Advances in Metal Supported Cells in the METSOFC EU Consortium†

Fuel Cells, Special Issue: 10th European SOFC Forum (EFCF2012), Volume 13, Issue 4, pages 592–597, August, 2013
Advances in Metal Supported Cells in the METSOFC EU Consortium†
B. J. McKenna (1), N. Christiansen (1), R. Schauperl (2), P. Prenninger (2), J. Nielsen (3), P. Blennow (3), T. Klemensø (3), S. Ramousse (3), A. Kromp (4) and A. Weber (4)
brjm@topsoe.dk
1 Topsoe Fuel Cell A/S, Nymøllevej 66, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
2 AVL List Gmbh, Hans-List-Platz 1, 8020 Graz, Austria
3 Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
4 Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Adenauerring 20b, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Abstract
The EU-sponsored project “METSOFC”, completed at the end of 2011, resulted in a number of advancements toward implementing a mechanically robust metal support as the structural element in SOFC. Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Energy Conversion's research into planar metal supported cells (MSCs) has produced an advanced cell design with high performance and mechanical robustness.
At low operation temperatures, these cells exhibit low Area-specific resistances (ASRs): 0.35 Ω cm² in cell tests and under 0.3 Ω cm² in button cells. Further success was achieved with even larger cell areas of 12 × 12 cm² squares, which facilitated integration into small stacks at Topsoe Fuel Cell having powers approaching 1/2 kW. Development of MSC stacks demonstrated that the MSCs could achieve similar or better performance, compared to most standard industrial anode supported ceramic cells. In addition, extended testing at AVL revealed extra stack performance and reliability characteristics, including behavior toward sulfur and simulated diesel reformate, and tolerance to thermal cycles and load cycles.
Full Text Source (Subscription or Fee): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fuce.201200185/abstract