Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2005, Chemical Engineering (Engineering)

Planar solid oxide fuel cell (PSOFC) research at Ohio University has shown that the PSOFC may be used to produce electrical energy using gasified Ohio coal. Electrolyte supported PSOFCs with an anode containing nickel, yttria stabilized zirconium, and cerium oxide were operated for over 500 hours. PSOFCs were tested by supplying the fuel cell with a simulated coal syn gas and assessing the performance of the fuel cell by operating it under a load of 14 Amps and measuring the fuel cell's potential and area specific resistance (ASR). PSOFCs used in the research were found to have a potential of 0.74±0.01 Volts under a load of 0.21±0.01 Amps/cm 2 and an ASR increase of 0.10±0.16 percent per 100 hours of operation with out H 2 S and have a potential of 0.66±0.01 Volts under a load of 0.21±0.01 Amps/cm 2 and an ASR increase of 5.4±2.8 percent per 100 hours of operation with 249±9 ppm H 2 S.

Committee: David Bayless (Advisor) Subjects: Engineering, Chemical