A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Running on H[sub 2]S∕CH[sub 4] Fuel Mixtures

Abstract

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) that were capable of running on sour natural gas were fabricated and tested. The electrolyte of the SOFCs was yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), the anode material was a strontium-doped lanthanum vanadate with a nominal composition of (LSV), and the cathode was a porous composite of (LSM) and YSZ. The observed peak power density at 950°C was when gas mixture was used as the fuel and ambient air as the oxidant. Analysis of the effluent gas from the SOFC indicated that, apart from being oxidized electrochemically to sulfur and , a significant portion of the was transformed to carbon disulfide , an important solvent currently used to dissolve heavy hydrocarbon deposits. The results indicated that SOFCs with a LSV anode might be used for the processing of sour natural gas (containing , , etc.) in which both electricity and high value chemicals (i.e., sulfur and ) are produced simultaneously.