Development of Portable Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System Driven by Hydrocarbon and Alcohol Fuels

Abstract

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan is developing anode-supported microtubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) since 2005. We found that the nickel-gadolinia-doped ceria (Ni-GDC) has high durability against carbon deposition during butane utilization. In this paper, microtubular SOFC stacks were developed, and prototype portable SOFC systems were demonstrated using commercially available LPG cartridges. In the future, portable SOFC systems will be expected as power sources for mobile applications such as electric vehicles, robots and drones.