LAUSR

The use of low-rank coal in a clean and efficient manner is a major challenge facing the current coal technology. A high-sulfur coal with 4.5 wt% sulfur is chosen to examine the compatibility of the pristine coal and the purified contrast with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with nickel cermet anodes. Desulfurization of the pristine coal is performed by molten caustic leaching method with a removal ratio of 80%. Analyses of the physicochemical properties of coal samples indicate that the purified coal has a more favorable structure and higher Boudouard reactivity, which is suitable as a fuel for fuel cells. The assessment of electrochemical performance reveals that the purification treatment not only makes the peak power density of SOFCs improve from 115 to 221 mW cm at 900°C but also extends their durability from 1.7 to 11.2 hours under a current density of 50 mA cm at 850°C with a fuel availability increasing from 6.25% to 40%. The postmortem analyses show that far less deposited carbon and nickel sulfide are observed on the anode surface. The fuel-based investigation reveals that the purified coal is a promising fuel for direct carbon fuel cells.