Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2022

Document Type

Problem/Project Report

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair

Yun Chen

Committee Co-Chair

Xueyan Song

Committee Member

Xueyan Song

Committee Member

Ever J. Barbero

Abstract

America has a rapid growth in the development of renewable power generation in the twenty-first century. Hydrogen energy especially is the major topic in development of renewable power generation because it has the ability to provide for energy in transportation, combined heat and power generation and energy storage systems with little or no impact on the global ecosystem. Electrolysis and fuel cell technology for hydrogen energy storage has brought interest to the researchers worldwide.

Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) and Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising hydrogen energy technologies that can utilize chemical energy to produce and store electricity. SOEC can produce hydrogen at a higher chemical reaction rate with a lower electrical energy requirement. SOFCs offer significant advantages in the variety of fuels, quiet operation, low or zero emission and high efficiency.

The performance of SOECs and SOFCs is the key for commercializing SOECs and SOFCs. This work presents the methods and theory of improving the performance of SOECs and SOFCs. A thermodynamic and electrochemical equilibrium model is established for SOECs by considering a cathode/electrolyte interfacial porous layer. By using numerical experiments, the one dimensional thermodynamic and electrochemical equilibrium model with porous layer provides a guideline for designing and optimizing SOECs. The mechanisms of SOFCs degradation are reported and the ideal maximum oxygen partial pressure is calculated to avoid SOFCs degradation.

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