(373g) Indirect Carbon Air Fuel Cells

The chemical energy in fossil fuels can be converted directly and efficiently into electrical energy by a direct carbon fuel cell with a calculated equilibrium potential of ca. 1.02 V, which is almost temperature independent for carbon dioxide (CO₂) formation from a carbonaceous solid fuel. Separate evaluation and operation of a liquid metal based reformer (or partial oxidation reactor) in conjunction with a solid oxide electrolyte based electrochemical cell demonstrates our novel approach of an ‘indirect’ carbon-air fuel cell, incorporating a liquid metal anode as a solvent for the anodically-evolved oxygen, coupled to an external reformer supplied with oxygen from the liquid metal. The concurrent production of electricity, heat as well as fuels such as synthesis gas (CO + H₂) as functions of temperature and other experimental variables will be presented.