Method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte and molten carbonate fuel cell using the same

A method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte, the method comprising:

• providing a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel outside a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising a molten carbonate electrolyte;
• generating a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound from a solid or liquid molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel;
• and
• generating additional molten carbonate electrolyte from the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound generated in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel, thereby providing the additional molten carbonate electrolyte to the molten carbonate fuel cell,
• wherein the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound reacts with at least one of carbonate ion, carbon dioxide and oxygen to form a molten carbonate electrolyte, and
• the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound is a material having a higher vapor pressure than lithium carbonate (Li2CO3), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), or potassium carbonate (K2CO3) at an operating temperature of the molten carbonate fuel cell.

A method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte, the method comprising:

• providing a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel outside a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising a molten carbonate electrolyte;
• generating a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound from a solid or liquid molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel;
• and
• generating additional molten carbonate electrolyte from the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound generated in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel, thereby providing the additional molten carbonate electrolyte to the molten carbonate fuel cell,
• wherein the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of metal lithium (Li), Li2O, LiOH and a hydrate of LiOH, LiF, LiCl, Li, Li3N, LiNH2, Li2C2, LiMoO4, LiAlH4, LiSn, LiPb, LiTi, LiHg, Li3Sb2, Li3Bi, Li2SO4, LiOCH3, LiOC2H5, metal sodium (Na), Na2O, NaOH and a hydrate of NaOH, NaF, NaCl, NaI, Na3N, NaNH2, Na2SO4, Na2C2O4, NaC2H3O2, NaOCH3, NaOC2H5, metal potassium (K), K2O, KOH and a hydrate of KOH, KF, KCl, KI, K3N, KNH2, and K2SO4.

A method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte, the method comprising:

• providing a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel outside a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising a molten carbonate electrolyte;
• generating a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound from a solid or liquid molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel;
• and
• generating additional molten carbonate electrolyte from the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound generated in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel, thereby providing the additional molten carbonate electrolyte to the molten carbonate fuel cell,
• wherein the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound comprises
• LiI and KI;
• LiI and NaI;
• LiI, KI, and NaI;
• LiI and KOH;
• or
• LiI, KOH, and NaI.

A method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte, the method comprising:

• providing a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel outside a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising a molten carbonate electrolyte;
• generating a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound from a solid or a liquid molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel;
• supplying the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound to a first electrode of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
• supplying a reaction gas containing carbon dioxide to a second electrode of the molten carbonate fuel cell,
• wherein the additional molten carbonate electrolyte is generated from at least one of a carbonate ion, carbon dioxide, or oxygen, and the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound,
• wherein the carbonate ion is generated from the reaction gas and transfers to an electrochemical reaction site in the first electrode, and carbon dioxide is not supplied to the first electrode,
• wherein oxygen generated from carbonate ion reacts with the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound to produce a molten carbonate electrolyte intermediate precursor compound, and the molten carbonate electrolyte intermediate precursor compound reacts with the carbon dioxide generated from carbonate ion to generate the molten carbonate electrolyte.

A method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte, the method comprising:

• providing a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel outside a molten carbonate comprising a molten carbonate electrolyte;
• generating a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound from a solid or liquid molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel;
• supplying the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound generated in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel to a first electrode in a gaseous state;
• supplying a reaction gas containing carbon dioxide to a second electrode;
• and
• generating a molten carbonate electrolyte from carbonate ion and the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate fuel cell, thereby providing the molten carbonate electrolyte to the molten carbonate fuel cell;
• wherein the carbonate ion is generated from the reaction gas and transfers to an electrochemical reaction site in the first electrode, and carbon dioxide is not supplied to the first electrode, and
• wherein a mixed gas of a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound and a carrier gas which does not react with the first electrode is provided to the first electrode.

A method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte, the method comprising:

• providing a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel outside a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising a molten carbonate electrolyte;
• generating a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound from a solid or liquid molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel;
• and
• generating additional molten carbonate electrolyte from the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound generated in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel, thereby providing the additional molten carbonate electrolyte to the molten carbonate fuel cell,
• wherein the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound is a compound comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of lithium (Li), sodium (Na) and potassium (K);
• or
• a compound comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of lithium (Li), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) and additionally comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of cesium (Cs), lanthanum (La), and rubidium.

A method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte, the method comprising:

• providing a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel outside a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising a molten carbonate electrolyte;
• generating a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound from a solid or liquid molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel;
• generating additional molten carbonate electrolyte from the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound generated in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel, thereby providing the additional molten carbonate electrolyte to the molten carbonate fuel cell;
• supplying the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound to a first electrode of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
• and
• supplying a reaction gas containing carbon dioxide to a second electrode of the molten carbonate fuel cell, wherein
• the reaction gas transfers to an electrochemical reaction site in the first electrode by either of a concentration difference of the reaction gas between the first and second electrodes or a pressure difference between the first and second electrodes.

A method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte, the method comprising:

• providing a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel outside a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising a molten carbonate electrolyte;
• generating a gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound from a solid or liquid molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel;
• generating additional molten carbonate electrolyte from the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound generated in the molten carbonate electrolyte precursor vessel, thereby providing the additional molten carbonate electrolyte to the molten carbonate fuel cell;
• supplying the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound to a first electrode of the molten carbonate fuel cell;
• and
• supplying a reaction gas containing carbon dioxide to a second electrode of the molten carbonate fuel cell,
• wherein the additional molten carbonate electrolyte is generated from carbonate ion and the gaseous molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound, and
• wherein the carbonate ion is generated from the reaction gas and transfers to an electrochemical reaction site in the first electrode, and carbon dioxide is not supplied to the first electrode.