Solid oxide fuel cell technology
Topsoe Fuel Cell focuses on solid oxide fuel cell technology - SOFC - which is the most efficient fuel cell technology available. Fuel cells produce electricity from air and fuel.
No this is not the latest in Scandinavian kitchen design, it is Topsøe's solid oxide fuel cell technology (Photo: Topsøe)
The SOFC technology is very fuel flexible: Fuel cells can operate on different fuels such as natural gas, biogas or biomass. As SOFC units can operate on natural gas from the existing natural gas grid, the integration of SOFC units into the existing infrastructure is simplified.
High operating temperature
The SOFC operates at temperatures ranging from 750 to 850ºC. The heat is recuperated thus ensuring high overall efficiency. The fuel cells are integrated in a system design - the Topsoe PowerCore™ - for easy system integration.
The fuel cell construction
Each cell is planar and is less than half a millimeter thick. Fuel cells contain three fundamental layers - the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte.
Topsoe Fuel Cell's SOFCs are made from ceramic material in a design which ensures high efficiency, fuel flexibility and long-term performance. The ceramic electrolyte allows only oxygen ions to pass through.
An external circuit connects the anode to the cathode and provides the mechanism to power electrical devices.
Further reading
Topsøe Fuel Cell AS
A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is an electrochemical conversion device that produces electricity directly from oxidizing a fuel. Fuel cells are characterized by their electrolyte material and, as the name implies, the SOFC has a solid oxide, or ceramic, electrolyte. Advantages of this class of fuel cells include high efficiencies, long term stability, fuel flexibility, low emissions, and cost.
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