• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2010

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have been under development for a variety of power generation applications. Power system sizes considered range from small watt-size units (e.g., 50-W portable devices) to very large multi-megawatt systems (e.g., 500-MW base load power plants). Because of the reversibility of its operation, the SOFC has also been developed to operate under reverse or electrolysis mode for hydrogen production from steam (In this case, the cell is referred to as solid oxide electrolysis cell or SOEC.). Potential applications for the SOEC include on-site and large-scale hydrogen production. One critical requirement for practical uses of these systems is long-term performance stability under specified operating conditions. Intrinsic material properties and operating environments can have significant effects on cell performance stability, thus performance degradation rate. This paper discusses potential applications of the SOFC/SOEC, technological status and current research and development (R&D) direction, and certain aspects of long-term performance degradation in the operation of SOFCs/SOECs for power generation/hydrogen production.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.325-330
• /
• 2015

Performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), in comparison with that under hydrogen fuel, were investigated under direct internal reforming conditions. Anode supported cells were fabricated with an Ni+YSZ anode, YSZ electrolyte, and LSM+YSZ cathode for the present work. Measurements of I-V curves and impedance were conducted with S/C (steam to carbon) ratio of ~ 2 at $800^{\circ}C$. The outlet gas was analyzed using gas chromatography under open circuit condition; the methane conversion rate was calculated and found to be ~ 90% in the case of low flow rate of methane and steam. Power density values were comparable for both cases (hydrogen fuel and internal steam reforming of methane), and in the latter case the cell performance was improved, with a decrease in the flow rate of methane with steam, because of the higher conversion rate. The present work indicates that the short-term performance of SOFCs with conventional Ni+YSZ anodes, in comparison with that under hydrogen fuel, is acceptable under internal reforming condition with the optimized fuel flow rate and S/C ratio.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.491-496
• /
• 2017

The hydrogen($H_2$) is promising energy carrier of renewable energy in the microgrid system such as small village and military base due to its high energy density, pure emission and convenient transportation. $H_2$ can be generated by photocatalytic water splitting, gasification of biomass and water electrolysis driven by solar cell or wind turbine. Solid oxide electrolysis cells(SOECs) are the most efficient way to mass production due to high operating temperature improving the electrode kinetics and reducing the electrolyte resistance. The SOECs are consist of nickel-yttria stabilized zirconia(NiO-YSZ) fuel electrode / YSZ electrolyte / lanthanum strontium manganite-YSZ(LSM-YSZ) air electrode due to similarity to Solid Oxide Fuel Cells(SOFCs). The Ni-YSZ most widely used fuel electrode shows several problems at SOEC mode such as degradation of the fuel electrode because of Ni particle's redox reaction and agglomeration. Therefore Ni-YSZ need to be replaced to an alternative fuel electrode material. In this study, We studied on the Double perovskite $PrBrMnO_{5+{\delta}}$(PBMO) due to its high electric conductivity, catalytic activity and electrochemical stability. PBMO was impregnated into the scaffold electrolyte $La_{0.8}Sr_{0.2}Ga_{0.85}Mg_{0.15}O_{3-{\delta}}$(LSGM) to be synthesized at low temperature for avoiding secondary phase generated when it exposed to high temperature. The Half cell test was conducted at SOECs and SOFCs modes.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.87-94
• /
• 2008

In order to investigate a nitriding process of spent oxide fuel and the subsequent change in thermal properties after nitriding, simulated spent fuel powder was converted into a nitride pellet with simulated fission product elements through a carbothermic reduction process. Nitriding rate of simulated spent fuel was decreased with increasing of the amount of fission products. Contents of Ba and Sr in simulated spent fuel were decreased after the carbothermic reduction process. The thermal conductivity of the nitride pellet was decreased by an addition of fission product element but was higher than that of the oxide fuel containing fission product elements.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.161-170
• /
• 2022

The effect of oxidation time on the characteristics and mechanical properties of spent nuclear fuel cladding was investigated using Raman spectroscopy, tube rupture test, and tensile test. As oxidation time increased, the Raman peak associated with the tetragonal zirconium oxide phase diminished and merged with the Raman peak associated with the monoclinic zirconium oxide phase near 333 cm^-1. Additionally, the other tetragonal zirconium oxide phase peak at 380 cm^-1 decreased after 100 d of oxidation, whereas the zirconium monoclinic oxide peak became the dominant peak. The oxidation time had no effect on the tube rupture pressure of the oxidized zirconium alloy tube. However, the yield and tensile stresses of the oxidized nuclear fuel cladding tube decreased after 100 d of oxidation. The results of the scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were represented with the in-situ Raman analysis result for the oxide characteristics generated on the cladding of spent nuclear fuel.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.529-545
• /
• 2013

Strong restrictions on emissions from marine power plants (particularly $SO_x$, $NO_x$) will probably be adopted in the near future. In this paper, a combined solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and gas turbine fuelled by natural gas is proposed as an attractive option to limit the environmental impact of the marine sector. It includes a study of a heat-recovery system for 18 MW SOFC fuelled by natural gas, to provide the electric power demand onboard commercial vessels. Feasible heat-recovery systems are investigated, taking into account different operating conditions of the combined system. Two types of SOFC are considered, tubular and planar SOFCs, operated with either natural gas or hydrogen fuels. This paper includes a detailed thermodynamic analysis for the combined system. Mass and energy balances are performed, not only for the whole plant but also for each individual component, in order to evaluate the thermal efficiency of the combined cycle. In addition, the effect of using natural gas as a fuel on the fuel cell voltage and performance is investigated. It is found that a high overall efficiency approaching 70% may be achieved with an optimum configuration using SOFC system under pressure. The hybrid system would also reduce emissions, fuel consumption, and improve the total system efficiency.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.183-192
• /
• 2010

An electrochemical reduction of a mixture of metal oxides was conducted in a LiCl molten salt containing 3 wt% $Li_2O$ at $650^{\circ}C$. The oxide reduction was carried out by applying a current to an electrolysis cell, and the $Li_2O$ concentration was analyzed during each run. The concentration of $Li_2O$ in the electrolyte bulk phase gradually decreases according to Faraday's law due to a slow diffusion of the $O^{2-}$ ions. A hindrance effect of the unreduced metal oxides was observed for the reduction of the uranium oxide. Cs, Sr, and Ba of high heat-load fission products were diffused into and accumulated in the salt phase as predicted with thermodynamic consideration.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.635-643
• /
• 2003

Parametric study for the analysis of performance characteristics of a planar -type solid oxide fuel cell(SOFC) using computational flow analysis is conducted. A planar -type SOFC, which is composed by two gas channels (fuel and ai.) and one set of anode-electrolyte-cathode assembly, is modeled as a two -dimensional isothermal case. Results of computational analysis of flow field including distributions of mass fractions in gas channels are used to the performance analysis of the fuel cell. Flow analysis makes it possible to consider current density distributions along the length of the cell in the process of performance analysis of the SOFC. As results of parametric study, it is found that the mole fraction of fuel at the inlet of fuel channel, operating pressure and temperature are closely related to the performance characteristics of SOFC.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
• /
• v.19 no.7
• /
• pp.1702-1708
• /
• 1995

Owing to the serious problem of hydrocarbon fuel such as environmental pollution, the development of alternative fuel is very urgent. To adopt hydrogen to the internal combustion engine, a solenoid-drive type in-cylinder injection system was constructed. The injection system was installed to the single cylinder research engine, and the engine performance and the emission of citric oxide were tested upon the fuel-air equivalence ratio and the spark timing. In the case of in-cylinder injection system, hydrogen is injected after the intake valve is close, so it is possible to operate the engine without the back fire and the fall of its volumetric efficiency. In the region of the fuel-air equivalence ratio below 0.5, hydrogen and air aren't well mixed and the thermal efficiency is lowered, so the nozzle should be designed to inject hydrogen uniformly into the combustion chamber. In the region of the fuel-air equivalence ratio above 0.7,the fuel-air mixture burns very fast and the amount of citric oxide emission increases rapidly, so the spark timing should be retarded as compared with MBT.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.175-180
• /
• 1997

It has been known that eater-side corrosion of fuel rods in nuclear reactor is accompanied with the metallic loss of wall thickness and hydrogen pickup in the fuel dadding tube. The fuel dad corrosion is one of the major factors to be controlled to maintain the fuel integrity during reactor operation. An oxide later thickness measuring device equipped with ECT probe system was developed by KAERI, and whose performance test was carried out in NDT(Non-destructive Test) hot-cell or PIE(Post Irradiation Examination) Facility. At first, the calibration/performance test was executed for the unirradiated standard specimen rod fabricated with several kinds of plastic thin films whose thickness ore predetermined, and the result of which showed a good precision within 10% of discrepancy. And then, hot test us peformed for the irradiated fuel rod selectively extracted from J44 fuel assembly discharged from Kori Unit-2. The data obtained with this device were compared with the metallographic result obtained from destructive examination in PIEF hot-cell on the same fuel rod to verify the validity of the measurement data.