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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Scalable High-H 2 Flux, Robust Thin Film Solid Oxide Electrolyzer

This project was aimed at the development of proton-conducting SOEC (P-SOEC) technology that has the potential to meet key DOE H 2 production targets. A decreased proton resistance of the electrolyte and Faradaic efficiency improvements were sought to increase the fraction of consumed electrolysis power that is used to actually generate H 2 , while simultaneously decreasing cost dramatically. Moreover, the development project was intended to yield maximum durability through the use of a steam protective layer. Furthermore, sputtering was used to overcome processing challenges that have hampered P-SOEC development, while the low-temperature operation goal of 500 °C was expected to aid in mitigating thermally activated long-term degradation. The approach to high-performance, lower-temperature SOECs leveraged our existing SOFC Ni-cermet anode support and extensive thin-film sputtering layer-deposition experience. Rather than an all-in-one, reversible fuel cell approach which has many unacceptable tradeoffs, we focused on the many benefits to hydrogen generating SOECs, including the existence of synergies for reduced manufacturing costs (e.g., SOECs and SOFCs share supporting layers and overall manufacturing processing). The end result of this project was expected to increase current performance at 500 °C from approximately 0.8 A/cm 2 (at 60% Faradaic efficiency) at 1.4 V to > 1 A/cm 2 (at > 95% Faradaic efficiency) with a > 40% reduction in system cost and to enable operation of P-SOECs in steam contents >> 20% for a goal of a > 40,000 hours lifetime. To enable 500 °C operation in a very high steam atmosphere (> 20%), we proposed the use of a sputtered dense thin film (~0.1-1 µm thick) of high-stability Ba(Zr,Y)O 3 (BZY) to protect the Ba(Ce,Zr,Y,Yb)O 3 (BCZYYb) electrolyte. The BZCYYb, in turn, blocks the hole conductivity of the BZY to boost Faradaic efficiency. As FE increases, more of the consumed electricity is used in electrolysis to generate H 2 , rather than being shunted. Additionally, as cell resistance decreases, the voltage required to maintain current decreases, as well as the power required to generate the same amount of H 2 . With the proposed enhancements, these two factors result in the final 46% decrease in power needed to run the system. Likewise, a production rate of 50,000 kg H 2 /day will require 55% less active area, such that a system will need only 650 cells for an 80 cm 2 active area instead of ~1,440. Taking the 2016 DOE projected current cost and modifying the electricity cost and linearly scaling the other costs (except thermal feedstock) based on the cell area improvement, results in a 44% decrease in lifetime system cost, or a decrease from $\$$4.95/kg H 2 to $\$$2.75/kg H 2 . This is well below the 2018 DOE target of $\$$4/kg H 2 . The results from this project showed that we can create a P-SOEC with enhanced steam stability using two different electrolytes (i.e., one on top of the other) and achieve sufficiently low area specific resistance (ASR) to achieve the target performance. Unfortunately, due to extended delays at the beginning of the project and related supply chain and equipment access issues, we were not able to completely show increased Faradaic efficiency for the P-SOEC and therefore were unable to demonstrate the full proof of concept within the first budget period budget. While there are still challenges that remain to be solved, significant progress was made during this project and the concept still has merit that warrants further development.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Probabilistic Risk Assessment of a Light Water Reactor Coupled with a High-Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Plant

This paper presents recent updates on the Level 1 Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) of Light Water Reactors (LWRs) coupled with a hydrogen production plant. It provides the overview of past results on the PRA for Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) and Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) coupled to a 1150 MW High Temperature Electrolysis Facility (HTEF), as well as the latest research results for a smaller 100 MW HTEF facility. Differences between the two HTEF designs are listed. Key differences include the amount and quality of diverted LWR steam, complexity of the Heat Extraction System (HES), and the electrical power source for the HTEF plant. A Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) was conducted for the new HTEF design, and the LWR PRA models were modified in the SAPHIRE risk assessment tool to account for the newly identified risk contributors. These include the steam loss event at the HES system, the electrical overcurrent event at the HTEF facility and at the transmission line from the LWR plant, and the hydrogen detonation event at the HTEF facility. The coupling of LWRs with a 100 MW HTEF increases the frequency of several initiating events. For the reference PWR, the largest frequency increase is for the steam line break event at 5.5%. While for the reference BWR, the largest frequency increase is for the switchyard-related Loss of Offsite Power (LOOP) event at 0.11%. The overall plant risk increases by 6.56% and 0.03% for PWR and BWR reference plants respectively. It is found that these risk metrics satisfy the safety criteria of both 10 CFR 50.59 and Regulatory Guide 1.174 licensing pathways.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Performance Validation of a Thermally Integrated 50 kW High Temperature Electrolyzer System

In the proposed project, INL and OxEon seek to improve the value proposition of hydrogen production by integrating reversible fuel cell operations at relatively small scale for distributed energy applications. This goal will be accomplished by converting a 50 kW solid oxide electrolysis cell or SOEC system into a reversible system that operates at 30 kW in electrolysis mode and approximately 10 kW in fuel cell mode. The reversible SOC system will be operated for over 3,000 hours using an improved catalyst in the fuel electrode. Steam for the electrolysis will come from an electric boiler Thermal Energy Distribution System that will be configured to mimic an industrial source of low-grade heat. Thermodynamic analysis will be performed to demonstrate the potential of the system to achieve >85% system efficiency in electrolysis mode. Finally, a technoeconomic analysis will be completed to show potential to produce hydrogen at a cost of $2/kg. The figure at the right indicates a target cost breakdown to achieve that goal.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Technical and Economic Assessment and Gap Analysis of Advanced Nuclear Reactor Integration with a Reference Methanol Synthesis Plant

Efforts continue to identify the most-economic methods to decarbonize several sectors of the United States (U.S.) economy. Industrial processes such as synfuel synthesis and high value commodity chemicals rely heavily on energy-dense and easily stored and transported fossil fuels, which power and feed their operations. Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a widely used process for producing methanol. In this process, methane (CH 4 ) from natural gas (NG) reacts with steam (H 2 O) over a catalyst at high temperatures (700-1,000°C) to produce syngas, a mixture of hydrogen (H 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO). The syngas is then converted into methanol (CH 3 OH) through a second catalytic reaction. This method is known for being an efficient and commonly employed pathway for industrial methanol production. The high-temperature heat needed for SMR, which is currently used in the natural-gas-to-methanol process, cannot be supplied by small modular nuclear reactor (SMNR) direct heating; the temperatures required for the SMR process exceed those of the main steam produced by near-market high-temperature gas reactors (HTGRs). For the conventional methanol process, this leaves possible nuclear-integration opportunities that include: (1) blending nuclear hydrogen into the SMR NG fuel, or (2) assessing alternative synthesis routes leveraging nuclear capabilities and steam electrolysis outputs. In the reference methanol plant, SMR provides the methanol-synthesis reactor with H 2 and co. In Case (2), the state-of-the-art reverse water gas shift (RWGS) pathway achieves the same, sourcing carbon from an industrial CO 2 source.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Technical and Economic Assessment and Gap Analysis of Advanced Nuclear Reactor Integration with a Reference Methanol Synthesis Plant

Efforts continue to identify the most-economic methods to decarbonize several sectors of the United States (U.S.) economy. Industrial processes such as synfuel synthesis and high value commodity chemicals rely heavily on energy-dense and easily stored and transported fossil fuels, which power and feed their operations. Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a widely used process for producing methanol. In this process, methane (CH 4 ) from natural gas (NG) reacts with steam (H 2 O) over a catalyst at high temperatures (700°1,000°C) to produce syngas, a mixture of hydrogen (H 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO). The syngas is then converted into methanol (CH 3 OH) through a second catalytic reaction. This method is known for being an efficient and commonly employed pathway for industrial methanol production. The high-temperature heat needed for SMR, which is currently used in the natural-gas-to-methanol process, cannot be supplied by small modular nuclear reactor (SMNR) direct heating; the temperatures required for the SMR process exceed those of the main steam produced by near-market high-temperature gas reactors (HTGRs). For the conventional methanol process, this leaves possible nuclear-integration opportunities that include: (1) blending nuclear hydrogen into the SMR NG fuel, or (2) assessing alternative synthesis routes leveraging nuclear capabilities and steam electrolysis outputs. In the reference methanol plant, SMR provides the methanol-synthesis reactor with H 2 and co. In Case (2), the state-of-the-art reverse water gas shift (RWGS) pathway achieves the same, sourcing carbon from an industrial CO 2 source.

08 - HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

NPP Simulators for Coupled Thermal and Electric Power Dispatch

The Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program within the United States Department of Energy supports extending the operation of the U.S. commercial nuclear power plant (NPP) fleet. Within the LWRS program, the Flexible Plant Operation and Generation (FPOG) Pathway works to diversify the revenue streams of light water reactors (LWRs) by opening opportunities for the co-generation of non-electric products in addition to supplying electrical power to the grid. Recent events have added greater motivation to these efforts. For example, the recent Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed by the U.S. federal government offers substantial tax incentives for producing clean hydrogen, the technology readiness level of dispatchable and high-efficiency hydrogen production has dramatically increased in a short time, and societal response to world climate change is driving a transition away from fossil fuels. Producing hydrogen with maximum efficiency using nuclear power requires dispatching both electrical and thermal power from the nuclear plant to the hydrogen plant, so testing concepts of operations for combined electrical and thermal power dispatch (TPD) from an NNP to a hydrogen plant is of interest. This report documents achievement of the Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program milestone “Install and demonstrate a vendor-developed simulator on the Human Systems Simulation Laboratory (HSS) for dispatch of LWR electrical power to a close-coupled electrolysis plant” with a due date of Dec. 22, 2022. Several factors provide motivation for this effort. Coupling the power generation deck of a nuclear power plant to a hydrogen production facility introduces new possibilities for operational transients that must be addressed. In particular, the performance of the integrated system during startup and shutdown of the hydrogen production facility, as well as offnormal conditions, need to be evaluated to ensure there are no adverse effects on the operation of the existing NPP. The concept of operations involving the NPP, the hydrogen plant, and the electric power grid must be tested using NPP simulators and operating procedures that have been modified for TPD operations. These tests must also include dynamic simulations of the coupled tertiary thermal and electric loads as well as coordinated activities with NPP operators, tertiary load operators and grid power coordinators. The report summarizes progress in developing and testing full-scope NPP simulators at the HSSL, including a generic BWR simulator from GSE Systems, Inc. and generic PWR simulator from Westinghouse. In the case of the TPD-GBWR Simulator from GSE Systems, Inc., a BWR is thermally coupled to a high temperature electrolysis (HTE) plant that produces hydrogen and oxygen from de-ionized water. The hydrogen plant is not explicitly simulated but only included as a transient heat sink. A thermal power dispatch (TPD) system transfers heat between the steam systems at the BWR and the hydrogen plant. Operational results from two versions of the modified simulator are presented. The first version uses synthetic oil as a heat transfer fluid in a closed delivery heat loop (DHL) that generates steam at the hydrogen plant. The second version uses steam as the heat transfer fluid in a delivery steam line (DSL) to provide steam to the hydrogen plant. For both versions, the estimated thermal power delivery distance is approximately one kilometer. The amount of thermal power dispatched in the simulators is 15% of the total reactor thermal power such that the simulators provide a tool to study the feasibility of coupling a BWR to industrial processes that benefit from a combination electrical and thermal power dispatch. Ongoing work within a CRADA is also developing a full-scope PWR simulator provided by Westinghouse for both thermal and electric power coupling. This simulator is based on a PWR plant with two three-loop Westinghouse reactors. Westinghouse PWRs are sufficiently similar that a simulator of a three-loop reactor is an appropriate representation for two-loop and four-loop PWR reactors. The three-loop simulator will initially be modified for close-coupling to a 100 MW HTE hydrogen production plant that will require approximately 25 MW of thermal power while operating at its maximum rated capacity. The simulator testing will include full coupling to dynamic simulations of a hydrogen production plant and a representative bulk electric grid. The simulator provided by Westinghouse is similar to the GPWR simulator that INL has already obtained from GSE Systems but has a few important added benefits. First, the Westinghouse simulator is based on digital controls and has additional screens that can be called up to show parameter trends to assist operators in decision-making. The Westinghouse simulator also has upgrades to the controls and hardware representations, such as valve actuators, that make it more realistic and flexible in terms of accurately sim

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2025

An Active Oxygen Electrode for Proton-Conducting Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells with High Faradaic Efficiency

Addressing the challenges posed by inferior electrochemical performance at low temperatures and the uncertain Faradaic efficiency (FE) represents a pivotal undertaking in the development of high performance and efficient proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cells (P-SOECs). In this work, a novel oxygen electrode material BaCo0.8Zr0.1Zn0.1O3-d (BCZZ) is first designed and synthesized. At 600 °C, P-SOECs with BCZZ oxygen electrode achieve an electrolysis current density of 1.98 A cm-2 with an ˜90% FE at 1.3 V. Utilizing 1-inch P-SOECs as a reliable platform, the effect of extrinsic operating conditions (i.e., steam concentration, voltage, current density, and temperature) and intrinsic properties of P-SOECs (i.e., electrolyte material and electrolyte thickness) on FE are further systemically investigated, both experimentally and theoretically.

08 - HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

Integrating Solar Energy, Desalination, and Electrolysis

Solar electricity enables the advancement and deployment of technologies that are strongly influenced by clean energy availability and cost. The economics of both desalination and hydrogen production from water electrolysis are dominated by the cost of energy, and the availability of inexpensive solar energy creates markets and offers incentives to the desalination and electrolyzer industries. In this report the production of high-purity water and hydrogen from seawater is focused on. Current electrolyzers require deionized water so they need to be coupled with desalination units. It is shown that such coupling is cost effective in hydrogen generation, and it also offers benefits to thermal desalination, which can utilize waste heat from electrolysis. Furthermore, such coupling can be optimized when electrolyzers operate at high current density, using low-cost solar and/or wind electricity, as such operation increases both hydrogen production and heat generation. Results of technoeconomic modeling of polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzers define thresholds of electricity pricing, current density, and operating temperature that make clean electrolytic hydrogen cost competitive with hydrogen from steam methane reforming (SMR). By using 2020 hourly electricity pricing in California and Texas, it is estimated that hydrogen can be produced from seawater in coupled desalination-electrolyzer systems at prices near $2 kg -1 H 2 , reaching cost parity with hydrogen produced from SMR.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Probing the proton exchange kinetics of BaZr 0.1 Ce 0.7 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3− δ ceramic electrolyte by operando diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy

Proton exchange kinetics plays an important role in governing the performance of intermediate-temperature protonic ceramic electrolysis cells (PCECs) for hydrogen production. Our understanding of the nature of the surface hydration reaction at the single-cell level, however, remains very limited, hampering further efficiency improvements. Here, in this study, we developed a custom operando diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) platform that operates under high temperature and steam conditions with applied bias. Quantitative investigations of surface H 2 O/D 2 O isotope exchange in a BaZr 0.1 Ce 0.7 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3−δ (BZCYYb1711) protonic electrolyte-based single cell were conducted under different applied voltages using this DRIFTS platform, to gain molecular-level insight into hydration kinetics. The findings show that the application of an external voltage significantly enhances the surface proton exchange rate, decreasing the apparent activation energy from 29.1 kJ mol −1 at open-circuit voltage (OCV) to 6.8 kJ mol −1 at 1.3 V. In addition, distinct voltage-induced spectral shifts in O–D vibrations point to dynamic changes in surface hydration. These findings demonstrate a sensitive spectroscopic platform for probing interfacial proton processes and reveal strong electrochemical control over surface proton kinetics, offering new opportunities for probing electrolyte hydration behavior in PCECs.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integrated protonic ceramic electrochemical cell for sustainable energy economy using water-energy nexus framework

Reliance on fossil fuels will continue for the next decades even though there are global pushes away from it to mitigate the overarching climate challenge, most especially by its highest consumers and availability. While there is a hastening global shift away from fossil fuel, integrating its assets into this technology helps limit the risk and future losses of stranded assets and reduce the cost of investment in the new technologies. Moreover, the generation of electricity from intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind has witnessed a significant surge in recent years, leading to a pressing demand for practical energy storage systems. Electrical energy storage is anticipated to play a pivotal role in the future global energy system, facilitating load-leveling operations to support the greater integration of renewable and distributed generation. Reversible electrochemical cells (RECs) offer a promising option for addressing the fossil fuel assets integration and energy storage challenges through the interconversion between electrical and chemical energy and concurrent utilizing carbon emission. In their electrolysis mode, the RECs convert electricity into durable, storable, and portable valuable chemical fuels such as syngas and methane. Conversely, the produced chemical fuels can be used as reactants in the fuel cell mode to generate electricity on demand with minimal (hydrocarbons) or zero when H2 or NH3 is used emissions. However, a challenging goal for this type of technology remains to achieve optimal operation and high roundtrip efficiencies, which has hindered the deployment of previous electrochemical cells. This dissertation demonstrates how reversible protonic ceramic electrochemical cells (RePCECs) can be integrated with fossil fuel power plants and renewable energy sources as a potential energy storage system. In this work, integrated RePCEC systems are designed and examined using computational modeling at scales to determine appropriate system configurations and operating conditions that achieve high roundtrip efficiencies. Cell level design of the PCEC is the first approach, several cells are assembled for the stack level model that is integrated into combined cycle powerplant and solar photovoltaic for the system level model. After critical literature review, this answered the operational and integration research questions proposed to address these challenges. The designed systems perform two functions, utilizing captured CO2 and storing renewable energy through co-electrolysis of steam and CO2. The co-electrolysis reaction involves endothermic water electrolysis and exothermic methanation reaction. To enhance high roundtrip efficiency, there is a need for thermal balance and management in the electrolysis mode. This involves operating the RePCEC stack under conditions that favor methane production to balance out heat needed by water electrolysis, it crucial for the RePCEC system operation. Methanation is enhanced by low temperatures. Leveraging on fabricated BCZYYb-electrolyte RePCEC, the cell model designed revealed that the optimum temperature for methane production is 450℃ at atmospheric pressure. Thus, to achieve optimum system performance, operating in the temperature range 450-525℃ is recommended at the given configuration, combining between the optimum temperature for methane production and temperature for the optimum stack roundtrip efficiency. Configuration with carbon capture system and purge stream is the optimum configuration from the seven conceptualized and evaluated. The modeling outcomes include a thermodynamic examination of integrated RePCEC systems, calibration of cell and stack level models, and steady-state simulation and integration into a 600MW combined cycle power plant retrofitted with two two-stage membrane-based carbon capture system and a wastewater treatment and recovery unit. At 100% powerplant loading, the stack and system roundtrip efficiencies are 72% and 51.37% respectively. Adding a purge stream for produced hydrogen at the system downstream improves the efficiencies to 74 and 55.48% respectively. At atmospheric pressure and 525℃, the system model suggests that a stack roundtrip of 82% is achievable, and overall system efficiency increases by reducing the energy consumption by the balance of plant components for steam generation and storage. Economic analysis of the process gives levelized cost of methane as $2.24/MMBtu lower than the conventional production route that range between $3.46/MMBtu and $9.85/MMBtu. The lifecycle analysis shows that the global warming potential for the production of methane and hydrogen from the RePCEC system is 3.83 kg CO2 eq which is lower than 9.35 kg CO2 eq emission during steam methane reforming for hydrogen production. This answered both the environmental and economic concerns in the raised research question. The proposed RePCEC configuration and analysis carried out in this dissertation to address the surge in renewable energy and challenges with PCEC technology hold significant potential in achieving large-scale energy storage while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. These advancements, coupled with suitable governmental policies and incentive programs, have the potential to economically disrupt the natural gas industries by using RePCEC systems for methane production, thereby making them more favorable for eventual implementation and commercialization.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Critical insights into the steam electrolysis electrode in protonic ceramic cells for hydrogen production

Intermediate-temperature protonic ceramic electrolysis cells (PCECs), which combine the benefits of both lower- and higher-temperature electrolysis, are among the most efficient technologies for the production of green hydrogen. To ensure economic competitiveness and broad adoption, ongoing innovations in cell materials are essential to improve durability and reduce costs. The water oxidation half-reaction at the anode is a key area for improvement as it is a major contributor to performance degradation and efficiency loss in PCECs. Current anode designs, which are largely derived from solid oxide electrolysis cells, fail to address the specific requirements for PCECs under realistic operating conditions. Here, this Perspective highlights the unique challenges faced by PCEC anodes, focusing on the impact of high steam concentrations and the critical role of proton-coupled electron-transfer mechanisms—factors that are absent in solid oxide electrolysis cells. Furthermore, we explore design principles for advancing anodes tailored for PCECs, offering guidance for future research and development in this promising field.

Electrocatalysis↗
DOE OSTI2023

Challenges in practical button cell testing for hydrogen production from high temperature electrolysis of water

High temperature electrolysis of water using solid oxide electrochemical cells (SOEC) is a promising technology for hydrogen production with high energy efficiency and may promote decarbonization when coupled with renewable energy sources and excess heat from nuclear reactors. Over the past several decades there have been extensive scientific and engineering studies on cell materials and degradation behaviors that have greatly improved current density, decreased total resistance, and lowered degradation rates. Although the technology is now at a near-commercial level, maintaining consistency in cell testing and minimizing variance in practical testing environments is an often overlooked but crucial topic. To promote high quality data collection, testing procedures and balance of plant component details are extremely important to consider. This work discusses some key factors affecting the reproducibility of practical SOEC testing on the button cell level, namely, current collection layers, cell sealing procedures, the reliability of steam and hydrogen delivery systems, cell testing fixture design, and reduction procedures. To provide a baseline and a level of standardization for the SOEC community, this work also discloses details of the standard operating procedure and techniques adopted for o-SOEC testing at Idaho National Laboratory (INL).

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Proton-Conducting Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells for Large-scale Hydrogen Production at Intermediate Temperatures

Proton-conducting electrolyte based SOECs offer potential for operation at low to intermediate temperatures. Although yttrium-doped barium zirconate (BZY) and ceria-doped barium zirconate (BCY) have conductivity of 0.01 and 0.017 S.cm -1 respectively at 650C in comparison to the conductivity of 0.015 S.cm -1 for 8-YSZ at 850°C, there remains technology gaps and research needs related to understanding of chemical and structural stability in oxidizing and/or reducing atmospheres at intermediate temperatures, material processing and densification techniques, high polarization losses, and electrode poisoning due to intrinsic and extrinsic gas phase contaminants. Synthesis methods have produced proton-conducting materials and cells that met degradation rate targets, showcasing stable hydrogen production. Improved performance was evident in the HSOEC cell, achieving higher hydrogen production at a lower operating temperature compared to standard cells. Collaborations with multiple research facilities ensured scaling up of synthesis processes and milestone achievements for large-scale manufacturing. Assessment of contaminants revealed their adverse effects on electrode performance and structural stability. Contaminants like Cr and Si compounds, in high humidity, degraded electrodes by forming stable silicate and chromates, inhibiting active surface reactions. Getter materials showed promise in capturing contaminants, suggesting potential for mitigation.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

Reformer-electrolyzer-purifier (REP) assembly for hydrogen production, systems incorporating same and method of producing hydrogen

A high temperature electrolyzer assembly comprising at least one electrolyzer fuel cell including an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte matrix, and a power supply for applying a reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, wherein a gas feed comprising steam and one or more of CO2 and hydrocarbon fuel is fed to the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, and wherein, when the power supply applies the reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, hydrogen-containing gas is generated by an electrolysis reaction in the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell and carbon dioxide is separated from the hydrogen-containing gas so that the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell outputs the hydrogen-containing gas and separately outputs an oxidant gas comprising carbon dioxide and oxygen.

Jahnke, Fred C.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Redesigning protonic ceramic electrochemical cells to lower the operating temperature

Protonic ceramic electrochemical cells (PCECs) can operate at intermediate temperatures (450° to 600°C) for power generation and hydrogen production. However, the operating temperature is still too high to revolutionize ceramic electrochemical cell technology. Lowering the operating temperature to <450°C will enable a wider material choice and reduce system costs. We present approaches to redesigning PCECs via readily fabricated single-grain–thick, chemically homogeneous, and robust electrolytes and a nano-micro positive electrode. At 450°C, the PCECs achieve a peak power density of 1.6 watt per square centimeter on H 2 fuel, 0.5 watt per square centimeter on NH 3 fuel, and 0.3 watt per square centimeter on CH 4 fuel in fuel cell mode. In steam electrolysis mode, a current density of >0.6 ampere per square centimeter with a Faradaic efficiency of >90% is achievable at 1.4 volt and 400°C. In addition, exceptional durability (>2000 hours) has been demonstrated, with a degradation rate of <0.01 millivolt per 100 hours in fuel cell mode at 400°C.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Electrochemically Engineered, Highly Energy-Efficient Conversion of Ethane to Ethylene and Hydrogen below 550 °C in a Protonic Ceramic Electrochemical Cell

Ethylene is one of the largest building blocks in the petrochemical industry, mainly produced by steam cracking of ethane derived from naphtha or shale gas at high temperatures (>800 °C). Despite its technical maturity and economic competitiveness, the thermal steam cracking of ethane is highly energy-intensive. In this work, an electrochemically engineered direct conversion process of ethane to produce hydrogen and ethylene using a planar protonic ceramic membrane reactor with a bi-functional three-dimensional catalytic electrode is reported, with a single-pass ethane conversion of 40% and ethylene yield of 26.7% at 550 °C. Compared with the industrial ethane steam cracking, this method saves process energy input by 45.1% and improves process energy efficiency by 50.6%, based on comprehensive process simulation using Aspen Plus software. Further, steam electrolysis treatment under the solid oxide electrolysis cell mode can regenerate the system’s catalytic performance and significantly alleviate catalytic degradation by 74%, demonstrating high techno-economic viability.

bi-functional electrode↗
DOE OSTI2023

Lowering the operating temperature of protonic ceramic electrochemical cells to <450 °C

Protonic ceramic electrochemical cells (PCECs) can be employed for power generation and sustainable hydrogen production. Lowering the PCEC operating temperature can facilitate its scale-up and commercialization. However, achieving high energy efficiency and long-term durability at low operating temperatures is a long-standing challenge. Here, in this work, we report a simple and scalable approach for fabricating ultrathin, chemically homogeneous, and robust proton-conducting electrolytes and demonstrate an in situ formed composite positive electrode, Ba 0.62 Sr 0.38 CoO 3–δ –Pr 1.44 Ba 0.11 Sr 0.45 Co 1.32 Fe 0.68 O 6–δ , which significantly reduces ohmic resistance, positive electrode–electrolyte contact resistance and electrode polarization resistance. The PCECs attain high power densities in fuel-cell mode (~0.75 W cm –2 at 450 °C and ~0.10 W cm –2 at 275 °C) and exceptional current densities in steam electrolysis mode (–1.28 A cm –2 at 1.4 V and 450 °C). At 600 °C, the PCECs achieve a power density of ~2 W cm –2 . Additionally, we demonstrate the direct utilization of methane and ammonia for power generation at <450 °C. Our PCECs are also stable for power generation and hydrogen production at 400 °C.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dynamic operation of metal-supported solid oxide electrolysis cells

Symmetric-structure metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysis cells (MS-SOFCs, MS-SOECs) offer several advantages over conventional solid oxide cells, including the use of inexpensive materials, high mechanical strength, and rapid ramp-up ability. Aggressive operation of MS-SOCs in fuel cell mode is well-established, including extremely fast start-up, redox tolerance, and imbalanced pressure. Here, we extend dynamic operation to MS-SOCs in SOEC mode with high steam content for both small button cells and a large rectangular cell, including: steam cycling, thermal cycling, redox cycling and power cycling. Steam cycling entailed switching between 3:97 and 50:50 steam:hydrogen ratio. For thermal cycling, the temperature was rapidly varied between 150°C and 700°C for 50 cycles. Redox cycling involved switching the steam side gas between 50 % humidified H 2 and 50 % humidified N 2 for 5 cycles. Power cycling was performed by operating the cell under variable current density, resulting in cell voltage between 1.3V and 2.8V. Degradation rates for each testing strategy were compared to a baseline cell, and found to be similar. In conclusion, the excellent tolerance to dynamic operation increases confidence that MS-SOECs will be compatible with dynamic or intermittent renewable resources.

08 HYDROGEN↗