Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
A fuel cell that employs a solid, ionically conductive material as electrolyte. Typically zirconium oxide (ZrO2) treated with Y2O3, and O-2 is transported from the cathode to the anode. Any CO in the reformate gas is oxidized to CO2 at the anode.
There are many different geometries of solid oxide fuel cells:
- Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell - this uses the typical sandwich type geometry employed by most other fuel cells, where the electrolyte is sandwiched in between the electrodes.
- Tubular solid oxide fuel cell - either air or fuel is passed through the inside of a tube and the other gas is passed along the outside of the tube.
They function at the highest temperature of the different types of fuel cell (about 900°C to 1000°C) and can reform most fuels internally.
See also: Fuel Cell.
Subjects: Automotive Electrochemistry