Download Adapting Planar SOFCs to Coal and Biomass

Statement of Objectives
Adapting Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cells for use with Solid Fuel Sources
in the Production of Distributed Power
DE-FG36-03GO13059
Ohio University
Dr. David J. Bayless
Department of Mechanical Engineering
251 Stocker Center
Athens, OH 45701-2979
Phone 740 593 0264
Fax 740 593 4902
Email: [email protected]
Commercialization of fuel cells capable of using abundant domestic supplies of coal and biomass
is not only critical to development of power-related industries in Ohio, it also has much broader
economic and infrastructure security implications. At present, fuel cell development is focused
on using natural gas, ignoring a plentiful, inexpensive, and domestically available fuel source –
syngas derived from solid fuels such as coal and biomass. While the present fuel focus of natural
gas is necessary for immediate platform deployment, experts, including the Department of
Energy, are strongly encouraging syngas fuel development. Potentially, coal- and biomassderived syngas offers a less expensive and more stable priced fuel source than natural gas, which
typically costs 200%-400% of cost of coal per unit energy. Not only does syngas make the
economics of large-scale distributed power via fuel cells more favorable, it enhances national
energy security through less reliance on foreign fuel and more distributed power, which does not
depend on long distance transmission lines.
Because we are focusing our research efforts on the planar solid oxide fuel cell platform, which
can use CO as a fuel, it may also be possible to separate the CO from the H2 produced during
gasification of the solid fuel. The CO or CO enriched stream could be used to fuel the planar
solid oxide fuel cells for stationary power generation, while a pure H2 stream could be used to
supply transportation fuel cell needs. Finally, it should be noted that the specific application of
small-scaled gasification units would make wide-scale distribution more likely (than high capital
cost larger units), meaning that more rural areas could have viable sources of H2 for
transportation use when the hydrogen economy is realized.
This project, in conjunction with requested funding from the State of Ohio, combines a research
and development program that will focus on demonstrating the use of planar solid oxide fuel
cells with syngas derived from solid fuel. Funding from the State of Ohio, should it be received,
would focus on the research and development necessary for commercialization.
The objectives of the proposed program are (1) integration of existing solid oxide fuel cells
(SOFC) and coal-derived syngas technologies, (2) pilot-scale demonstration of the combined
technology, (3) full-scale demonstration in a cogeneration power plant at Ohio University and if
funding from the State of Ohio is received (4) compilation, analysis and assimilation of
operating data and experience. Integration of the technologies will include (a) modeling of SOFC
with syngas to predict the effects of the composition and elevated temperature of syngas on the
chemical reactions and energy conversion of the fuel cell, (b) performance testing of the cells
using synthetic syngas, a fixed mixture of gases that simulate coal-derived syngas, with and
without contaminants, including sulfur, mercury, and particulates, and (c) development of hotgas electrostatic separation and precipitation to purify the syngas stream. Pilot-scale
demonstration, with a minimum test duration of 1000 hours, will be performed with small SOFC
stacks. Full-scale demonstration will entail long-term performance testing of an equivalent 50
kWe SOFC stack in a cogeneration power plant.