Production of a monolithic fuel cell stack with high power density

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Conversion

Background:

• The transportation sector seeks alternatives to internal combustion engines, with electric vehicles limited by battery range and charging times.
• Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer high efficiency and fuel flexibility but are typically limited to stationary applications due to operational and durability challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel metal-based monolithic fuel cell design overcoming limitations of conventional ceramic-based SOFCs for transportation applications.
• To enhance the power density and robustness of SOFC technology for heavy freight and long-range transport.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication using cost-effective, scalable manufacturing with a single heat treatment.
• Optimization via three-dimensional multiphysics modeling.
• Enhancement through nanoparticle infiltration and corrosion-mitigating treatments.

Main Results:

• A metal-based monolithic fuel cell stack achieved a power density of 5.6 kW/L.
• The design addresses issues of high operating temperature, low volumetric power density, and poor robustness.

Conclusions:

• The developed metal-based monolithic SOFC demonstrates significant potential for use in demanding transport applications.
• This innovation could pave the way for efficient and sustainable heavy freight and long-range transportation solutions.