Chinese research team develops coal fuel cell that generates electricity without combustion

A Chinese research team has come up with a coal-based fuel cell that can generate electricity without burning coal, according to a report. Instead of combustion, the system relies on electrochemical oxidation to directly convert coal’s chemical energy into power.

Led by Xie Heping at Shenzhen University, the team has created a zero-carbon-emission direct coal fuel cell (ZC-DCFC). In this process, coal is first pulverised, dried, purified, and pre-treated before being introduced into the anode chamber of the cell.  

Oxygen is supplied at the cathode, where fine coal particles undergo electrochemical reactions across an oxide membrane, producing electricity without the need for steam cycles or mechanical turbines. At the anode outlet, high-purity carbon dioxide is captured on-site and converted into useful byproducts such as synthesis gas or mineral compounds like sodium bicarbonate, enhancing both efficiency and sustainability.

Unlike conventional coal-fired power plants, which burn coal to generate steam for turbines and are limited by the Carnot cycle to about 40% efficiency, the ZC-DCFC avoids combustion and thermal conversion losses, enabling significantly higher theoretical efficiency.

“This process is bound by the Carnot cycle, capping energy efficiency at around 40%. In the ZC-DCFC, by avoiding the efficiency losses associated with combustion and thermal engines, it enables substantially higher theoretical efficiency,” according to Xie’s findings published in the journal Energy Reviews.

Since 2018, the researchers have worked to overcome technical challenges related to materials, durability, fuel processing, and continuous coal feeding. Earlier direct carbon fuel cells faced issues such as low power output and short operational life, but this new design improves scalability, stability, carbon conversion efficiency, and system integration.

The technology could also be applied to deep underground coal seams, potentially enabling electricity generation at depths of up to 2 km. This approach may reduce the need for conventional mining and help address the depletion of shallow coal reserves.

Xie’s group is also spearheading a landmark project under the National Science and Technology Major Project for Deep Earth Probe and Mineral Resources Exploration, launched in 2025.

By adapting the ZC-DCFC to withstand high temperatures, pressures and corrosive environments, the project enables the fuel cell to serve the deep-earth exploration initiative directly.

Wei Zhijiang of HBIS Group Xuansteel noted that scaling the technology from laboratory to industrial use will require significant time and cost optimization. He believed the technology would not be cost-competitive until after 2045.