Lateral-Stripe Type Solid Oxide Fuel Cell : its Demonstration Test Starts
Durability of the lateral stripe cell stack has been remarkably improved.
The durability test of the cell stack bundle was tested. From the test result, the developers were confident of securing the durability of the cell stack bundle corresponding to 5 years. The developers started the demonstration test of SOFC systems with lateral stripe cell stacks (referred to as lateral stripe type SOFC systems) from this month. The demonstration test is being conducted as part of the SOFC demonstration study project, which is under control of the NEF (new energy foundation).
The number of the lateral stripe type SOFC systems being currently demonstration tested is 2. Additional four SOFC systems will be subjected to the demonstration test in 2010.
The lateral stripe type SOFC system is scheduled to be commercialized in the early 2010s.
The following four companies are co-developing the lateral stripe type SOFC system.
Tokyo Gas (develops cell stack bundle, power generation unit, and hot water reserve tank)
Kyocera (develops cell stack bundle)
Rinnai (develops power generation unit and hot water reserve tank)
Gastar (develops power generation unit and hot water reserve tank)
Lateral Stripe Cell Stack
1) Structure
A number of cells are sintered on a ceramic substrate. Those cells are electrically connected in series on the substrate.
2) Advantageous Features
SOFC Demonstration Study Project
The SOFC demonstration study project is being conducted by NEF (new energy foundation). The project period ranges from 2007 to 2010. 67 “1-kW class SOFC systems” are currently demonstration-tested at 62 sites nationwide.
The project gathers data through demonstration tests and evaluates them to find technology development subjects. The SOFC systems are installed at general homes or the like and operated under real load conditions. Tokyo Gas has participated in the SOFC demonstration study project by using the SOFC systems manufactured by Kyocera. The company first provided to the project the SOFC systems using the lateral stripe cell stacks, which were designed using the company’s proprietary technologies.
TOYOTA and AISIN SEIKI recently announced that they provide 30 residential SOFC cogeneration systems to the SOFC demonstration study project, and will subject them to the demonstration tests. Specifically, those companies provide the SOFC cogenerators to five gas suppliers, including Tokyo Gas and Hokkaido Gas, and the gas suppliers install them at homes and field test them there. Commercialization of the residential SOFC cogenerators is scheduled to start also in the early 2010s. TOYOTA and AISIN SEIKI
