SOCTESQA - Solid Oxide Cell and Stack Testing, Safety and Quality Assurance

Abstract

Many research facilities and industrial companies worldwide are engaged in the development and the improvement of solid oxide fuel cells/stacks (SOFC) and also of solid oxide electrolysis cells/stacks (SOEC). However, the successful application of fuel and electrolysis cells/stacks in real world conditions requires reliable assessment, testing and prediction of performance and durability. Therefore the EU-project SOCTESQA will start at the beginning of May with the aim to develop uniform and industry wide test procedures and protocols for SOC cell/stack assembly. The paper presents the main objectives, the project consortium, the structure, the work packages and the workflow plan of the project. The project builds on experiences gained in the FCTESTNET, FCTESQA series of projects taking up the methodology developed there. It will address new application fields which are based on the operation of the SOFC cell/stack assembly in the fuel cell and in the electrolysis mode, e.g. stationary SOFC μ-CHP, mobile SOFC APU and SOFC/SOEC power-to-gas systems. The test procedures will include current-voltage curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and long term tests both under steady state and dynamic operating conditions. The project partners are from different countries in Europe: French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Joint Research Centre – European Commission (JRC) from Belgium, European Institute for Energy Research (EIFER) from Germany and German Aerospace Center (DLR). All of them have long-term experience in the development, testing and harmonization of solid oxide cells/stacks. The project will have a clear structure based on an initial definition phase, the development of generic test modules, the corresponding experimental validation phases and the review of the test procedures. Several of these validation loops will result at the end of the project in final test modules, which will be confirmed by round robin tests. Moreover, the project will address safety aspects, liaise with standardization organizations and establish contact with industrial practice. This collaborative project will essentially help to accelerate the development and the market penetration of hydrogen and fuel cell (H2&FC) energy systems in Europe.