A review on development status and prospects of biomass gasification integration with solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract

China is currently the world′s largest energy consumer, and its energy structure is characterized by being rich in coal, deficient in oil, and having a limited supply of natural gas. The heavy reliance on coal, as a fossil fuel, inevitably leads to significant CO_2 emissions. Biomass gas, on the other hand, is abundant, environmentally friendly, and offers a potential solution to reduce carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that can convert the chemical energy in fuels into electricity. Unlike traditional heat engines, fuel cells are not subject to the limitations of the Carnot cycle and have higher energy conversion efficiencies. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) have attracted significant attention due to their pure solid-state nature, high efficiency, and fuel flexibility. Researchers continuously work on improving fuel cell materials, components, and system designs to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and promote their widespread use in the energy sector. The coupling of SOFC with biomass gasification has emerged as an efficient approach for distributed power generation and energy utilization from biomass. Biomass gas contains various components and trace pollutants that can have some impact on the operation of SOFC. This article provides an overview of the working principle of SOFC, key materials, and advancements in performance enhancement. It also discusses the challenges and issues related to the operation of SOFC coupled with biomass gasification. In summary, the combination of SOFC technology with biomass gasification holds great promise in addressing China′s energy and environmental challenges. It provides a pathway to efficiently convert biomass resources into electricity while reducing carbon emissions and the reliance on coal. However, there are still technical and operational challenges to overcome to fully realize the potential of this integrated approach.

Keywords

• solid oxide fuel cell
• electrolyte materials
• electrode materials
• low-temperature operation
• biomass gasification