scholarly journals Ammonia-based Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for zero emission maritime power: a case study

2022 ◽  
Vol 334 ◽  
pp. 06007
Author(s):  
Simona Di Micco ◽  
Mariagiovanna Minutillo ◽  
Luca Mastropasqua ◽  
Viviana Cigolotti ◽  
Jack Brouwer
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Diesel Engine ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Propulsion System ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Heavy Fuel Oil

Implementing environmentally friendly fuels and high efficiency propulsion technologies to replace the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) fueled by fossil fuels such as Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) on board ships represents an attractive solution for maritime power. In this context, fuel cells can play a crucial role, thanks to their high energy efficiency and ultra-low to zero criteria pollutant emissions and environmental impact. This paper performs the technical feasibility analysis for replacing the conventional diesel engine powertrain on board a commercial vessel with an innovative system consisting of ammonia-fuel-based Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology. Taking into account the size of the diesel engines installed on board and the typical cruise performed by the commercial vessel, the ammonia consumption, as well as the optimal size of the innovative propulsion system have been assessed. In particular, the SOFC powertrain is sized at the same maximum power output as the main reference diesel engine. The mass and energy balances of the ammonia-based SOFC system have been performed in Aspen PlusTM environment. The gravimetric (kWh kg−1) and volumetric (kWh m−3) energy density features of the ammonia storage technology as well as the weight and volume of the proposed propulsion system are evaluated for verifying the compliance with the ship’s weight and space requirements. Results highlight that the proposed propulsion system involves an increase in weight both in the engine room and in the fuel room compared to the diesel engine and fuel. In particular, a cargo reduction of about 2.88% is necessary to fit the ammonia-based SOFC system compared to the space available in the reference diesel-fueled ship.

Surge Prevention Techniques for a Turbocharged Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid System

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Mantelli ◽  
M. L. Ferrari ◽  
A. Traverso
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Rotational Speed ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Oxide Fuel

Abstract Pressurized solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems are one of the most promising technologies to achieve high energy conversion efficiencies and reduce pollutant emissions. The most common solution for pressurization is the integration with a micro gas turbine, a device capable of exploiting the residual energy of the exhaust gas to compress the fuel cell air intake and, at the same time, generating additional electrical power. The focus of this study is on an alternative layout, based on an automotive turbocharger, which has been more recently considered by the research community to improve cost effectiveness at small size (< 100 kW), despite reducing slightly the top achievable performance. Such turbocharged SOFC system poses two main challenges. On one side, the absence of an electrical generator does not allow the direct control of the rotational speed, which is determined by the power balance between turbine and compressor. On the other side, the presence of a large volume between compressor and turbine, due to the fuel cell stack, alters the dynamic behavior of the turbocharger during transients, increasing the risk of compressor surge. The pressure oscillations associated with such event are particularly detrimental for the system, because they could easily damage the materials of the fuel cells. The aim of this paper is to investigate different techniques to drive the operative point of the compressor far from the surge condition when needed, reducing the risks related to transients and increasing its reliability. By means of a system dynamic model, developed using the TRANSEO simulation tool by TPG, the effect of different anti-surge solutions is simulated: (i) intake air conditioning, (ii) water spray at compressor inlet, (iii) air bleed and recirculation, and (iv) installation of an ejector at the compressor intake. The pressurized fuel cell system is simulated with two different control strategies, i.e. constant fuel mass flow and constant turbine inlet temperature. Different solutions are evaluated based on surge margin behavior, both in the short and long terms, but also monitoring other relevant physical quantities of the system, such as compressor pressure ratio and turbocharger rotational speed.

System Configuration and Performance Studies of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell -Gas Turbine Hybrid Cycle

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Jiang ◽  
Ruxian Fang ◽  
Jamil A. Khan ◽  
Roger A. Dougal
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Finite Volume ◽  
Hybrid System ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Hybrid Cycle

Fuel Cell is widely regarded as a potential alternative in the electric utility due to its distinct advantages of high energy conversion efficiency, low environmental impact and flexible uses of fuel types. In this paper we demonstrate the enhancement of thermal efficiency and power density of the power plant system by incorporating a hybrid cycle of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and gas turbine with appropriate configurations. In this paper, a hybrid system composed of SOFC, gas turbine, compressor and high temperature heat exchanger is developed and simulated in the Virtual Test Bed (VTB) computational environment. The one-dimensional tubular SOFC model is based on the electrochemical and thermal modeling, accounting for the voltage losses and temperature dynamics. The single cell is discretized using a finite volume method where all the governing equations are solved for each finite volume. Simulation results show that the SOFC-GT hybrid system could achieve a 70% total electrical efficiency (LHV) and an electrical power output of 853KW, around 30% of which is produced by the power turbine. Two conventional power plant systems, i.e. gas turbine recuperative cycle and pure Fuel Cell power cycle, are also simulated for the performance comparison to validate the improved performance of Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine hybrid system. Finally, the dynamic behavior of the hybrid system is presented and analyzed based on the system simulation.

Understanding Transport and Reaction Processes in the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anode at Sub-50 nm Resolution

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Izzo ◽  
Abhijit S. Joshi ◽  
Kyle N. Grew ◽  
Wilson K. S. Chiu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Pore Scale ◽  
Continue Development ◽  
Reaction Processes ◽  
Fuel Cell Anode

The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) holds great promise for a variety of portable power based applications because of the fuel flexibility and gravimetric power densities that it can maintain. These advantages are a product of the SOFC’s ability to directly use a wide variety of hydrocarbon based fuels that maintain high energy densities and are relatively easy to store. Models can be developed to describe the operation of SOFCs, where the pore structure is described with idealized structures or quantified with parameters. However, there are discrepancies in fundamental descriptions within these models resulting from a lack of a fundamental understanding of the physics of the associated pore scale processes. To continue development efforts, an improved understanding of the role of the anode microstructure at the pore scale and below is required. This paper will review our effort to develop such an understanding through anode structure reconstruction and characterization using non-destructive high resolution x-ray computed tomography (XCT).

Surge Prevention Techniques for a Turbocharged Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid System

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Mantelli ◽  
Mario L. Ferrari ◽  
Alberto Traverso
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Surge Margin ◽  
Compressor Inlet

Abstract Pressurized solid oxide fuel cell systems are one of the most promising technologies to achieve high efficiencies and reduce pollutant emissions. This study focuses on an innovative layout, based on an automotive turbocharger, which improves cost effectiveness at small size (<100 kW), despite reducing slightly the efficiency compared to micro gas turbines based layouts. This turbocharged system poses two main challenges. On one side, the absence of an electrical generator does not allow the direct control of the rotational speed. On the other side, the large volume of the fuel cell stack between compressor and turbine alters the dynamic behavior of the turbocharger during transients, increasing the risk of compressor surge. The pressure oscillations associated with surge are particularly detrimental for the system and could damage the materials of the fuel cells. The aim of this paper is to investigate different techniques to drive the operative point of the compressor far from the surge condition when needed, increasing its reliability. Using a system dynamic model, developed with the TRANSEO tool by TPG, the effect of different anti-surge solutions is simulated: (i) water spray at compressor inlet, (ii) compressor fogging, (iii) air bleed, (iv) recirculation and (iv) ejector-aided recirculation at compressor intake. The system is simulated with two different control strategies, i.e. constant fuel mass flow and constant turbine inlet temperature. Different solutions are evaluated based on surge margin behavior, both in the short and long terms, but also monitoring other relevant physical quantities of the system.

High Temperature Stationary Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems in the Renewable Future

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabian Mueller ◽  
Brian Tarroja
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Cell Systems ◽  
Load Following ◽  
And Control ◽  
Energy Conversion Devices

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are attractive emerging energy conversion devices. Particularly, SOFC electrochemically react fuel and oxygen to generate electricity efficiently with ultra low pollutant emissions. For SOFC systems to be widely utilized in the future, SOFC will have to be effectively integrated with a wide array of energy resources and conversion devices including base-loaded nuclear and coal as well as renewables. Load following generators and/or energy storage will be required to manage intermittent renewables. Base-loaded fuel cell systems (i.e., present day SOFCs) that use potentially dispatchable fuel resources will be increasingly difficult to market. Fuel generators such as SOFCs that can load follow with ultra-low emissions will become increasingly attractive, particularly in future grid scenarios with increased renewables. Simulations results are shown in the paper that demonstrates the intermittent challenge of renewables and the potential for SOFC systems to provide load following capability. SOFCs have the potential to be very attractive load following generators which achieve high efficiencies at part load with low emissions. Research and development is needed to understand solid oxide fuel cell system and control development to minimize dynamics that can degrade the fuel cell during load following. Understanding of degradation of optimally controlled fuel cell is needed to fully understand the true potential of SOFC systems in future grids with increased intermittent renewable penetration.

A High-Energy Module Containing a Micro-Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Coupled with Catalytic Partial Oxidation of n-Butane

2019 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 339-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jixin Shi ◽  
Siqi Gong ◽  
Hongyu Zeng ◽  
Tianyu Cao ◽  
Yixiang Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Partial Oxidation ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Catalytic Partial Oxidation ◽  
Oxide Fuel

Effect of Anode-Off Gas Recirculation at Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seugnwhan Baek ◽  
Yongmin Kim ◽  
Joongmyeon Bae
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Total Efficiency ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cell System ◽  
Diesel Reformer

The aim of this work is to analyze system efficiency when anode-off gases are recirculated at a diesel driven solid oxide fuel cell system. Diesel was chosen as a fuel due to advantages of its high energy density and well-established infrastructure. Three systems were mainly investigated which have different system configurations. First system does not use recirculation of anode-off gas at the system. At second model anode-off gases are recirculated to a diesel reformer in the system. Finally anode-off gases are recirculated to the anode side of a solid oxide fuel cell stack. Three different systems are compared in terms of total efficiency, performances of diesel reformer and solid oxide fuel cell. It was found that various inlet conditions and split conditions would make differences of total efficiencies and component performances at the three different systems.

Results Using Processed Acetylene Fuel Stream in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Alan Burke ◽  
Louis G. Carreiro ◽  
R. Craig Urian
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power System ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cell Stack ◽  
High Energy Storage ◽  
Fuel Stream

Preliminary results indicate that acetylene and hydrogen peroxide are viable reactants for a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. Acetylene was hydrogenated and reformed to a suitable feed at the anode while hydrogen peroxide was decomposed to provide oxygen to the cathode. Roughly 45% fuel and oxidant utilization were demonstrated on a SOFC stack manufactured by Delphi Corporation (Troy, MI). These reactants offer high energy storage as well as an entirely self-contained power system with no exhaust streams. Such attributes are favorable for undersea vehicles and perhaps other applications that require a self-contained or air-independent power system.

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