Performance and Stability of Cathode Electrode Under Carbon Capture Operating Conditions

Abstract

Introduction The high-temperature molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) is one of the most advanced clean power generating devices. To date >8 billion kWh of clean electricity has been produced commercially using this new technology. The high operating temperature of MCFC (550-650°C) dramatically improves the reaction kinetics and eliminates the need for a noble metal catalyst. The electrochemical reactions taking place during cell operation involve CO2 transfer from cathode to anode through electrolyte matrix in the form of carbonate ions (Figure 1). The transport of CO3 = is equivalent to that of O= and CO2 (CO3 = ⇔ O= + CO2). Therefore, MCFC stack technology can be utilized for efficient simultaneous power generation and CO2 separation/capture by integrating with conventional combustion-based coal and/or natural-gas power plants. The state of the art MCFC cathode is porous lithiated NiO. The cathode performance and stability are affected by several factors such as gas composition, temperature, electrode structure, and electrolyte chemistry. To ensure long-term performance and material stability (such as NiO cathode dissolution, polarization loss and CO2 capture efficiency), material selection, operating characteristics, and electrode design need to be carefully considered. FCE has operated numerous bench-scale single cells (100 W) and technology stacks (30 kW) under carbon capture operating conditions (4-5% CO2 in the cathode inlet as opposed to >15% in baseline MCFC systems) to understand parameters affecting performance, life, and to investigate design solutions for further enhancement. Figure 2 shows similar NiO cathode stability under standard as well as carbon capture conditions, projecting to useful life of >7-years under both operation conditions. More endurance carbon capture tests are being conducted for further verification. This paper will review the cathode material stability, microstructure, and durability under long-term carbon-capture operations. The effect of parameters such as electrolyte fill, gas composition and electrolyte chemistry, as well as approaches to enhance the CO2 capture efficiency and life, will be discussed. Figure 1