Performance of Reversible Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Fuelled by Raw Product Gas from Biomass Gasification

The integration of reversible molten carbonate fuel cells (RMCFC) into biomass gasification is a novel concept. However, the knowledge of the electrochemical performance of molten carbonate fuel and molten carbonate electrolysis cells working with raw product gas is currently limited. Electrochemical measurements were performed under varied conditions on a lab-scale RMCFC operating with raw product gas from direct air-steam, direct oxygen-steam, and indirect steam gasification to evaluate this concept while filling the knowledge gap. Our results show that raw product gases generally lead to favourable electrochemical performance similar to hydrogen-rich fuel. However, raw product gas from direct oxygen-steam gasification at 600°C underperforms due to steam reforming and water-gas shift equilibria. These reactions change the gas compositions, generally improving performance while causing a decline under certain conditions. Direct oxygen-steam and indirect steam gasification at 40% inlet humidity and 650°C provide the most promising conditions for RMCFC, with a preference for steam-rich processes. Our study validates this novel concept experimentally, providing direction and realistic cell parameters for future research.