Evaluation of Fundamental Characteristics of High Functional Direct Carbon Fuel Cell Using Wood Pellet as Fuel

Abstract

We have been developing High Functional Direct Carbon Fuel Cell (HF-DCFC) composed of molten salts gasification system and tubular molten carbonate fuel cell (T-MCFC) since 2012. Molten salts gasification is a technology to produce H2 and CO for T-MCFC from organic wastes. This paper aims to evaluate the fundamental characteristics of HF-DCFC using wood pellet made of unused thinning wood and the optimum electrolyte loading ratio. As a result, we were able to confirm that the cell performance of T-MCFC depended on electrolyte loading ratio, and the time for the re-distribution of the electrolyte in the cell component is longer than that of plate type MCFC. We were able to confirm that HF-DCFC is effective enough as the distributed power source and the waste disposal equipment if wood pellet was supplied to HF-DCFC continuously, because the electric power of HF-DCFC was enhanced even if fuel gas utilization increased.