The use of ammonia as fuel in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) allows to reach high efficiency with a carbon free fuel. The use of SOFC technology is foreseen both for stationary production of power and for transport application, in particular for shipping. Shipping is a new developing market for the use of electric engine and high energy density solutions are required to reduce onboard volumes and weights. Chemicals, such as ammonia, produced from a renewable source are a feasible candidates. Ammonia is decomposed in the SOFC anode producing hydrogen that reacts in the cell via electrochemical reaction for the production of power. Even if ammonia performance in SOFC are assessed in literature, degradation due to anode nitrification needs to be clarified. In this study a cell operating at 750°C with ammonia for 100 hours was compared with a cell in the same condition but operating with hydrogen. Results show that same degradation was measured in both cases. No additional degradation was identified due to the use of ammonia. In addition: i) ammonia was not detected in the off gasses, indicating a complete degradation of ammonia in the cell; ii) ex-post analysis did not show significant nitrification of anode. Opposite to previous literature, the test assessed that, at nominal condition, there is no degradation related to the use of ammonia nor ammonia is present in the off gasses.
The use of ammonia as a fuel for transport: Integration with solid oxide fuel cells
Giovanni Cinti;Linda Barelli;Gianni Bidini
2019
Abstract
The use of ammonia as fuel in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) allows to reach high efficiency with a carbon free fuel. The use of SOFC technology is foreseen both for stationary production of power and for transport application, in particular for shipping. Shipping is a new developing market for the use of electric engine and high energy density solutions are required to reduce onboard volumes and weights. Chemicals, such as ammonia, produced from a renewable source are a feasible candidates. Ammonia is decomposed in the SOFC anode producing hydrogen that reacts in the cell via electrochemical reaction for the production of power. Even if ammonia performance in SOFC are assessed in literature, degradation due to anode nitrification needs to be clarified. In this study a cell operating at 750°C with ammonia for 100 hours was compared with a cell in the same condition but operating with hydrogen. Results show that same degradation was measured in both cases. No additional degradation was identified due to the use of ammonia. In addition: i) ammonia was not detected in the off gasses, indicating a complete degradation of ammonia in the cell; ii) ex-post analysis did not show significant nitrification of anode. Opposite to previous literature, the test assessed that, at nominal condition, there is no degradation related to the use of ammonia nor ammonia is present in the off gasses.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
