Modern society has become reliant on battery powered electronic devices such as cell phones and laptop computers. The standard way of recharging these devices is by connecting to a reticulated electricity supply. In situations with no electricity supply some other recharging method is required. Such a possibility is a small, portable, generator based on fuel cell technology, specifically mini-tubular solid oxide fuel cells (MT-SOFC). MT-SOFCs have been developed since the 1990s but there is limited analysis, discussion or research on developing and constructing a portable generator based on MT-SOFC technology. Such a generator, running on a portable gas supply, requires combining the key aspects of cell performance, a heating and fuel reforming system, and cell manifolds. Cell design, fuel type, fuel flow rate, current-collection method and operating temperature all greatly affected MT-SOFCs performance. Segmenting the cathode significantly increased the power output. Maximum power density from an electrolyte supported MT-SOFC was 140 mW/cm2. The partial oxidation reactor (POR) developed provided the required heat to maintain the MT-SOFCs at an operating temperature suitable for generating electricity. The exhaust gas from the POR was a suitable fuel for MT-SOFCs, having sufficient carbon monoxide and hydrogen to generate electricity. Various manifold materials were evaluated including solid metal blocks and folded sheet metal. It was found that manifolds made from easily worked alumina fibre board decreased the thermal stresses and therefore the fracture rate of the MT-SOFCs. The final prototype developed comprised a partial oxidation reactor and MT-SOFCs mounted in alumina fibre board manifolds within a well-insulated enclosure, which could be run on LPG. Calculated efficiency of the final prototype was 4%. If all the carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced by the partial oxidation reactor were converted to electrical energy, efficiency would increase to 39%. Under ideal conditions, efficiency would be 78%. Efficiency of the prototype can be improved by increasing the fuel and oxygen utilisation ratios, ensuring heat from the exhaust gases is transferred to the incoming gases, and improving the methods for collecting current at both the anode and cathode.

在空氣污染、溫室效應及能源危機日益嚴重下，又鑑於移動污染源(也就是汽車排放)是空氣污 染之最大原凶，民國 80 年政府政策宣誓，建設液化石油氣汽車加氣站改善空污，責成中國石油 公司開始辦理台北、台中、高雄三座示範站。 用液化石油氣為燃料之車輛，具有經濟、環保、安全的特性；(經濟性)在車輛使用人立即節省 40%燃料費支出，(環保性)是燃料完全燃燒不排放二氧化碳、苯、硫、鉛等致癌物質，(安全性) 是使用液化石油氣(註一、)為燃料車輛較使用汽油為燃料之車輛更安全,歐盟環保亦已此為重點 項目之一，大力推行。 此一行業在政府鼓勵下，從民國 82 年起發展，燃料由中油、台塑提供車用液化石油氣，車輛使 用人在汽車加汽站取得灌裝，整個產業鏈是自國外進口車輛改裝套件、在國內設備認證改裝簽 證、國內設置汽車加氣站加氣服務，合格改裝廠為車輛維修保養，是當下發展成熟又環保之產 品，理當政府扶持且鼓勵， 但近年政府在利益團體遊說下，調整了政策,本研究嘗試從相關液化石油氣加氣站產業鏈環保現 況發展、市場競爭、業者努力、政府政策，得出不同因素影響下，在合理狀況，作出決策探詢 加氣站未來經營方向。