A Binary Liquid Mixture of Bioethanol-Water and Biodiesel-Water as Fuel for NSDC-LNSDCNSDC-L Direct Ethanol-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Abstract

This research studies the possibility on using a binary liquid mixture of bioethanol-water and biodiesel-water as fuel for a NSDC-LNSDCNSDC-L single fuel cell. The ratio of bioethanol-water was 70:30, as well as the ratio of biodiesel-water. The fuel vapor flowed into the fuel cell system under the temperatures of 673, 773 and 873 K with a flow rate of 1–1.5 ml•min-1. The highest power densities were found at 673 K which are 2.984 and 1.838 mW•cm-2 for bioethanol-water and biodiesel-water, respectively. It is a promising result for a single fuel cell test with a very low rate of liquid fuel flow. Meanwhile, open circuit voltage (OCV) of the single fuel cell with bioethanol-water fuel is 1.439 V which is close to the theoretical OCV. However, OCV of the single fuel cell with biodiesel-water as fuel is 0.710 V which is lower than the theoretical OCV. Cell polarization seems still being the problem causing voltage loss during single fuel cell test.