Advanced and Robust metal supported Cell with proton conducting ceramic for electrolysis Applications in Defossilized Energy systems – ARCADE

Electrolysis and green hydrogen are going to play a key role in a near future to defossilize industrial processes that are CO2 intensives such as the production of synthetic chemicals or fuels and hydrogen for other industrial applications, and to balance the fluctuation from the renewables. As an intermediate step of the energy transition, the utilization of waste heat from CO2 intensive processes such as methanol synthesis, in high temperature electrolysis is a key to increase the yield and reduce emission of CO2
Operating typically between 400°C and 600°C, Proton Conducting Cells are particularly promising for such application. In particular, production or consumption of steam at the air electrode makes those cells highly flexible and of particular interest for Energy Systems and Chemical Industry. Despite their advantages, development of Proton Conducting Cells is still behind the development of conventional High Temperature Solid Oxide Cells. ARCADE aims at the development of a low cost and innovative Metal Supported Proton Conducting Cell at an industrially relevant footprint (ca. 100 cm²) targeting Green Hydrogen production and Power to X application primarily. Goal is to reach a performance level of -450 mW / cm² at 1.5 V and 600°C in electrolysis.
Compared to main streams Solid Oxide Cells, Metal Supported Cell architecture allows a significant cost reduction, while enhancing internal thermal management and thus heat integration in the electrolysis process. Moreover, operation in range 400°C-600°C offer higher yield compared to low temperature electrolysis technologies and thus hydrogen production at reduced costs.
In the frame of the franco-german call, ARCADE enable to gather the complementary unique expertise of 3 academic partners: CNRS, in France, EIFER and DLR in Germany – enabling exchanges of young scientists – and 2 industrial partners, Ceraco in Germany, and Air Liquide in France. Targeting at ambitious goals, ARCADE aims at developing a scientific and technological leadership that may result in a speed up of the energetic transition in both countries and more globally in Europe. On the long term, the new generation of electrochemical reactors and processes will unlock novel electrosynthesis routes for fine chemicals which will enable to defossilize the chemical industry.