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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Developing Stable Critical Materials and Microstructure for High-Flux and Efficient Hydrogen Production through Reversible Solid Oxide Cells

Reversible Solid Oxide Cells (RSOCs), which operate as either Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) or Solid Oxide Electrolytic Cells (SOECs), hold great promise for clean, high-efficiency energy conversion and hydrogen production. However, their commercial potential is hindered by stability issues arising from temperature-induced materials degradation. While substantial progress has been made in developing durable, reduced-temperature SOFCs - bringing them closer to commercial deployment, SOECs still exhibit substantially higher degradation rates at both the cell and stack levels under practical operating conditions.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2026

Economic NMPC for a Reversible Solid Oxide Cell

Reversible solid oxide fuel cells (rSOCs) offer the flexibility to operate in tandem with the electric grid by switching between fuel cell and electrolysis modes based on real-time electricity prices. However, their complex, tightly coupled dynamic behavior poses significant challenges in determining optimal operating strategies. In this work, we present an economic nonlinear model predictive control (E-NMPC) framework to optimize the operation of rSOCs. The proposed E-NMPC is applied to a detailed rSOC flowsheet model that includes a utility scale rSOC module as well as balance-of-plant equipment necessary for thermal management. Our results demonstrate that in fuel cell mode, the E-NMPC strategy reduces hydrogen consumption compared to conventional set-point tracking NMPC, while maintaining the same level of electricity output. Also, in electrolysis mode, the E-NMPC yields a marginal improvement in hydrogen production. In addition, we explore the integration of a battery with the rSOC system to enhance flexibility in meeting electricity production and consumption targets.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Material Discovery and Design Principles of Perovskite Oxides for Reversible Solid Oxide Cells (R-SOC)

Reversible solid oxide cells (R-SOCs) are highly efficient devices for energy conversion and storage, capable of operating for both hydrogen utilization and production. In fuel cell mode, an R-SOC consumes hydrogen or natural gas to generate electricity, while in electrolysis mode, it produces hydrogen from steam. The discover of new materials with rapid oxygen surface exchange kinetics and enduring stability is crucial for the economically viable commercialization of R-SOCs. To facilitate this pursuit, we conducted extensive Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and developed Machine Learning (ML) models to predict critical catalytic properties essential for R-SOCs, such as oxygen surface exchange/diffusivity, and area-specific resistance (ASR). BaCoxFeyZrzO3-d(BFCZ)(x+y+z=1) emerged as a promising family of electrode materials with high activity and stability, validated through systematic experimental study. Moreover, a robust numerical multiphysics model was developed to optimize materials and microstructure parameters, providing the ability to predict the performance of functional R-SOCs.

Liu, Jian↗
DOE OSTI2024

In-House Developed Multiphysics Simulation for the Performance of Solid Oxide Cells (SOCs)

Reversible solid oxide cells(rSOCs) are an enabling energy storage/production technology for a dynamic grid environment. Reversible operation requires strong working knowledge of fuel cell (SOFC) and electrolyzer (SOEC). Performance degradation of SOECs has been observed; however, the details of physical processes related to the performance degradation remain unknown. Multiphysics simulations were performed to investigate the performance degradation of solid oxide electrolysis cells under various working conditions.

Yang, Tao↗
DOE OSTI2025

Efficient, reliable and cost-effective reversible solid oxide cell technology for hydrogen and electricity production

This report summarizes the work performed by University of California San Diego (UCSD) – OxEon Energy LLC (OxEon) for the U. S. Department of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) under Cooperative Agreement DE-FE0031940 entitled “Efficient, Reliable and Cost Effective Reversible Solid Oxide Cell Technology for Hydrogen and Electricity Production”. This reversible solid oxide cell (RSOC) technology has two main novel elements: (i) a compact and low-cost stack architecture that consists of multi-cell cell modules in electrical parallel and series connections and (ii) high performance and fuel-flexible reversible cells with electrodes or all components made by sputtering deposition process for efficient operation in both fuel cell (power generation) and electrolysis (hydrogen production) modes.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2024

A high-performance intermediate temperature reversible solid oxide cell with a new barrier layer free oxygen electrode

The best solution to address the critical durability issue of solid oxide electrolytic cells (SOECs) for high-efficiency and high-rate H 2 production is to lower the operating temperature without sacrificing the performance. Developing high performance oxygen electrodes (OEs) is a key to capitalizing this solution. Here, in this paper, we report on a highly active OE for intermediate temperature ZrO 2 -based SOECs without a CeO 2 barrier layer. The new barrier-layer-free (BLF) OE is a composite of two materials, (Bi 0.75 Y 0.25 ) 0.93 Ce 0.07 O 1.5±δ (BYC) that exhibits high oxide-ion conductivity and La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 (LSM) that possesses a high electronic conductivity to enable fast oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER). Featuring a microscale porous BYC scaffold decorated with high surface area LSM nanoparticles (NPs), the new BLF-OE exhibited a low area specific resistance (ASR) of 0.10 Ω cm 2 at 650 °C in air. With 50%H 2 -50%H 2 O as a feed to hydrogen electrode (HE) and air to OE, the single cell performance achieved 588 mA cm -2 at 0.80 V in the fuel cell mode and 688 mA cm -2 at 1.30 V in the electrolytic mode at 650 °C. Our in-house testing showed that this level of performance was ~3.5x higher than the cell with the benchmark La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ -Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 2-δ OE. The long-term durability testing under alternating fuel cell and electrolytic modes showed a low degradation rate of 0.10 mA cm -2 h -1 over 550 hours. These encouraging results showed the great promise of the newly developed BYC-LSM to be an excellent OE candidate for intermediate temperature SOECs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

NMPC for Mode-Switching Operation of Reversible Solid Oxide Cell Systems

Solid oxide cells (SOCs) are a promising dual-mode technology that generates hydrogen through high-temperature water electrolysis and generates power through a fuel cell reaction that consumes hydrogen. Reversible operation of SOCs requires a transition between these two modes for hydrogen production setpoints as the demand and price of electricity fluctuate. Moreover, a well-functioning control system is important to avoid cell degradation during mode-switching operation. In this work, we apply nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) to an SOC module and supporting equipment and compare NMPC performance to classical proportional integral (PI) control strategies, while ramping between the modes of hydrogen and power production. While both control methods provide similar performance in many metrics, NMPC significantly reduces cell thermal gradients and curvatures (mixed spatial-temporal partial derivatives) during mode switching. A dynamic process flowsheet of the reversible SOC system was developed in the open-source, equation-based IDAES modeling framework. Our IDAES dynamic simulation results show that NMPC can ramp the SOC system between hydrogen and power production targets within short mode-switching times. Moreover, NMPC can comply with operating limits in the SOC system more effectively than PI, and only NMPC can directly enforce user-specified limits for mixed spatial-temporal partial derivatives of temperature. This allows for management of the trade-off be-tween operating efficiency and cell degradation, which is dependent on these temperature curvatures.

Li, Mingrui↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nonlinear model predictive control for mode‐switching operation of reversible solid oxide cell systems

Abstract Solid oxide cells (SOCs) are a promising dual‐mode technology for the production of hydrogen through high‐temperature water electrolysis, and the generation of power through a fuel cell reaction that consumes hydrogen. Switching between these two modes as the price of electricity fluctuates requires reversible SOC operation and accurate tracking of hydrogen and power production set points. Moreover, a well‐functioning control system is important to avoid cell degradation during mode‐switching operation. In this article, we apply nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) to an SOC module and supporting equipment and compare NMPC performance to classical proportional‐integral (PI) control strategies, while switching between the modes of hydrogen and power production. While both control methods provide similar performance across various metrics during mode switching, NMPC demonstrates a significant advantage in reducing cell thermal gradients and curvatures (mixed spatial‐temporal partial derivatives), thereby helping to mitigate long‐term degradation.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advanced Process Control and Dynamic Optimization of Reversible Solid Oxide Cell Systems for Performance and Long-Term Health

This presentation was delivered at the 2024 Hydrogen Annual Merit Review Meeting. It focuses on three aspects of projects focusing on solid oxide cell systems- advanced control including nonlinear model predictive control and traditional control, dynamic optimization with due consideration of chemical degradation over the cell lifetime, dynamic optimization considering physical degradation.

Allan, Douglas↗
DOE OSTI2024

Technoeconomic Analysis of Discrete and Unitized Reversible Fuel Cells for Energy Storage Applications

Reversible Fuel Cell (RFC) systems offer promising characteristics for stationary long duration energy storage applications. Two main configurations of RFC systems exist: discrete RFC systems and unitized RFC systems. While discrete RFC systems combine independent fuel cell and electrolyzer systems for energy storage, unitized RFC systems utilize a single electrochemical stack and might share balance of plant (BOP) components for both charging and discharging processes. While this configuration reduces upfront capital costs, challenges of unitized RFC designs include potential performance trade-offs due to dual-mode stack design and operational complexities across varying loads and operating conditions. Furthermore, these tradeoffs might be different for low-temperature PEM RFCs than for high-temperature reversible solid oxide cell systems. The goal of this project is to assess unitized RFC system potential in the context of long duration grid energy storage and HFTO's technical targets for different discrete fuel cell and electrolyzer technologies. This presentation presents preliminary review of state-of-the-art unitized RFC cells and assesses how they perform relative to HFTO's technical targets. It also presents literature-derived system configurations worth investigating. This review indicates that lab-scale unitized RFCs are making good progress towards meeting HFTO's technical targets.

HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nanoionics Drastically Accelerating Mass Transfer at Elevated Temperatures over 750 °C

Nanoionics were previously considered thermally unstable and infeasible for devices operating above 500 °C. Here, we elucidate the design principle for establishing stable nanoionics from various oxides. We utilized reversible solid oxide cells (SOCs) as the test bed and implemented nanoionics using atomic layer deposition (ALD). We demonstrate a straightforward, interface-controlled, practical approach to render a conformal, ∼15 nm thick ALD film, which initially thermodynamically favors the formation of a solid solution with the substrate into surface nanoionics with single or double layers of nanograins with random crystal orientations. The nanoionics exhibited conductivity estimated to be 7 orders of magnitude higher than that of their bulk-scale counterpart. They demonstrated conformability with uniform grain sizes of ∼15 nm, even after electrochemical operation for ∼500 h at 750 °C and 1000 h at 850 °C. The thermal stability and conductivity of such nanoionics represent a conceptual and technological framework in nanoionics.

atomic layer deposition↗
DOE OSTI2024

Performance Validation of a Thermally Integrated 50 kW High Temperature Electrolyzer System

In the proposed project, INL and OxEon seek to improve the value proposition of hydrogen production by integrating reversible fuel cell operations at relatively small scale for distributed energy applications. This goal will be accomplished by converting a 50 kW solid oxide electrolysis cell or SOEC system into a reversible system that operates at 30 kW in electrolysis mode and approximately 10 kW in fuel cell mode. The reversible SOC system will be operated for over 3,000 hours using an improved catalyst in the fuel electrode. Steam for the electrolysis will come from an electric boiler Thermal Energy Distribution System that will be configured to mimic an industrial source of low-grade heat. Thermodynamic analysis will be performed to demonstrate the potential of the system to achieve >85% system efficiency in electrolysis mode. Finally, a technoeconomic analysis will be completed to show potential to produce hydrogen at a cost of $2/kg. The figure at the right indicates a target cost breakdown to achieve that goal.

08 HYDROGEN↗