Page 18 - High Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Fundamentals, Design and Applications

PREFACE

High temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are the most efficient devices for
the electrochemical conversion of chemical energy of hydrocarbon fuels into
electricity, and have been gaining increasing attention in recent years for clean
and efficient distributed power generation. The technical feasibility and
reliability of these cells, in tubular configuration, has been demonstrated by
the very successful operation of a 100 ItW combined heat and power system
without any performance degradation for over two years. The primary goal now
is the reduction of the capital cost of the SOFC-based power systems to effectively
compete with other power generation technologies. Toward this end, several
different ceIl designs are being investigated and many new colIaborative
programs are being initiated in the United States, Europe, and Japan: noteworthy
among these are the Solid State Energy Conversion AlIiance (SECA) program in
the United States, the Framework 6 programs in the European Union, and the
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
programs in Japan. The funding for SOFC development worldwide has
risen dramatically and this trend is expected to continue for at least the next
decade. In addition to cost reduction, these development programs are also
investigating wider applications of SOFCs in residential, transportation and
military sectors, made possible primarily because of the fuel flexibility of
these cells. Their application in auxiliary power units utilizing gasoline or diesel
as fuel promises to bring SOFCs into the ‘consumer product’ automotive and
recreational vehicle market.
This book provides comprehensive, up-to-date information on operating
principle, cell component materials, cell and stack designs and fabrication
processes, cell and stack performance, and applications of SOFCs. Individual
chapters are written by internationalIy renowned authors in their respective
fields, and the text is supplemented by a large number of references for further
information. The book is primarily intended for use by researchers, engineers,
and other technical people working in the field of SOFCs. Even though the
technology is advancing at a very rapid pace, the information contained in most
of the chapters is fundamental enough for the book to be useful even as a text for
SOFC technology at the graduate level.