Experimental research on short-term feeding of dust contaminated gas to a molten carbonate fuel cell cathode

The paper presents initial research on processes present on the cathode side of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC), when the supplied gas is an aerosol containing solid particulate matter. The research is based on experiments conducted at the Institute of Heat Engineering of Warsaw University of Technology. The main task is to determine whether and to what extent solid particles disable or hinder the operation of a molten carbonate fuel cell. It is thought that they might change the penetrability of porous layers by clogging their void volumes. Under investigation are the sizes and amount of solid particles required to significantly affect the processes occurring on the triple phase. Experimental investigation was conducted that determined the change in operational parameters due to dust contamination. Surprisingly, there is no sudden drop in the electric parameters of the fuel cell subject to dust poisoning. Supposedly, the dust creates a porous, permeable to gases, structure on the electrode. The only varying parameter was the pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet to the cathode.