Intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell fueled by biofuels

Abstract This chapter discusses recent advances in intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) fueled by oxygenated biofuels (CxHyOz) focusing on material development, chemical mechanisms study, electrochemistry fundamentals, and modeling. A recent literature survey is presented on liquid (pyrolytic oil, alcohol, biodiesel), solid (biochar), and gaseous (syngas, biogas) biofuels utilization in IT-SOFCs. Electrodes and electrolyte innovative materials able to fit SOFC operation with oxygenated biofuels at IT are also discussed. Intricate chemical reaction mechanisms occurring in the anode when directly utilizing biofuels causing competitive electrochemical mechanisms are studied in relation with the cell-operating conditions. Based on this intricate anodic chemistry, a general mathematical formulation of the electrochemical phenomena of IT-SOFC fueled by oxygenated biofuels is proposed and the developed model is applied to the case of IT-SOFC fueled by methanol. Performance limitations of IT-SOFC using biofuels are finally analyzed.