A load leveling system includes a fuel cell inverter, a direct current (DC) load bank, and a controller. The fuel cell inverter is configured to receive DC power generated by a fuel cell assembly. The DC load bank is connected to the fuel cell assembly in parallel with the fuel cell inverter. The controller is in communication with the fuel cell inverter and the DC load bank. The controller is configured to identify a reduction in a load being drawn by the fuel cell inverter. Responsive to the identification of the reduction of the load, the controller is also configured to divert the DC power generated by the fuel cell assembly from the fuel cell inverter to the DC load bank to prevent load cycling of the fuel cell assembly.

A method of making an electrolyte matrix includes: preparing a slurry comprising a support material, a coarsening inhibitor, an electrolyte material, and a solvent; and drying the slurry to form an electrolyte matrix. The support material comprises lithium aluminate, the coarsening inhibitor comprises a material selected from the group consisting of MnO.sub.2, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, LiFe.sub.2O.sub.3, and mixtures thereof, and the coarsening inhibitor has a particle size of about 0.005 m to about 0.5 m.

A gas diffusion electrode has a microporous layer on at least one surface of an electrical conducting porous substrate. The microporous layer has at least a first microporous layer in contact with the electrical conducting porous substrate, and a second microporous layer. The gas diffusion electrode has a pore size distribution with a peak at least in a first region of 10 m or more and 100 m or less, a second region of 0.2 m or more and less than 1.0 m, and a third region of 0.050 m or more and less than 0.2 m. The total volume of the pores in the second region is 10% or more and 40% or less of the total volume of the pores in the first region, and the total volume of the pores in the third region is 40% or more and 80% or less of the total volume of the pores in the second region.

A hydrogen fuel, sustainable, closed clean energy cycle based on green chemistry is presented for large scale implementation using a cost effective electrolytic cell. A chemical reaction between salinated (sea) or desalinated (fresh) water (H.sub.2O) and sodium (Na) metal produces hydrogen (H.sub.2) fuel and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) byproduct. The NaOH is reprocessed in a solar powered electrolytic Na metal production plant that can result in excess chlorine (Cl.sub.2) from sodium chloride (NaCl) in sea salt mixed with NaOH, used to effect freezing point lowering of seawater reactant for hydrogen generation at reduced temperatures. The method and molten salt electrolytic cell enable natural separation of NaCl from NaOH, thereby limiting excess Cl.sub.2 production. The recovered NaCl is used to produce concentrated brine solution from seawater for hydrogen generation in cold climates, or becomes converted to sodium carbonate (Na.sub.2CO.sub.3) via the Solvay process for electrolytic production of Na metal without Cl.sub.2 generation.

A caulk composition includes at least one powder component and at least one binder component, such that the powder component has a particle size distribution in the range of 95% less than 25 m and 90% greater than 1 m. A molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) includes a fuel cell stack, a manifold, and the caulk composition disposed in between the fuel cell stack and the manifold.

Disclosed are a method for supplying molten carbonate fuel cell with electrolyte and a molten carbonate fuel cell using the same, wherein a molten carbonate electrolyte is generated from a molten carbonate electrolyte precursor compound in a molten carbonate fuel cell and is supplied to the molten carbonate fuel cell.

A fuel cell module includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks; a manifold configured to provide process gases to and receive process gases from the plurality of fuel cell stacks; and a module housing enclosing the plurality of fuel cell stacks and the manifold. Each of the plurality of fuel cell stacks is individually installable onto the manifold by lowering the fuel cell stack onto the manifold, and is individually removable from the manifold by raising the fuel cell stack from the manifold.

An electrolyte matrix for use with molten carbonate fuel cells having an enhanced stability and lifetime is provided. The electrolyte matrix includes lithium aluminate as a support material and a coarsening inhibitor. The coarsening inhibitor may be in the form of discrete particles or a dopant present in the support material. The coarsening inhibitor may include MnO.sub.2, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, LiFe.sub.2O.sub.3, or mixtures thereof. The coarsening inhibitor prevents the formation of large pores in the electrolyte matrix during operation of the fuel cell, increasing the performance and the service lifetime of the electrolyte matrix.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having a cathode and an anode configured to receive a portion of a hydrocarbon feed and to output an anode exhaust stream comprising carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and water; and an electrolyzer cell having a cathode and an anode. The anode of the electrolyzer cell is configured to receive a first portion of the anode exhaust stream and another portion of the hydrocarbon feed, and to generate a hydrogen stream.

Disclosed are membrane electrode assemblies having a cathode layer comprising a carbon oxide reduction catalyst that promotes reduction of a carbon oxide; an anode layer comprising a catalyst that promotes oxidation of a water; a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) layer disposed between, and in contact with, the cathode layer and the anode layer; and a salt having a concentration of at least about 10 uM in at least a portion of the MEA.