Lifetime expectancy of molten carbonate fuel cells: Part II. Cell life simulation using bench and coin-type cells

Abstract

The lifetime of molten carbonate fuel cells is simulated in terms of electrolyte loss rate, voltage reduction rate, and activation energy using 7 cm2 coin- and 100 cm2 bench-type molten carbonate fuel cells. Arrhenius plots are used to determine the temperature dependence of the anode gas-phase mass transfer resistance, cathode gas and liquid-phase mass transfer resistances and electrolyte loss rate. The gas-phase mass transfer resistance of the anode has positive activation energy, indicating more substantial resistance at higher temperatures. The cathodic gas-phase mass transfer resistance has small and negative activation energy. In contrast, the cathode shows negative and positive activation energies at the mass transfer resistance of superoxide ion (O2−) and CO2 in the liquid electrolytes, respectively. The negative value indicates a lower overpotential at higher temperatures and vice versa. The Arrhenius plot of the electrolyte weight loss rate shows positive activation energy, indicating that an increase in temperature causes a simultaneous increase in electrolyte weight loss. The cell life of a molten carbonate fuel cell is predicted using a factor that relates the voltage reduction and electrolyte loss rates. A lower value of the factor gives a longer cell life.