Performance Evaluation of a Low-temperature-type AMTEC Cell

Abstract

The present paper discusses the operation of a low-temperature-type AMTEC cell. The cell consistsof a sodium beta″-alumina solid electrolyte tube of 3 mm in outer diameter and capillary tubes of 50 μm in inside diameter. Experiments were conducted with porous molybdenum electrodes, and themeasured maximum power density of the cell was 0.13 Wcm^-2 at 900 K. Electrochemical analysis withthe A.C. impedance measurement was also performed under D.C. polarized conditions, and the internalresistances of the cell were examined. Based on these experimental results, the influence of the sodiumvapor flow resistances in the cathode side for multi-tube type cells was evaluated. The parametricanalysis shows that the low-temperature cell operating at 900 K has a predicted output power of 0.71 Wper unit container base area. In this case, its performance is superior or equal to that of the high-temperature-type cells typically operating at 1,100 K.