1

SOFC Seals: SECA CTP Seal Meeting OverviewSOFC Seals: SECA CTP Seal Meeting Overview(Meeting held at Sandia National Laboratory, July 8-9, 2003)

NETL PNNLWayne Surdoval Prabhakar SinghDon Collins Jeff StevensonLane Wilson Moe Khaleel

Presented at SECA Core Technology Meeting, Albany, NYSept 30-Oct.1, 2003

2

Acknowledgements

•We thank Sandia National Laboratory, specially Drs. Ron Loehman and Bill Hammeter for hosting the SECA-CTP seal meeting. We also thank other staff at Sandia for sharing information about their capabilities with meeting participants.

• We thank Kevin Moore for facilitation at the meeting.

•We thank Sandia National Laboratory, specially Drs. Ron Loehman and Bill Hammeter for hosting the SECA-CTP seal meeting. We also thank other staff at Sandia for sharing information about their capabilities with meeting participants.

• We thank Kevin Moore for facilitation at the meeting.

3

7

4

9

9

Industries Universities Govt.Agencies National Labs

7

4

9

9

Industries Universities Govt.Agencies National Labs

Participants

NAME AFFILIATION PHONE EMAIL ADDRESSBill Hammetter Sandia Nat'l Labs 505) 272-7603 wfhamme@sandia.govWayne Surdoval DOE/NETL (412) 386-6002 wayne.surdoval@netl.doe.govPrabhakar Singh PNNL (509) 375-5945 Prabhakar.Singh@pnl.govKevin Moore DOE/NETL (304) 594-1450 kevin.moore@en.netl.doe.govJianmin Qu Georgia Tech (404) 894-5687 jianmin.qu@me.gatech.eduMatthew Seabaugh NexTech Materials (614) 842-6606 seabaugh@nextechmaterials.comMarvin Singer DOE/Science (202) 586-4336 marvin.singer@science.doe.govStephen Veyo Siemens Westinghouse (412) 256-1901 stephen.veyo@siemen.comRaj Singh Univ. of Cincinnati (513) 556-5172 raj.singh@uc.eduNguyen Minh GE Power Systems (310) 538-7250 nguyen.minh@ps.ge.comBruce Steinetz NASA Glenn (216) 433-3302 bruce.steinetz@grc.nasa.govMichael Krumpelt Argonne Nat'l Lab (630) 252-8520 krumpelt@cmt.anl.govRon Loehman Sandia Nat'l Labs (505) 272-7601 loehman@sandia.govS. Elangovan Ceramatec, Inc. (801) 978-2162 elango@ceramatec.comCharles Lewinsohn Ceramatec. Inc. (801) 956-1001 clewinsohn@ceramatec.comJeff Stevenson PNNL (509) 372-4697 jeff.stevenson@pnl.govRichard Brow Univ. Missouri-Rolla (573) 341-6812 brow@umr.eduMoe A. Khaleel PNNL (509) 375-2438 moe.khaleel@pnl.govAnil V. Virkar MSRS/Univ. of Utah (801) 581-5396 anil.virkar@m.cc.utah.eduNarottam P. Bansal NASA Glenn Res. Ctr. (216) 433-3855 narottam.p.bansal@grc.nasa.govMark C. Williams NETL – DOE (304) 285-4747 mark.williams@netl.doe.govDon Collins NETL - DOE (304) 285-4156 donald.collins@netl.doe.govMike Santella Oak Ridge Nat'l Lab (865) 574-4805 santellaml@ornl.govPinakin Patel Fuel Cell Energy (203) 825-6072 ppatel@fce.comLane Wilson NETL - DOE (304) 285-1336 lane.wilson@netl.doe.govBob Lashway Ceramatec (801) 978-2154 rlashway@ceramatec.comJohn Dunning DOE/Albany Res. Ctr. (541) 967-5876 dunning@alrc.doe.govJill Glass Sandia Nat'l Labs (505) 845-8050 sjglass@sandia.govSteve Burchett Sandia Nat'l Labs (505) 844-6446 snburch@sandia.gov

4

Outline

! SECA CTP Priorities ! Seal Meeting Objectives! Accomplishments! Workshop Presentations! Group Discussions and Story Board! Path Forward

! SECA CTP Priorities ! Seal Meeting Objectives! Accomplishments! Workshop Presentations! Group Discussions and Story Board! Path Forward

SECA 4/15/03

Current Priorities: Core Technology Program

• Lower cost precursor processing • Cost model methodology

Material cost4

• Direct DC to AC conversion• DC to DC design for fuel cells

Powerelectronics

3

• Metal oxides with interface modification• Catalyst surface modification• Characterize thermodynamics/kinetics

Anode/fuel processing

2

• Micro structure optimization• Mixed conduction• Interface modification

Cathodeperformance

2

• Models with electrochemistry• Structural characterization

Modeling2

• Modifying components in alloys• Coatings

Interconnect1• Glass and compressive seals Gas seals1

HowWhat

" Rita Bajura, SECA Annual Meeting, Seattle 2003

6

Objective" Review SOFC sealing issues and requirements" Present current status of SOFC sealing technology

"Seal materials"Materials interactions "Failure processes

" Identify "Advance concepts"Designs and development approaches

"" Review SOFC sealing issues and requirementsReview SOFC sealing issues and requirements"" Present current status of SOFC sealing technologyPresent current status of SOFC sealing technology

"Seal materials"Materials interactions "Failure processes

" Identify Identify "Advance concepts"Designs and development approaches

Develop group consensus on promising R&D concepts / directionsDevelop group consensus on promising R&D concepts / directions

Utilize information for scoping and coordination of SECA-SOFC sealing activities

Utilize information for scoping and coordination of SECA-SOFC sealing activities

7

Meeting results"Obtained input from participants on new seal concepts including materials design and fabrication processes

" Established consensus (via facilitated break-out sessions) on promising concepts and future R&D directions

" Published results from the meeting regarding new sealing technologies

" SECA CTP meeting results are available on:

http://www.seca.doe.gov

"Obtained input from participants on new seal concepts including materials design and fabrication processes

" Established consensus (via facilitated break-out sessions) on promising concepts and future R&D directions

" Published results from the meeting regarding new sealing technologies

" SECA CTP meeting results are available on:

http://www.seca.doe.gov

8

SOFC Seal functions

SOFC seals:" Prevent mixing of fuel and oxidant within a cell stack

" Prevent leaking of fuel and oxidant from stack

" Electrically isolate cells in stack

" May provide mechanical bonding of cell components

SOFC seals:" Prevent mixing of fuel and oxidant within a cell stack

" Prevent leaking of fuel and oxidant from stack

" Electrically isolate cells in stack

" May provide mechanical bonding of cell components

9

Seal Requirements

10

Technology Status

" Rigid seals – most mature, easy to fabricate but require CTE match, chemical stability

" Compressive seals – promising with respect to CTE but limited development, requires external load frame

"Cross cutting tools –

"Computational tools – available to study various failure modes during steady state and thermal cyclic conditions

" Other experimental tools - characterization, mechanical and chemical behavior

" Rigid seals – most mature, easy to fabricate but require CTE match, chemical stability

" Compressive seals – promising with respect to CTE but limited development, requires external load frame

"Cross cutting tools –

"Computational tools – available to study various failure modes during steady state and thermal cyclic conditions

" Other experimental tools - characterization, mechanical and chemical behavior

11

Rigid glass seals

• Al-Si-X( Alkaline) system

• CTE tailored

• Al-Si-X( Alkaline) system

• CTE tailored

• Porosity formation

• Interaction with scales

• Porosity formation

• Interaction with scales

12

Brazed metal seals

13

Compressive seals

14

Seal designs

15

Design Parameters

16

SBIR Seal Development Activities

17

Technical approach

Three approaches considered:

• Rigid chemical

• Sliding mechanical

• Compliant wet

Analyze:

• Pros

• Cons

Analyze:

• Pros

• Cons

Three approaches considered:Three approaches considered:

•• Rigid chemicalRigid chemical

•• Sliding mechanicalSliding mechanical

•• Compliant wetCompliant wet

Identify development needs:

• Fundamental gaps

• Engineering needs

Identify development needs:Identify development needs:

•• Fundamental gapsFundamental gaps

•• Engineering needsEngineering needs

18

Technical Challenges

19

Technical Challenges

20

21

Next generation concepts• Self healing

• Functionally graded

• Compliant wet seal

• High temperature spring

22

Compliant Molten Seals

23

Technical Challenges

24

Summary

Based on the findings from the CTP seal meeting, we initiated:

• Seal development program at Sandia National Laboratory

• Collaboration with NASA

• More emphasis on seal development activities within PNNL-Core Technology Program

Based on the findings from the CTP seal meeting, we initiated:

• Seal development program at Sandia National Laboratory

• Collaboration with NASA

• More emphasis on seal development activities within PNNL-Core Technology Program

25

Summary

"Based on the availability of funds , we plan to initiate seal development projects through solicitations .

"We seek specific ideas and white papers on broad areas identified in workshop report.

"We encourage you to review results from the web site

"Based on the availability of funds , we plan to initiate seal development projects through solicitations .

"We seek specific ideas and white papers on broad areas identified in workshop report.

"We encourage you to review results from the web site

26

Compressive seals

Fuel//AirFuel//Air Air//AirAir//Air

Silver metal shows porosity formation and cracking under seal exposure conditions

Silver metal shows porosity formation and cracking under seal exposure conditions

fuel

air

O-ring GasketO-ring Gasket

27

Seal Development Approach

Select a cell and stack design

Select Cell and Stack component materials

Develop and validate failure & reliability

models under nominal operating conditions

Optimize design and materials to meet

operational boundaries; Identify limitations

Transfer design, design tools & materials information

to Industry teams

Alternate seal conceptsAlternate seal concepts

Conduct parametric tests

Experimental Validation of Design

Experimental Validation of Design

Design/ Materials selection

Design/ Materials selection

Design/ Materials Optimization

Design/ Materials Optimization