Proton-Conducting Electrolyte Gas Decomposition Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas decomposition devices based on fuel cell principles face challenges in efficiently decomposing exhaust gases at low temperatures due to water accumulation and limited thermal energy availability, leading to reduced performance and flexibility in design.
Innovation Solution
A gas decomposition device with a proton-conducting solid electrolyte layer and a porous current collector made of a corrosion-resistant alloy, allowing for efficient gas decomposition and water drainage at lower temperatures, featuring a porous metal body with varying tin content and porosity to optimize gas flow and corrosion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a gas decomposition device uses a solid oxide fuel cell principle with conventional solid electrolytes, then high temperature operation (800°C or higher) is required for efficient gas decomposition, but this limits design flexibility and competes with other devices for heat resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating temperature parameter from conventional high temperature (800°C or higher) to low temperature (below 800°C) by using a proton-conducting solid electrolyte instead of conventional oxygen-ion-conducting electrolytes. This parameter change enables efficient gas decomposition at lower temperatures, reducing heat competition and improving design flexibility while maintaining high productivity
2Temperature
If scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ) or lanthanum gallate (LSGM) are used as solid electrolytes to enable low temperature operation, then operating temperature can be reduced, but water accumulates on the anode layer side and gas decomposition performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the accumulated water from the anode layer side by providing a drainage path through the porous anode layer to the porous current collector. This allows water to be continuously drained from the reaction area, preventing water accumulation that would otherwise reduce gas decomposition performance, while maintaining low temperature operation with proton-conducting solid electrolytes
3Strength
If the anode layer is made thick to achieve sufficient mechanical strength of the membrane electrode assembly, then structural integrity is improved, but water drainage becomes difficult and gas decomposition performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous anode layer with carefully controlled pore structure that provides both mechanical strength and effective water drainage pathways. The porous structure allows water to be continuously removed while maintaining sufficient structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between thickness for strength and porosity for drainage performance
4Productivity
If a porous current collector with continuous pores is used to improve water drainage, then water removal efficiency is improved, but corrosion resistance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite porous current collector structure combining a porous metal body (providing drainage pathways) with a corrosion-resistant alloy layer (providing protection). This composite structure maintains continuous pores for effective water drainage while the alloy layer protects against corrosion, resolving the contradiction between drainage efficiency and corrosion resistance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient gas decomposition at lower temperatures with improved water drainage, increasing flexibility and reducing competition for heat resources, while maintaining mechanical strength and corrosion resistance.
Implementation Method 1
the solid electrolyte layer being composed of a proton-conducting solid electrolyte
Implementation Method 2
the porous current collector including continuous pores, the porous metal body forming a gas channel that supplies a gas to the anode layer and the cathode layer
Implementation Method 3
the porous metal body that includes an alloy layer having corrosion resistance on at least a surface of the porous metal body facing the continuous pores
Implementation Method 4
The gas decomposition device electrochemically decomposes gases by the conduction of ions to the solid electrolyte layer
Data Source
AI summary
A gas decomposition device 100 includes one or two or more membrane electrode assemblies 5, each including a solid electrolyte layer 2, an anode layer 3 stacked on a first side of the solid electrolyte layer 2, and a cathode layer 4 stacked on a second side of the solid electrolyte layer; and porous current collectors 8a, 8b, and 8c including continuous pores 1b, the membrane electrode assemblies being stacked with the porous current collector, the solid electrolyte layer being composed of a proton-conducting solid electrolyte, the porous current collectors including porous metal bodies 1, each of the porous metal bodies 1 including an alloy layer 12a having corrosion resistance on at least a surface of the porous metal body 1 facing the continuous pores, and the porous metal bodies forming gas channels 9a, 9b, and 9c that supply gases to the anode layer and the cathode layer.