Liquid biofuels for solid oxide fuel cells: A review

Liquid biofuels (LBFs) that are renewable and sulfur-free, are one important part of future energy supplements. The advantage of ready availability of LBFs with high efficiencies and clean emissions is highly favored by solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and wide applications in power generation, transportation, and aviation are expected. Direct and indirect utilizations are believed to have great significance in using short-chain and long-chain LBFs, respectively. Still, an overall summarization relevant to these fuels' usage, including both SOFC technologies and reforming processes, is messy and incomplete. Therefore, significant work has been done to integrate this in-formation into a review. Here, the catalogs of LBFs are summarized, and SOFC fundamentals are discussed to offer basic views of LBFs utilization. SOFC anodes and reforming catalysts are thoroughly discussed for direct and indirect utilization, respectively, and approaches for enhancements around the problems such as carbon depo-sition and active metal sintering are also included.

Automated summary

Liquid biofuels, as renewable and sulfur-free energy supplements, are favored by solid oxide fuel cells for their high efficiency and clean emissions. Direct and indirect utilizations are important for short-chain and long-chain liquid biofuels, respectively. However, the overall summary of their usage, including SOFC technologies and reforming processes, is currently messy and incomplete.