Pressure effect on the electrode reactions in a molten carbonate fuel cell

Abstract The effect of pressure up to 3 atm on electrode reactions was investigated with steady-state polarization, AC impedance and reactant gas addition (RA) methods. Two 100-cm2 class molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) were used in this work. AC impedance revealed that the cathodic mass transfer resistance was reduced by pressurization, whereas the anodic one was slightly enlarged by the increased gas phase mass transfer resistance. The RA method clearly showed that the mass transfer resistance of the H2 gas rose with pressurization, likely due to methanation at the anode. On the other hand, it also revealed that the mass transfer resistance of O2 species in the cathode was decreased by pressurization.

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