• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.28-34
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• 2014

In the natural gas pressure regulation station, high pressure natural gas is decompressing using pressure regulation valves. Waste pressure occurred in the pressure regulation process can be recovered through adopting turbo expanders. However, in the waste pressure recovery process, Joule Thompson effect causes below $0^{\circ}C$ and this low temperature freezes outside land of pipeline or generates methane hydrate in the pipeline which can block the pipeline. Therefore, turbo expander systems are accompanying with a boiler for preheating natural gas. Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), one of the high temperature fuel cell, can use natural gas as a direct fuel and is also exhausting low emission gas and generating electricity. In this paper, a thermodynamic analysis on the hybrid MCFC-turbo expander system is conducted. The fuel cell system is analyzed for the base load of the hybrid system.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.203-210
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• 2010

NiO is commonly used as the cathode for the molten carbonate fuel cell due to its stability and high electrical conductivity in molten carbonates and oxygen atmosphere. However, long-term operation of MCFC has a serious problem which is the degradation of cathode material, the so-called Ni dissolution. In the present study, we have attempted to synthesize a new alternative cathode material as Co/Nb-coated NiO cathode. The results obtained in this study suggest that the Co/Nb-coated NiO cathode can be utilized as having lower dissolution and higher cell performance than those of the pure NiO cathode.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.98-101
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• 2004

The corrosion behavior of Al-Fe coatings was studied in the wet-seal atmosphere of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC). Fe-8Al, Fe-16Al, Fe-25Al, Fe-36Al, and Fe-70Al (in at.%) specimens were tested in Li/K carbonate at $650^{\circ}C$ by a single cell test and an immersion test. In general, the corrosion resistance of the Al-Fe coatings was enhanced due to the formation of a protective $LiAlO_2$ layer. However, when the Al-Fe coatings didn't have sufficient content of aluminum enough for maintaining the protective layer, the corrosion resistance of the Al-Fe coatings was severely degraded by the growth of non-protective scales like $LiAlO_2$. The test results revealed that the aluminum contents in the coatings should be higher than 25 at.% in order to form and maintain the protective $LiAlO_2$ layers.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.129.1-129.1
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• 2010

Since the commencement of the fuel cell business in 2007, POSCO POWER has been the major supplier of the MCFC (Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell), which is the most commercialized stationary fuel cell system in the world. With its quite, yet active movement, more than 20MW MCFC systems have been installed and are operating in Korea. While trying to localize the components and set up a firm supply chain in Korea to provide more reliable and cost-competitive products to its customers, POSCO POWER is also devoting itself to developing new MCFC application products. One such product is a back-up power system, in which a back-up algorithm is embedded to the present system so that the product can work as a back-up generator in case of grid failure. The technology to enhance load following capability of a stack module is also being developed with the back-up algorithm. Another example is a building application, the goal being to make the present Sub-MW product suitable for urban area. For this, downsizing and modularization are the main R&D scope. The project for developing ship service fuel cell for APU application will launch soon as well. In the project, a system which can operate in marine environment, and reforming technology for liquid logistic fuel will be developed.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.166-175
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• 1994

The effect of Co addition on the electrochemical performance and structural stability of porous Ni anode for molten carbonate fuel cell(MCFC) was evaluated by the anodic polarization and the sintering test in the simulated MCFC anode condition ($650^{\circ}C$, 80% $H_2$+20%$CO_2$). The anode current density ranged from 110mA/$cm^2$ to 144mA/$cm^2$ was obtained at +100mV overpotential by additions of Co up to 10 wt.%. The sintering resistance of Ni-Co anodes was higher than that of the pure Ni anode. The increase of sintering resistance seemed to be to the lower diffusion coefficient of Co than that of Ni.

• Journal of the Korean Professional Engineers Association
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2011

The KEPCO Research Institute has developed Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell(MCFC) since 1993. Recently, an 125-kW MCFC system was operated at Boryeong thermal power plant, Korea from December, 2009 to March, 2010, This system is composed of an 125-kW stack, mechanical balance of plant (MBOP), and Power Conditioning System. The stack has 200 unit cells of which effective area is 10,000 cm2. Especially, MBOP is mainly made up of ejector and catalytic combustor which help this system to be supplied with cathode inlet gas using anode tail gas and fresh air. After the pretreatment of this system was performed for about 20 days, initial load operation was performed at January. 2010. Moreover, this system had been operated for 3,270 hours.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.439-444
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• 2007

Using the anaerobic digester gas as a fuel, fuel cells have the potential to provide significant environmental and economic benefits. A molten carbonate fuel cell power plant was installed in the municipal sewage works of Tancheon in Seoul. The fuel cell unit operates on anaerobic digester gas and provides power and heat for the sewage works. This is the first project of its kind in Korea. This article outlines the experiences of gas purification process with planning, installation and operation. The engineering and installation phase is described regarding to the special features of digester gas, for example impurities in gas composition. Such impurities would be harmful to fuel cells. Operational results from the field test with a gas purification process plant are presented in this paper.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.07b
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• pp.1681-1683
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• 2005

The molten carbonate fuel tell(MCFC) is endowed with the high potential especially in future electric power generation industry by its own outstanding characteristics. KEPCO(KEPRI) started a 100 kW MCFC system development program in 1993 and has been executed 100kW system develpilot plant successfully completed first phaseopment by 2005 on the basis of successful results of 25kW system development. In this program, the components and mechanical structure for 100 kW stack and system construction were completed on last year and now system pre-commissioning was being executed. A 100 kW MCFC power plant was constructed at the site of Boryeong Thermal Power Plant. A 100 kW MCFC system has characterized as a high pressure operation mode, $CO_2$ recycle, and externally reforming power generation system. The 100 kW MCFC system consisted with stacks which was made by two 50 kW sub-stacks, 90 cells with 6,000 cm2 active area and BOP including a reformer, a recycle blower, a catalytic burner, an inverter, and etc. The system will be operated under 3 atm pressure condition and expected to last over 5,000 hours by the end of this year.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.127-130
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• 2009

The uniform gas distribution between anode channels of the indirect internal reforming type molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) is crucial design parameter because of the electric performance and the durability problems. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is performed to investigate flow characteristics in the anode channels and manifold under different pressure drop and channel temperature conditions. The combined meshes consists of hexadral meshes in the channels and polyhedral meshes in the manifold are adopted and chemical reactions inside the MCFC system are not included because of computational difficulties associated with the size and geometric complexity of the system. Results indicate that the uniformity in flow-rate is in the range of $\pm$ 0.048 % between the anode channels when the pressure drop of anode channel is about 150 Pa. A gas flow-rate uniformity decreases as the pressure drop of anode channels decreases and as the temperature difference between indirect internal reforming (IIR) channels and anode channels increases.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.419-424
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• 2010

The 125kW external reforming (ER) type molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) system for developing a commercial prototype has been operated at Boryeong thermal power plant site since the end of 2009. The system consists of 125kW stack with $10,000 cm^2$ effective area, mechanical balance of plant (MBOP) with anode recycle system, and electrical balance of plant (EBOP). The 125kW MCFC stack installed in December, 2009 has been operated from January, 2010 after 20 days pre-treatment. The stack open circuit voltage (OCV) was 214V at initial load operation, which approaches the thermodynamically theoretical voltage. The stack voltage remained stable range from 160V to 180V at the maximum generating power of 120 kW DC. The stack has been operated for 3,270 hours and operated at rated power for 1,200 hours.