ electrolyte was high over $800^{\circ}C$. After measurement of the electrolyte properties, direct carbon fuel cell was fabricated and its performance was measured at $800^{\circ}C$.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.40 no.11
• /
• pp.697-704
• /
• 2016

Coal modified by acid treatment was investigated to analyze the correlation between the cell performance and electrochemical parameters in a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC). The fuels were subjected to thermogravimetry analysis, gas adsorption test, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the fuel properties and surface characteristics. After the treatment of raw coal, the thermal reactivity of the treated fuels increased, and the specific surface area decreased, though the mean pore diameters of three fuels were similar. The coal treated by $HNO_3$ showed the highest ratio of oxygen to carbon, and also an increase in the surface oxygen groups on the fuel surface. Through comparison between the fuel surface properties and electrochemical performance, it was confirmed that the surface oxygen groups have an influence on the improvement in the DCFC performance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2016.02a
• /
• pp.411.2-411.2
• /
• 2016

직접 메탄올 연료전지 (DMFCs)는 친환경적이고 낮은 작동 온도로 인한 빠른 구동, 높은 에너지 밀도 등 다양한 장점을 가지고 있어 차세대 에너지 변환소자로 많은 관심을 받고 있다. 직접 메탄올 연료전지는 메탄올을 연료로 사용하며, 메탄올이 보유하고 있는 화학적 에너지를 전기 에너지로 변환하는 장치로써 음극에서는 백금 촉매로 인한 메탄올 산화반응, 양극에서는 환원 반응이 일어나며 전기화학적 구동을 하게 된다. 하지만 일산화탄소 피독으로 인한 촉매 활성 저하, 메탄올의 cross over, 백금 촉매 사용으로 인한 고비용 등의 문제점을 가지고 있다. 따라서 많은 연구자들이 백금 사용량을 줄이고 백금 촉매를 고르게 분포하기 위해 값이 저렴하고 넓은 비표면적을 갖는 탄소계 (graphite, graphene, carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber 등) 지지체 재료를 도입하고 있다. 이 중 탄소나노섬유 (carbon nanofibers, CNFs)는 우수한 전기전도도와 열적/화학적 안정성을 가지고 있으며, 특히 넓은 비표면적을 가지고 있어 백금 촉매의 지지체로서 많은 연구가 진행되고 있다[1]. 따라서 우리는 전기방사법을 활용하여 넓은 비표면적을 보유하는 다공성 탄소나노섬유를 성공적으로 합성하였다. 또한, 이를 백금 촉매의 지지체로 도입하여 직접 메탄올 연료전지를 위한 다공성 탄소나노섬유에 담지된 고분산성 백금 촉매를 제조하였다. 제조한 다공성 탄소나노섬유의 형상 및 구조 분석은 주사전자 현미경 (field-emission scanning electron microscopy)와 투과전자 현미경 (transmission electron microscopy)를 이용하여 분석하였고, 결정구조와 화학적 결합상태는 X-선 회절분석 (X-ray diffraction) 및 X-선 광전자 분광법 (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy)를 이용하여 규명하였다. 전기화학적 특성은 순환 전압 전류법 (cyclic voltammetry)를 이용하였다. 이러한 실험 결과들을 바탕으로 다공성 탄소나노섬유에 담지된 고분산성 백금 촉매의 자세한 특성을 본 학회에서 다루도록 하겠다.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.36 no.10
• /
• pp.1033-1041
• /
• 2012

Performance evaluation of a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) was conducted according to coals and a graphite particle. Several fuel properties such as thermal reactivity, textural structure, gas adsorption characteristic, and functional groups on the surface of fuels were investigated and their effects on electrochemistry were discussed. The strong carbon structure inside of fuels led the rapid potential decreasing in high current density region, because it caused small surface area and low pore volume. The functional groups on the surface were related to the low current density region. The maximum current density and power density of fuels were affected by the total carbon content in fuels. The effect of operating conditions such as stirring rate and operating temperature was investigated in this study.