AIST Exhibits Sugar-cube sized Fuel Cell
The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has developed an extremely small SOFC (solid-oxide fuel cell) that can operate at temperatures near 550°C. Each cylindrical cell was substantially downsized to increase the ratio of electrode area to volume. Despite its small size, the fuel cell has a high power output.
Twenty five needle-like modules, each with a diameter of 0.8 mm, are integrated to form a sugar cube-sized SOFC that can generate 3W of electricity. In another method, cells can be fit into an extrusion-molded honeycomb with a density of more than 250 cells/cm2.
The product is intended for cogeneration applications and automotive APUs (auxiliary power unit), and will be exhibited in the NEDO's booth at the 2009 International Nanotechnology Exhibition and Conference, taking place at Tokyo Big Site from 18 – 20 Feb 2009.
Compared with other fuel cells, SOFCs are characterized by their high efficiency. However, existing SOFCs are vulnerable to load change because of their high operating temperature ranging from 700 to 1,000°C. Therefore, PEFCs (polymer electrolyte fuel cell) have been believed to be superior to SOFCs for automotive use.
Although the fuel cell is designed for automotive APU use, it can be used to provide power to fuel-cell vehicles if technology for effectively connecting multiple modules is developed, according to AIST.