Notice of award received February 8, 2008;
Contract start date: July 1, 2008
The objective of this two-year program is to advance the current state of technology of solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) to improve performance when operating on renewable and logistics hydrocarbon fuel streams. Outcomes will include: 1.) new SOFC materials and architectures that address the technical challenges associated with carbon-deposit formation and sulfur poisoning; 2.) new integration strategies for combining fuel reformers with SOFCs; 3.) advanced modeling tools that bridge the scales of fundamental charge-transfer chemistry and system operation and control; and 4.) outreach through creation of the Distinguished Lecturer Series to promote nationwide collaboration with fuel-cell researchers and scientists. The program involves extensive collaboration between the Engineering Division (Profs. Sullivan, Kee, Braun and Vincent), the Chemical Engineering Department (Prof. Dean), and the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department (Profs. Ryan O’Hayre and Jianhua Tong).
This federal appropriation was awarded through the strong support of the Colorado’s Congressional Delegation, particularly through the efforts of Congressmen Ed Perlmutter and his staff. The program is managed by the Department of Energy’s Golden Field Office under award number DE-FG36-08GO88100.