Microcombustion micro-tubular flame-assisted fuel cell for power and heat cogeneration without soot formation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11799115-B2
Application number	US-202016736278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	Jan 7, 2019
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

A non-catalytic microcombustion based FFC for the direct use of hydrocarbons for power generation. The potential for high FFC performance (450 mW·cm−2 power density and 50% fuel utilization) in propane/air microcombustion exhaust was demonstrated. The micro flow reactor was used as a fuel reformer for equivalence ratios from 1-5.5. Soot formation in the micro flow reactor was not observed at equivalence ratios from 1 to 5.5 and maximum wall temperatures ranging from 750 to 900° C. H2 and CO concentrations in the exhaust were found to have a strong temperature dependence that varies with the maximum wall temperature and the local flame temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a single microflow reactor formed into a first tube having a first internal diameter, a first end for receiving a fuel to be combusted and a second end for expelling a combustion exhaust, wherein the first internal diameter is less than four millimeters and the microflow reactor has a maximum wall temperature of up to 1000° C.;
a single microtubular solid oxide fuel cell having an anode formed into a second tube of a second internal diameter and having an inlet and an outlet, an electrolyte surrounding the anode, and a cathode surrounding the electrolyte, wherein the inlet of the second tube is sealed directly to the second end of the first tube with the first internal diameter and the second internal diameter coupled directly together and in fluid communication so that the anode of the second tube will receive the combustion exhaust; and
a fuel source configured to deliver a combustible hydrocarbon to the intake of the microflow reactor at a flow rate of up to 6 mL per minute at an equivalence ratio of up to 5.5 without any production of soot.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises nickel and yttria stabilized zirconia having the formula (Y 2 O 3 ) 0.08 (ZrO 2 ) 0.92 (YSZ).

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the electrolyte comprises YSZ.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the cathode comprises lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite having the formula (La 0.60 Sr 0.40 ) 0.95 Co 0.20 Fe 0.80 O 3-X (LSCF) and samaria-doped ceria in a weight ratio of 7:3.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microflow reactor comprises a quartz tube.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel source comprises propane.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises nickel oxide and yttria-stabilized zirconia.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte comprises yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ).

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the cathode comprises samaria-doped ceria.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a fuel source configured to deliver a combustible hydrocarbon to the first end of the microflow reactor at a flow rate of up to 6 mL per minute at an equivalence ratio of up to 5.5.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel source comprises ethane.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second internal diameter is less than three millimeters.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first internal diameter is 3.6 millimeters and the second internal diameter is 2.2 millimeters.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second internal diameter is within two millimeters of the first internal diameter.

Assignees

• Milcarek Ryan
• Ahn Jeongmin
• Univ Syracuse

Inventors

• Milcarek Ryan
• Ahn Jeongmin

Classifications

• H01M8/1253 Primary

  the electrolyte containing zirconium oxide · CPC title

• H01M8/04022

  Heating by combustion · CPC title

• H01M8/04074

  Heat exchange unit structures specially adapted for fuel cell · CPC title

• H01M8/1213

  characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material · CPC title

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title