Effect of operating temperature on durability for direct butane utilization of microtubular solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

The effect of operating temperature on durability was investigated for direct butane utilization using microtubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). At 710°C, the performance of the Ni-Gd doped ceria (Ni-GDC) anode deteriorated rapidly for less than 2h in butane fuel with relatively low steam/carbon (S/C) ratio at 0.044 because of a large amount of carbon deposition by butane cracking. The carbon nanofiber grew up from catalysis in the Ni-GDC anode after direct butane utilization at 660°C for 15 h. The carbon deposition rate in wet butane was slower than that in dry butane below 660°C on the Ni-GDC composite, because the oxidation of deposited carbon was also promoted by catalysis in the presence of water. The electric power could be generated continuously for more than 24 h in butane at S/C = 0.044 and relatively low operating temperature at 610°C using the Ni-GDC anode. Decrease in the operating temperature realized high durability against carbon deposition for direct butane utilization of SOFCs using the Ni-GDC anode. © The Electrochemical Society of Japan, All rights reserved.