• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.234-240
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• 2016

The effect of initial electrolyte loading (IEL) on cell performance in a coin-type molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) was investigated in this work. Since the material of MCFC depends on the manufacturer, optimisation requires experimental investigation. In total, four IEL values, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 g, were used, corresponding to a pore filling ratio (PFR) of 38, 51, 77, and 102%, respectively. The cell performance with respect to the PFR was analysed via steady-state polarisation, step-chronopotentiomtery, and impedance methods. The electrochemical analyses revealed that internal resistance and overpotential of the cell decreased with increasing PFR, and a large overpotential was observed when the PFR was 102%, probably due to the flooding phenomenon. After operation, cross-section of the cell was analysed via surface analysis of SEM and EDS methods, and the remaining electrolyte was estimated by dissolution of the cell in 10 wt% acetic acid. A linear relationship between IEL and the weight reduction ratio by dissolution was obtained. Thus, the remaining amount of electrolyte could be measured after operation. The results of SEM and EDS showed that a PFR of 38 and 102% showed a lack and flooding of electrolytes at the cell, respectively, which led to a large overpotential. This work reports that MCFC performance is allowed only in the narrow range of PFR.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.102-111
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• 2010

Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) power plants are one of most attractive electricity generation systems for the use of biogas to generate high-efficiency ultra-clean power. However, MCFCs are considerably more expensive than comparable conventional electricity generation systems. The commercialization of MCFCs has been delayed more than expected. After being effective in the Kyoto protocol and considerably increasing the fossil price, the attention focused on $CO_2$ regression and renewable energy sources has increased dramatically. In particular, the commercialization and application of MCFC systems fed with biogas have been revived because of the characteristics of $CO_2$ collection and fuel variety of MCFCs. Better economic results of MCFC systems fed with biogas are expected because biogas is a relatively inexpensive fuel compared to liquefied natural gas (LNG). However, the pretreatment cost is added when using anaerobic digester gas (ADG), one of the biogases, as a fuel of MCFC systems because it contains high $H_2S$ and other contaminants, which are harmful sources to the MCFC stack in ADG. Thus, an accurate economic analysis and comparison between MCFCs fed with biogas and LNG are very necessary before the installation of an MCFC system fed with biogas in a plant. In this paper, the economic analysis of an MCFC fed with ADG was carried out for various conditions of electricity and fuel price and compared with the case of an MCFC fed with LNG.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.107-118
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• 1999

MCFC 발전 기술의 실용화를 위하여 $3,000cm^2$ 면적의 단위전지 20장으로 구성된 5 kW 급 MCFC 스택을 5,760 시간 동안 운전하여 그 운전특성을 파악하였다. 스택은 7.6 kW의 출력을 보여주어 설계치보다 높은 출력을 보여주었다. 아울러 스택 성능 및 스택내 운전온도 분포변화를 해석하기 위하여 열전달, 유동방정식 및 연료전지 반응특성을 고려한 수학적 모델을 완성하였다. 완성된 수학적 모델 전산 모사를 위하여 상용 CFD 코드를 이용한 프로그램을 개발하였고 개발된 스택 전산모사 코드는 실제 운전된 5 kW MCFC 스택 운전 자료와 이론적 계산결과와 비교하여 그 신뢰성을 확인하였다.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.599-608
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• 2011

The Ni-Al anodes of the molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) with three different structures were successfully fabricated in order to reduce the thickness of the anode down to 0.3 mm; one was the non-supported anode made by a conventional tape casting method, and others were the supported anodes made by lamination or direct casting on the nickel screen. It was seen from the physical analyses and cell operation that the supported thin anodes made by direct casting showed good mechanical strength and cell performance because of a good contact between the anode materials and the support. The single cell using the above anode showed the cell voltage of 0.858 V at the current density of 150$mA/cm^2$ with the nitrogen cross-over of only 0.6% at the operation time of 1,000 h, which was similar to the performance of the conventional thick (0.7 mm) anode. The ability to utilize a thin configuration of anode should cut down the amount of nickel alloy and consequently reduce its manufacturing cost.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.63-70
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• 2016

In this study, ash free coals(AFCs) were produced with lignite and anthracite coals in a microwave. The AFCs were analyzed with proximate analysis, fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The extraction yields of the AFCs were 16.4 wt%, 7.6 wt% at lignite and anthracite coal, respectively. The chemical and physical properties of the AFCs were similar regardless of the original coal types. Oxidation behavior of the AFCs was investigated by supplying a mixture of 3g of AFC and 3g of electrolyte into the coin-type molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC). For the evaluation of AFC fuel performance, electrochemical analysis of the steady-state polarization and step-chronopotentiometry were conducted based on the standard hydrogen fuel (69 mol% $H_2$, 17 mol% $CO_2$, 14 mol% $H_2O$). The AFCs showed similar electrochemical oxidation behaviors regardless of the original coal types. The overvoltage of the AFCs was larger than the hydrogen fuel, although OCV of the AFCs was higher.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제12권7호
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• pp.2939-2944
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• 2011

용융탄산염형 연료전지 시스템의 성능 향상을 위해 핵심 부분인 스택을 수치적으로 모사할 필요성이 대두되고 있다. 스택은 다양한 재질, 즉 금속, 세라믹, 폴리머 등으로 이루어져 있고 또한 단위전지 수백 장이 적층되어 제작되기 때문에 이를 전부 세세히 모델링하여 고려하는 것은 거의 불가능하다. 이에 따라 스택 전체를 하나의 균질한 물질로 대체할 수 있는 균질 물성치 도출이 요구되고 있다. 본 논문에서는 단위전지 압축률을 도입하고 모든 압축 변형이 분리판과 매트릭스에서만 일어난다는 등의 몇 가지 기본 가정 하에서 스택의 두 가지 영역, 즉 활성 영역과 매니폴드 영역에서 각각 균질 물성치를 추정하였다. 추정된 물성치를 실제 문제에 적용하여 성공적인 결과를 얻을 수 있었다.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.112-119
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• 2022

Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are environmentally friendly, large-capacity power generation devices operated at approximately 650℃. If MCFCs are to be commercialized by improving their competitiveness, their cell life should be increased by operating them at lower temperatures. However, a decrease in the operating temperature causes a reduction in the cell performance because of the reduction in the electrochemical reaction rate. The cell performance can be improved by introducing a coating on the cathode of the cell. A coating with a high surface area expands the triple phase boundaries (TPBs) where the gas and electrolyte meet on the electrode surface. And the expansion of TPBs enhances the oxygen reduction reaction of the cathode. Therefore, the cell performance can be improved by increasing the reaction area, which can be achieved by coating nanosized LiCoO₂ particles on the cathode. However, although a coating improves the cell performance, a thick coating makes gas difficult to diffuse into the pore of the coating and thus reduces the cell performance. In addition, LiCoO₂-coated cathode cell exhibits stable cell performance because the coating layer maintains a uniform thickness under MCFC operating conditions. Therefore, the performance and stability of MCFCs can be improved by applying a LiCoO₂ coating with an appropriate thickness on the cathode.

• 전기화학회지
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.136-140
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• 2000

용융탄산염 연료전지의 분리판 재료로 사용되는 스테인레스 스틸은 고온 용융탄산염 분위기에서 부식이 심각하여 일반적으로 표면에 알루미늄 확산막을 코팅함으로써 내식성을 향상시켜 사용하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 기존 방법에 비해 보다 경제적인 슬러리 페인팅 및 열처리에 의한 알루미늄 확산막 형성 방법을 고안하여, 스테인레스 스틸 시편 표면에 알루미늄 확산막을 코팅하고, 산화 분위기의 용융탄산염에서 부식 실험을 수행하였다. $650\~800^{\circ}C$에서 제작된 알루미늄 확산막의 두께는 $25\~80{\mu}m$였으며, 열처리 온도가 높고 열처리 시간이 증가할 수록 알루미늄 확산막의 두께가 증가하였다. 부식 실험 결과 스테인레스 스틸 316L의 용융탄산염에 대한 내식성은 알루미늄 확산막을 표면에 형성시킴으로써 크게 향상되었음을 확인하였다. 또한 분극 실험 결과 슬러리 페인팅 및 열처리 방법에 의하여 알루미늄 확산막이 형성된 시편은 기존의 IVD 및 열처리 방법에 의해 알루미늄 확산막이 제작된 시편과 유사하게 안정한 부동태 피막을 형성함으로써 스테인레스 스틸 316L의 부식을 효과적으로 억제시킴을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.76-80
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• 1997

용융탄산염 연료전지 분리판의 wet-seal부의 내식성 향상을 위한 NiAl 피복공정이 조사되었다. AlSl 316 스테인레스강위에 Ni과 Al를 순차적으로 피복한 후, $800^{\circ}C$에서 3시간 열처리하여 NiAl상이 형성됨을 확인할 수 있었다. NiAl상이 피복된 스테인레스강은 $650^{\circ}C$, 용융탄산염($62^{m}/_{o}Li_2CO_3-38^{m}/_{o}/K_{2}CO_{3}$)내에서 침지시험을 통해 내식성이 평가되었는데, AISI 316 스테인레스강에 비해 우수한 내식성을 보였다. 이는 표면에 치밀하게 형성된 AI 산화물층에 의한 것으로 판단되었다.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기화학회 2002년도 추계총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.3-4
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• 2002