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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 4)
This project aims to create a light-weight high specific energy density solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) for on-board hybrid electric powered aircraft. This will be achieved by fabricating and evaluating button size cells made with pore size grading hollow strut metal form supported SOFCs. These cells will serve as the basis for stack construction to accommodate the electrical needs for more electric aircraft. For all fuel cells the thermochemistry is basis for its electrical operation. A solid oxide fuel cell is basically an oxidation-reduction reaction in which the generating electrons are exchanged and made to do work. While the typical fuel is hydrogen, electrical power can be generated with a variety of fuels. Reformed hydrocarbons, which will liberate hydrogen, can also take part in the reaction. The oxidizer in most cases is oxygen supplied from air. The fuel cell itself consists of an anode where the fuel reacts with oxygen ions. These ions are transported through a thin ceramic electrolyte by migrating through interstitial voids or defects in the ceramic crystal structure. The transport rate of these defects through this electrolyte is dictated by temperature and defect chemistry. Oxygen and ions are generated at the cathode which are ionized by the returning electrons from the anode, resulting in a change in electrical potential. A single fuel cell will produce about 0.7 V of electricity. It is for that reason many cells are “stacked” battery fashion to produce a usable bus voltage potential. Due to the chemical reactions occurring, large solid, gas interfaces are needed to ensure sufficient power for a given application, hence the active cell area, in which the oxidation-reduction reactions occur, must be maximized. The goal is to use additive manufacturing to fabricate ceramic anode, electrolytes, and cathode buttons cells supported on various super alloy hollow-strut foams.
The performance of a SOFC is primarily dictated by thermal chemistry and its microstructure. While the thermal chemistry aspect is a direct situation of state, the microstructure depends not just on the present state but on the thermal history as well. Thermal history includes all thermal events the cell has been exposed including its construction where sintering and annealing at high temperatures are typical processes in its manufacture. The uniqueness of this project is in creating the building block, the actual fuel cell that can eventually be stacked to produce a stack capable of fast-startup from a cold state, ease of manufacture, mechanical and thermal robustness and long durability. In addition to aeronautics, this type of energy production offers benefits to space and planetary applications as well. By applying an electric potential the fuel cell can, in a sense be run in reverse to produce consumables of fuels to support in-situ utilization type activities.
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