Fuel cells put to work - market-driven solutions for high performance power
The objective is to mature solid oxide fuel cell systems to a level where they are meeting critical user requirements for efficiency, lifetime and costs. For residential micro combined heat and power and for auxiliary power systems, product prototypes will be developed. For distributed generation, fuel cell stacks in 50 kW systems as well as a new design of stack modules for 250 kW systems will be demonstrated.
Three different systems are developed, each targeting a key market segment: micro combined heat and power (mCHP), auxiliary power units (APU) and distributed generation (DG). The project activities seek to meet the 2012 targets for electrical efficiency for mCHP and APU PowerCores in the Danish SOFC road map, which are 60% (natural gas) and 34% (diesel). The project includes development and demonstration of: a) A functional mCHP (natural gas) PowerCore prototype will be developed and tested to prove the concept. A product prototype meeting critical requirements (apart from lifetime) is made at the end of the project. b) A functional APU (diesel) PowerCore prototype will be developed and tested to prove the concept. c) A new design of stack modules for 250 kW systems for the DG market will be developed and validated. d) Validation of a 10 kW stack module and completion of proof-of-concept of a 50 kW stack module. e) Improved stack designs with higher power density will be developed in order to reduce cost. f) Cells with higher efficiency will be introduced and new slurries will be introduced to give an environmentally friendly production and a reduced cost. g) Improved manufacturing methods suitable for industrial scale production.
Topsoe Fuel Cell has through the years worked with developing SOFC fuel cells which work at high operating temperatures at 600-800 degrees Celsius. The demands for the materials are high but the cells have a high electrical efficiency which can take advantage of many different kinds of fuels, including natural gas and biogas. The technology is expected to play a significant part in the effort of making balance in an energy system which is primarily based on sun and wind. The project has developed a 1,5 kW powerCore™, which can use natural gas as fuel. The unit intergrades all the components that operate at over 300 degrees Celsius. This means that heat exchangers, gas processing, afterburner and even the stacks can obtain up to 100 fuel cells. All in all there has been build teen prototypes of the PowerCore™, which has shown good results in durability and performance. The electrical efficiency is thus increased frome 52 – 62 % while it succeed to reduce the volume from 148 to 35 liters. Today there has been delivered PowerCore™ to a line of extern partners, whom is in the process of incorporating the units in there plant. For the demand that trucks should have eco - friendly electricity supply for the cab and refrigeration, when the truck holds still (APU´s), there has been developed a robust module which is suitable for mass production. Extern partners, whom develop units for electrical supply including trucks, received this in a positive matter. For the bigger systems there has been developed a module containing four stacks which altogether deliver efficiency at 6 kW. Six of these modules has been build and tested. One of the modules has been tested for 1.100 hours where most of the demands were proven. Fuel cells and the stack has done progress in what concerns the method of production and process control where many is published in international magazines or by international conferences’. The good results has inter alia made it possible to establish an attractive cooperation deal with South Koreas third biggest company in SK, likewise have a cooperation deal been made with many European partners. (Forskning i Bioenergi, Brint og Brændselsceller, nr. 42, december 2012)
Key figures
Category
Participants
| Partner | Subsidy | Auto financing |
|---|---|---|
| Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU) | 13,70 mio. DKK | 2,42 mio. DKK |
| TOPSOE FUEL CELL A/S | 40,79 mio. DKK | 61,18 mio. DKK |
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