Single-Cell Tests to Explore the Reliability of Sofc Installations Operating Offshore

Nelson Thambiraj, Ivar Waernhus, Crina Suciu, Arild Vik and Alex C. Hoffmann
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Nelson Thambiraj: Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway
Ivar Waernhus: CMR Prototech AS, Fantoft, 5072 Bergen, Norway
Crina Suciu: CMR Prototech AS, Fantoft, 5072 Bergen, Norway
Arild Vik: CMR Prototech AS, Fantoft, 5072 Bergen, Norway
Alex C. Hoffmann: Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: This paper studies the robustness of off-shore solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) installations and the nature and causes of possible cell degradation in marine environments. Two important, cathode-related, impediments to ensuring SOFC reliability in off-shore installations are: cathode degradation due to salt contamination and oxygen depletion in the air supply. Short-term and long-term tests show the effect of salt contamination in the cathode feed on cell performance, and reveal the underlying cause of the degradation seen. SEM/X-ray Diffraction/(XRD) analyses made it possible to identify salt taken up in the cathode microstructure after the short-term testing while the macroscopic cell structure remained intact after the short-term tests. The long-term degradation was found to be more severe, and SEM images showed delamination at the cathode/electrolyte interface with salt present, something that was not seen after long-term testing without salt. The effect of oxygen depletion on the performance was also determined at three different temperatures using I-V curves.

Keywords: SOFC; reliability; contamination; salt; oxygen starvation; concentration polarization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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