Metal-Supported SOFC Development at JPOWER

JPOWER has been developing the low-cost and high-reliability tubular type metal-supported SOFC in collaboration with LBNL (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA). In our collaboration, JPOWER is mainly focusing on stacking the metal-supported thin-film YSZ SOFC cells developed by LBNL, while LBNL is focusing on developing the cells. The cells are composed of 5-layer in which the cell elements (Anode/Electrolyte/Cathode) are sandwiched between porous stainless steel current collectors, so it is easy to stack and/or bundle the cells by the existing technology of metal joining. JPOWER designed the segment-in-series type simplified cell stacking structure and verified the proof-of-concept by testing a single cell and 2-cells stacking structure. In this paper, JPOWER's activities for metal-supported SOFC development are discussed.