Proceedings of the
Second International Energy 2030 Conference,
November 4-5, 2008, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells – Evaluating Performance for Light Hydrocarbons
Gregory S. Jackson
University of Maryland, USA
Robert A. Walker
University of Maryland, USA
Prof. Bryan Eichhorn
University of Maryland, USA
A. Mary Sukeshini
University of Maryland, USA
Michael B. Pomfret
University of Maryland, USA
Oktay Demircan
University of Maryland, USA
Bahman Habibzadeh
University of Maryland, USA
Steven Decaluwe
University of Maryland, USA
Abstract
Due to their high temperature operation, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC’s) are being considered for
operation with hydrocarbons – either with fuel pre-reforming to convert the hydrocarbon to syngas [1,2] or
with direct injection of hydrocarbon fuels [3,4]. The potential for stable SOFC operation with hydrocarbon
fuels allows for very high efficiency energy conversion to electrical power for applications ranging from
handheld power to large-scale central power plants. Current SOFC anode materials and microstructure
however has not been well optimized for direct utilization of hydrocarbons, and thus the University of
Maryland (UMD) in collaboration with the Colorado School of Mines, California Institute of Technology,
and now The Petroleum Institute are exploring both how anode microstructure and material influence
electrochemical oxidation in SOFC’s and how anode design can be optimized for operation with
hydrocarbon reformate (syngas) and/or with direct hydrocarbon feeds.
Studies of hydrocarbon-fueled SOFC’s have often been motivated by portable power applications
where liquid hydrocarbon fuels are needed for their high power densities. However, SOFC’s also offer a
unique opportunity for large-scale systems in conjunction with oil recovery operations. SOFC’s operating
on light hydrocarbon fractions such as naphtha derived from oil recovery provide a means for providing
high-efficiency onsite electrical power with well off-gases. Furthermore, the oxide-ion membrane in the
SOFC provides an effective means of producing CO2 and H2O product that is separated from N2 dilution
derived from more conventional combustion applications. Thus SOFC systems with hydrocarbon fuel
feeds provide concentrated product stream of CO2 and H2O that might be used readily for enhanced oil
recovery. To understand the potential for improving SOFC’s for operation through advanced model
development, UMD researchers are using microfabricated anodes with electrochemical characterization, in
situ and ex situ surface spectroscopy, and microkinetic/porous media model development. These tools are
The significance and potential of PV generation has clearly been grasped with PV manufacturing
growing exponentially at 30%, or greater, per year. This growth has been mainly driven by government
subsidies in Japan and Germany. For example, the EU has a goal of generating 22% of electricity by
renewable sources in 2010. In the United States, the Solar America Initiative has the goal of making PV
power competitive with other forms of renewable energy by 2015. The generation of competitive PV
electricity generating will depend on manufacturing expertise, with its concomitant historic learning curve,
and scientific breakthroughs [1,2] that will guarantee increased efficiency.
