64
Advanced
Net-Shape Insulation for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells--Ceramatec,
Inc., 2425 South 900 West, Salt Lake City, UT
84119-1517; 801-978-2144, www.ceramatec.com
Dr.
Balakrishnan G. Nair, Principal Investigator, bnair@ceramatec.com
Mr.
Raymond K. Miller, Business Official,
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-03ER83619
Amount:
$749,919
As solid oxide fuel cell technology matures, it is
becoming increasingly important to lower the cost of insulation. Currently
available low-cost insulation cannot be used in these applications because it
contains silica, which volatilizes and degrades the anode. Therefore,
new low-cost, net-shape options for solid oxide fuel cell insulation are needed.
This project will develop a novel castable ceramic material with
properties that make it ideal for solid oxide fuel cell insulation.
These properties include net-shape fabrication capability, very low
thermal conductivity, thermochemical stability up to 1000oC, and very
good thermal shock resistance. In
Phase I, the feasibility of using the castable ceramic materials as fuel cell
insulation was proven through specific experiments.
These experiments showed that the candidate insulation materials provide
thermochemical stability under fuel rich environments; very low thermal
conductivity (0.3-0.4 W/mK), as required for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)
insulation; and reliable performance of the solid oxide fuel cells when the
insulation was exposed to the air/fuel mixture at high temperature.
In Phase II, two net-shape insulation concepts from Phase I will be
optimized and tested to demonstrate commercial product viability.
Activities will include materials and process optimization, component
fabrication, and long term testing in SOFC systems.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits as
described by awardee: Commercial
sales of insulation materials for solid oxide fuel cells should exceed $3
million by the year 2010. It is
anticipated that these new materials can capture a 40% market share, leading to
annual sales of over $1.25 million to solid oxide fuel cell manufacturers and
system integrators. By
partnering
with a commercial SOFC manufacturer in Phase II, the chances of developing a
commercially viable SOFC insulation technology will be maximized.