Electrochemical Oxidation of Carbon for Electric Power Generation: A Review

Abstract

Published research is reviewed for purposes of establishing baseline performance expectations for the direct conversion of carbon in a molten carbonate fuel cell. Examination of data from several sources supports the possibility of direct carbon conversion at a total efficiency of 80% (HHV) and peak power of at least 0.11 W/cm2 using atomically disordered carbon materials derived from fossil or biological sources The net anode reaction results in CO2 product at 0.1-0.2 V polarization, while parasitic corrosion of carbon by the reverse Boudouard reaction may be significant in parts of the carbon bed remote from the current collector. Also important are an understanding of the mechanism and extent of carbon wetting by the electrolyte. A cell configuration allowing simultaneous measurement of electrode potentials and off-gas composition is suggested for use in producing the data necessary for scale-up