Developers power plant fuel cells

Although small-scale steam reformers are commercially available today, relatively few small units have been constructed. Small size and suitability on a small scale makes them beneficial for integration into a fuel cell power plant Fuel cell manufacturers are developing advanced miniaturized designs which are more compact for mobile applications. 

The enthusiasm for developing DMFCs (the fuel cell researcher s dream) evolved in the 1960s, which was really the boom period for R D activities on all types of fuel cell technologies, mainly because of NASA s vital need for fuel cell power plants for space vehicles. As early as the 1960s it was recognized that the major challenges in developing DMFCs... 

FuelCell Energy is a partner with Versa Power Systems, Nexant, and Gas Technology Institute to develop more affordable fuel-cell-based technology that uses synthesis gas from a coal gasifier. The key objectives include the development of fuel cell technologies, fabrication processes, and manufacturing capabilities for solid oxide fuel cell stacks for multi-mega-watt power plants. 

The use of electromagnetic techniques represents the final method for process intensification of heat transfer that will be dealt with here. Developments in the fuel cell sector hold out the promise of cheap electric power based on surplus hydrogen in chemical plants. The liberalization of the energy sector has also cut electricity prices and enhanced the attractiveness of using electricity in connection with chemical reactors. The precise regulation possible with electrical processes and their clean, environmentally friendly nature are further inducements for their application. 

Interest in fuel cells on the part of many American electric utilities picked up again in the wake of the 1973-74 oil embargo. The government resumed funding development work for large-scale stationary fuel cell power plants. Overall, Appleby and Foulkes estimated, the government spent about 350 million (1986 dollars) between 1977 and 1984 on development of stationary fuel cells. A roughly equal amount was contributed by utilities and manufacturers. 

These funds will enable TxEC to gain access to " 3.6 million to match local startup funds, 2.5 million to put toward Texas bid for management of an anticipated 2 billion in federal funds, earmarked for an ultra-deepwater research program, 10 million to develop zero-emissions power plant technology, and 15 million to develop a statewide fuel cell industry." ... 

Development of markets at lower volumes of 50-100 tmits/year needs to be facilitated so that design-driven cost reduction can be learned out. Demonstration programs where state or federal commercial buddings are converted to using power from fuel cell power plants should be encouraged. Finally, cost reduction as a key aspect of demonstration programs should be emphasized. 

As distributed generation is an increasing trend, and one which is expected to continue to strongly develop, adoption of fuel cell power plants of the multi-MW size will also increase over the next decade. The regulatory barriers above must be addressed though before the full potential of this generating model can be realised. 

And so we started on developing our own fuel cell models for power plant modeling purposes. To do this, we had to go back to first principles of solid oxide fuel cells and forge relationships compatible with other models of component parts of the system such as turbines, compressors, heat exchangers etc. nuts and bolts. 

A subsidiary of lEC and Toshiba Corp. called ONSI Corp. was formed for the commercial development, production, and marketing of packaged PAEC power plants of up to 1-MW capacities. ONSI is commercially manufacturing 200-kW PAEC systems for use in a PC25 power plant. The power plants are manufactured in a highly automated faciHty, using robotic techniques to assemble the repeating electrode, bipolar separator, etc, units into the fuel cell stack. 

Fhosphoric acid does not have all the properties of an ideal fuel cell electrolyte. Because it is chemically stable, relatively nonvolatile at temperatures above 200 C, and rejects carbon dioxide, it is useful in electric utility fuel cell power plants that use fuel cell waste heat to raise steam for reforming natural gas and liquid fuels. Although phosphoric acid is the only common acid combining the above properties, it does exhibit a deleterious effect on air electrode kinetics when compared with other electrolytes ( ) including such materials as sulfuric and perchloric acids, whose chemical instability at T > 120 C render them unsuitable for utility fuel cell use. In the second part of this paper, we will review progress towards the development of new acid electrolytes for fuel cells. 

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