Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Legacy fuel cell energy technologies like proton exchange membranes (PEMs), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs), and molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs), have all required expensive precious metals, corrosive acids, or hard to contain molten materials. Combined with performance that has been only marginally better than alternatives, they have not been able to deliver a strong enough economic value proposition to overcome the status quo.

Some makers of legacy fuel cell energy technologies have tried to overcome these limitations by offering combined heat and power (CHP) schemes to take advantage of their wasted heat. While CHP does improve the economic value proposition, it only really does so in environments with exactly the right ratios of heat and power requirements on a 24/7/365 basis. Everywhere else the cost, complexity, and customization of CHP tends to outweigh the benefits.

For decades, experts have agreed that solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) hold the greatest potential of any fuel cell technology. With low cost ceramic materials, and extremely high electrical efficiencies, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) can deliver attractive economics without relying on CHP. But until now, there were significant technical challenges inhibiting the commercialization of this promising new technology. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operate at extremely high temperature (typically above 800°C). This high temperature gives them extremely high electrical efficiencies, and fuel flexibility, both of which contribute to better economics, but it also creates engineering challenges.

Bloom Energy has solved these engineering challenges. With breakthroughs in materials science, and revolutionary new design, Bloom Energy`s solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology is a cost effective, all-electric solution.

A fuel cell is like a battery that always runs. It consists of three parts: an electrolyte, an anode, and a cathode.

For a solid oxide fuel cell, the electrolyte is a solid ceramic material. The anode and cathode are made from special inks that coat the electrolyte. Unlike other types of fuel cells, no precious metals, corrosive acids, or molten materials are required.

Next, an electrochemical reaction converts fuel and air into energy, specifically electricity without combustion.

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is a high temperature fuel cell. At high temperature, warmed air enters the cathode side of the fuel cell and steam mixes with fuel to produce reformed fuel… which enters on the anode side.

Next, the chemical reaction begins in the fuel cell. As the reformed fuel crosses the anode, it attracts oxygen ions from the cathode. The oxygen ions combine with the reformed fuel to produce electricity, water, and small amounts of carbon dioxide.

The water gets recycled to produce the steam needed to reform the fuel. The process also generates the heat required by the fuel cell.

As long as there`s fuel, air, and heat, the process continues producing clean, reliable, affordable energy.