Saint-Gobain's All Ceramic SOFC Stack: Architecture and Performance

Abstract

Saint-Gobain has developed a unique all ceramic SOFC stack with performance characteristics that make it an attractive solution to the cost and durability challenges of commercializing conventional SOFCs. Saint-Gobain’s all ceramic stacks achieve power density higher than 200 mW/cm2 when operating at 825 °C and 0.75 V/cell. Power degradation is low at 0.2% per kilohour over more than 7,000 hours of testing. Ceramic interconnect stability is verified for >10,000 h using accelerated testing. Good performance under thermal cycling, power cycling and unplanned transients such as fuel or air loss has also been confirmed. With reliable R&D scale manufacturing and targeted testing platforms, Saint-Gobain has increased cell power density by 50% and decreased interconnect resistance by 40% between 2010 and 2012 with further improvements in development.