Testing of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells on Various Fuels for Use in Hybrid Power Generation Systems for Aviation

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) powered by various fuels were investigated for use in hybrid power generation systems for aviation. Ammonia, hydrogen, methane, and jet fuel were proposed as well as respective system layouts. SOFCs were tested using Tennessee Tech University’s pressurized SOFC test stand. SOFC performance was compared between the varying fuels using polarization curves. Initial testing shows that all these fuels could be viable options for SOFCs in aviation in terms of performance. Jet fuel and ammonia need more testing to fully characterize their preprocessing as well as their performance under varying temperatures and pressures.