Improved Performance and Durability of Anode Supported SOFC Operating on Biogas

Abstract

Simulated biogas with 0.5 CO2 to CH4 ratio was used to fuel NiYSZ-based anode supported SOFC at 750oC for 22 hours. Operation on biogas was carried out after 26 hours stabilization on H2. Sn doping by infiltration technique on NiYSZ anode surface produced 4.5 times higher cell electrical performance on biogas compared to the performance of un-doped NiYSZ cell. SnNiYSZ cell showed no carbon deposited while NiYSZ cell showed 0.17mg carbon/cm2 cell. This paper presents cell electrical performance data supported by impedance spectra and mass spectra of fuel cell outlet gases. The findings in this paper may bring efforts for making biogas fuelled SOFC closer to being operable.