Session: 1.1.2 - Fuels, Combustion & Material Handling

Paper Number: 108914

108914 - Development of an Optimal Nitric Oxide Reduction System via Solid Oxide Fuel Cells 

The need for sustainable energy systems is increasing, as non-renewable energy sources are depleting and poor air quality is a health risk to the population. The automotive industry is responsible for a significant amount of dangerous emissions due to the use of internal combustion engines. Although the use of electric and hybrid vehicles is on the rise, many manufacturers are continuing to make vehicles with internal combustion engines. Rather than try to replace all current internal combustion vehicles with electric vehicles, we can shift our focus to cleaning the exhaust from combustion engines. However, current methods of cleaning exhaust, such as precious group metal catalytic converters and lean nitrogen oxide traps, face operational constraints: catalytic converters require stoichiometric conditions for maximized performance, and lean nitrogen oxide traps have a limit on storage capacity. Therefore, there is a need for more efficient exhaust cleaning technologies that are operational across all operational conditions. This work continues the investigation of the use of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) as a membrane for breaking down nitric oxide (NO). NO is an especially dangerous combustion byproduct, so constructing an exhaust cleaning system that is able to reduce the maximum amount of NO is imperative to the health of the population and the environment. To do so, we must closely study the operation of the SOFC, and how changes in test conditions affect the fuel cell’s performance.

Previous work has shown the potential for a SOFC to be used as a membrane for cleaning exhaust, in which it has been found that the cell is able to break down NO more efficiently than a typical catalytic converter [Welles]. While undergoing this testing, a high frequency, low magnitude electric potential oscillation developed across the SOFC. This has been shown to assist the cell with breaking down additional NO, as a cell under short-circuit conditions operates similarly to a typical catalytic converter [Welles]. The amplification of this signal to values between 100-200 mV peak-to-peak (pp) was applied to the cell to observe the signal’s effect on the performance of the SOFC. This testing showed the lower magnitude signal, 100 mVpp, assisted the cell in reducing the greatest amount of NO emissions [Willsey]. This work investigates a new range of electric potential oscillations. The SOFC is tested under the same conditions, however a range of signals up to 100 mVpp will be applied to the cell. This testing is conducted to find the optimal value of signal that will maximize the amount of NO that can be reduced by the SOFC. The results from this work will assist in developing an optimal exhaust cleaning system that can be used in an internal combustion engine.

Presenting Author: Aliza M. Willsey Syracuse University

Presenting Author Biography: Aliza Willsey is a PhD student and graduate researcher in the Combustion and Energy Research (COMER) Laboratory at Syracuse University. She joined the COMER lab as an undergraduate student, and has been involved with many projects, including power systems, fuel cell geometry, thermal transpiration, emission reduction, and electrochemical corrosion. She is especially interested in sustainable energy systems involving solid oxide fuel cells.