Articles

A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) stack using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as the fuel has been successfully tested by Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (CFCL). A kilowatt-class stack was built and run at the company's Melbourne headquarters and its performance met all expectations. It is an important milestone in the company's program to develop multi-fuelling capability for SOFC-based systems to operate on hydrocarbon-based liquid fuels including logistic fuels, such as diesel.

The test also demonstrated CFCL's direct internal reforming technology, which allows methane fuels to be converted within the fuel cell stack. Internal reforming eliminates the need to fully reform the fuel outside the stack, resulting in greater efficiency, lower system costs, better heat management and overall design improvements.

The key to the LPG stack test was the development of a fuel processor that first converted the LPG into a mixture of predominantly methane, with some hydrogen and carbon oxides -gases suitable for SOFC operation. CFCL developed the LPG fuel processor and constructed a purpose built test station to conduct the test. The ability to run an SOFC-based system using fuel such as LPG or diesel will allow SOFC systems to be used for a greater range of energy generation applications, including remote power generation. When replacing a diesel generator, an SOFC-based system will have significant benefits including reduced greenhouse emissions.

The SOFC stack test, which was the final part of a LPG operated SOFC System development program funded by a $500,000 (AUD) grant from the Victorian Government, also successfully ran on both hydrogen and natural gas.

The stack design itself was innovative, increasing power density by 100%, in terms of stack volume. This is an important step in CFCL's stack evolution toward lower cost and reduced footprint size - important requirements for commercial production.

CFCL is in the product development phase of its stationary power market-entry product, using natural gas as the fuel. CFCL is also continuing with an active program of work to develop further SOFC products to operate on other hydrocarbon-based fuels such as gasoline and diesel, and renewable fuels such as biogas.

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