High-Temperature Electrolysis Capabilities

High throughput test stands are used for button cell testing to rapidly test multiple samples for statistical purposes or for screening materials or both. Test stands are equipped with programmable mass flow controllers and temperature controllers. Accelerated stress testing is used to understand the governing stressors and associated materials behavior. Testing reveals the impact of impurities (Cr, S, Cl, P, Hg, As, Se, Sb, K, Na, Si, B, etc); online diagnostics with potentiostats include I-V, EIS; online GC progressive measure cell performance; accelerated stress testing using dynamic variation of test conditions involves cycling steam content, power, thermal condition (i.e., temperature), redox conditions, and mild pressure fluctuations. Three labs share the button cell testing. PNNL: 72 button cell test fixtures, half-cell and full-cell testing; simulated syngas or reformate. The 72 button cell test fixtures are in groups of eight in the same oven but with the flows individually controlled. This allows for multiple cells to be tested at the same time and the same conditions for statistical comparison, also testing new materials against a standard, or high throughput testing. INL: Eight test fixtures dedicated to H2NEW accelerated stress testing; 16 tubular high temperature test fixtures dedicated to HydroGEN. LBNL: Two tubular high temperature test fixtures dedicated to H2NEW accelerated stress testing with dynamic conditions; two fixtures dedicated to HydroGEN.