This project builds upon two major results of priorr research to develop high performance Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) with improved durability and reliability using unique multilayered structural approach to design and process of electrolyte and cathode/anode constituents of the single cells. The first is the multilayered electrolytes with carefully designed thermal residual stresses bringing the significant increase in reliability of the electrolytes and the single cell as a whole, at the same time allowing maintaining the very high oxygen ion conductivity and chemical and phase stability of the structures. The second is the use of the catalytically active perovskites cathodes deposited by the superior additive manufacturing techniques on the electrolyte substrates. It is expected that highly compatible electrodes/electrolyte assemblies will be produced as single solid oxide fuel cells exhibiting superior power densities, reliability, and durability at lower operational temperatures.
There is a growing global industry for fuel cells including, but not limited to: telecommunications; space industry; hospital and commercial building backup and; large-scale data backup. Fuel cells can potentially supply the total power demand for large capacity applications, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The SOFC systems developed through this project are quiet, have no carbon emissions and have the potential to reduce facility energy service costs. SOFCs can also be positioned on-site in remote areas, making it possible to match power generation to the electrical demands of the site.
Intellectual Merit: Catalytically enhanced chemical and electrochemical oxidation and reduction reactions play a very important role in most energy conversion devices, such as fuel cells, oxygen separation membranes for syngas production, porous combustors, and a lot of others. The catalysts play an important role in the electron transfer during chemical and heterogeneous electrochemical reactions, significantly enhancing the rate of energy conversion and greatly improving the efficiency of the devices. The development of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and Superadiabatic Porous Combustors at the PIs Laboratory of Ceramics for Energy Applications, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the University of Central Florida provides two examples where catalysts play an important role promoting oxygen reduction and fuel oxidation processes. The I-Corps project allowed analyzing these two technologies and make informed decisions about the level of their market readiness. Broader Impact: Commercialization efforts to identify customers and find suitable markets for the proposed clean energy conversion technology utilizing catalytically active ceramic materials in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) and porous combustors integrated within Combined Heat and Power systems have been undertaken. A prototype of the portable Combined Heat and Power unit employed in the cheap heat and electrical energy production is shown in Fig. 1. The customer discovery activities as well as an extensive exploration of the available markets were performed. Several customer segments were explored, such as on-board fuel cells applications, waste treatment facilities, water heating devices, such as boilers and residential water heaters. One minority PhD student was directly trained in the I-Corps program, while two other PhD students working in the PI’s laboratory were participating in the activities indirectly. The photo of Jonathan Torres, working in the laboratory on deposition of cathode on the electrolyte surface of SOFC is shown in Fig. 2. Based on the I-Corps customers’ discovery efforts the proposal was prepared and submitted to NSF AIR program in the spring 2013 on development and commercialization of the residential water heater powered by the porous burner. The proposed model of the 6 galon residential water heater incorporating the unique designs of both porous combustor and water immersed heat exchanger is shown in Fig. 3. The "CeraPower", a spin out company was formed as an outcome of the I-Corps program with the goal of commercialization of the energy conversion technologies developed in the PI’s Laboratory of Ceramics for Energy Applications.
