The Role of Small Distributed Natural Gas Fuel Cell Technologies in the Smart Energy Grid

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua D. Rhodes ◽  
Kazunori Nagasawa ◽  
Charles Upshaw ◽  
Michael E. Webber
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Smart Grid ◽  
Electricity Markets ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
System Efficiency ◽  
Solar Pv ◽  
End User ◽  
Gas Fuel

As the utility grid evolves to transmit information along with energy and water to the end-user, the traditional grid model is changing. The Pecan Street Smart Grid Demonstration Project in Austin, TX is at the leading edge of the evolution of the smart grid. Currently, over 100 homes, soon to be 1,000, have electricity demand information being measured on a 15 second interval. Using the highly granular energy use and solar generation data from Pecan Street, we attempt to estimate the potential for small natural gas fuel cells as distributed firming power for intermittent renewables in the built environment. Micro-grids have traditionally relied on the macro-grid for stabilization in the event of local interruptions in generation. In this paper we analyze the utility, economic, and system efficiency impacts of small distributed natural gas fuel cells as an alternative to the macro-grid for stabilization. Using our unique dataset, we have determined that the average home could utilize a 5.5 kW fuel cell either for total generation or backup, and the average home could operate as its own micro-grid while not sacrificing core functionality. We also explore the utility of matching the thermal output of a possibly smaller fuel cell, used in combined heat and power mode (CHP), to an absorption refrigeration system in place of traditional space cooling. With these types of energy assets, homes could possibly participate with local electricity markets, or the grid at large, in a highly dynamic way. A home energy network could, given homeowner set-points, adjust home uses of energy and sell high priced electricity back to the grid, possibly from both solar PV and fuel cell production, possibly eliminating energy bills. Lastly, we estimate that the system efficiency could possibly double by transporting natural gas to the end user to be converted into electricity and hot water as compared with traditional methods of using natural gas for power generation followed by electricity delivery.

Optimization of a Natural Gas Fuel Cell Power Plant without Carbon Capture

2021 ◽  
Vol MA2021-03 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-26
Author(s):  
Alexander Noring ◽  
Miguel Zamarripa-Perez ◽  
Arun Iyengar ◽  
Anthony Burgard ◽  
Jie Bao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Gas Fuel

Study on an integrated natural gas fuel processor for 2-kW solid oxide fuel cell

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (45) ◽  
pp. 15491-15502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changjun Ni ◽  
Zhongshan Yuan ◽  
Sheng Wang ◽  
Deyi Li ◽  
Cheng Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Fuel Processor ◽  
Gas Fuel

Fuel Cell Temperature Control With a Pre-Combustor in SOFC Gas Turbine Hybrids During Load Changes

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Zaccaria ◽  
Zachary Branum ◽  
David Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Thermal Stresses ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
System Efficiency ◽  
Temperature Deviation ◽  
Conservation Of Energy ◽  
The Impact

The use of high temperature fuel cells, such as Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), for power generation, is considered a very efficient and clean solution to conservation of energy resources. Especially when the SOFC is coupled with a gas turbine, the global system efficiency can go beyond 70% on natural gas LHV. However, the durability of the ceramic material and the system operability can be significantly penalized by thermal stresses due to temperature fluctuations and non-even temperature distributions. Thermal management of the cell during load following is therefore very critical. The purpose of this work was to develop and test a pre-combustor model for real-time applications in hardware-based simulations, and to implement a control strategy in order to keep cathode inlet temperature as constant as possible during different operative conditions of the system. The real-time model of the pre-combustor was incorporated into the existing SOFC model and tested in a hybrid system facility, where a physical gas turbine and hardware components were coupled with a cyber-physical fuel cell for flexible, accurate, and cost-reduced simulations. The control of the fuel flow to the pre-combustor was proven to be very effective in maintaining a constant cathode inlet temperature during a step change in fuel cell load. After imposing a 20 A load variation to the fuel cell, the controller managed to keep the temperature deviation from the nominal value below 0.3% (2 K). Temperature gradients along the cell were maintained below 10 K/cm. An efficiency analysis was performed in order to evaluate the impact of the pre-combustor on the overall system efficiency.

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells for Retrofitting Postcombustion CO2 Capture in Coal and Natural Gas Power Plants

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Spinelli ◽  
Stefano Campanari ◽  
Stefano Consonni ◽  
Matteo C. Romano ◽  
Thomas Kreutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Co2 Capture ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Co2 Separation ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

The state-of-the-art conventional technology for postcombustion capture of CO2 from fossil-fueled power plants is based on chemical solvents, which requires substantial energy consumption for regeneration. A promising alternative, available in the near future, is the application of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) for CO2 separation from postcombustion flue gases. Previous studies related to this technology showed both high efficiency and high carbon capture rates, especially when the fuel cell is thermally integrated in the flue gas path of a natural gas-fired combined cycle or an integrated gasification combined cycle plant. This work compares the application of MCFC-based CO2 separation process to pulverized coal fired steam cycles (PCC) and natural gas combined cycles (NGCC) as a “retrofit” to the original power plant. Mass and energy balances are calculated through detailed models for both power plants, with fuel cell behavior simulated using a 0D model calibrated against manufacturers' specifications and based on experimental measurements, specifically carried out to support this study. The resulting analysis includes a comparison of the energy efficiency and CO2 separation efficiency as well as an economic comparison of the cost of CO2 avoided (CCA) under several economic scenarios. The proposed configurations reveal promising performance, exhibiting very competitive efficiency and economic metrics in comparison with conventional CO2 capture technologies. Application as a MCFC retrofit yields a very limited (<3%) decrease in efficiency for both power plants (PCC and NGCC), a strong reduction (>80%) in CO2 emission and a competitive cost for CO2 avoided (25–40 €/ton).

The Off-Grid Zero Emission Building

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Kramer ◽  
Anjaneyulu Krothapalli ◽  
Brenton Greska
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Water Electrolysis ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Environment Design ◽  
Office Space

This paper deals with the Off-Grid Zero Emissions Building (OGZEB), a project undertaken by the Sustainable Energy Science & Engineering Center (SESEC) at Florida State University (FSU). The project involves the design, construction and operation of a completely solar-powered building that achieves LEED-NC (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design-New Construction) platinum certification. The resulting 1000 square foot building will be partitioned such that 750 square feet will be a two bedroom, graduate student style flat with the remaining 250 square feet serving as office space. This arrangement will allow the building to serve as an energy efficient model for campus designers in student living and office space. The building will also serve as a prototype for developing and implementing cutting edge, alternative energy technologies in both residential and commercial settings. For example, hydrogen will be used extensively in meeting the energy needs of the OGZEB. In lieu of high efficiency batteries, the excess electricity produced by the building’s photovoltaic (PV) panels will be used to generate hydrogen via water electrolysis. The hydrogen will be stored on-site until needed for either generating electricity in a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack or combusted in natural gas appliances that have been modified for hydrogen use. Although commercial variants already exist, a highly efficient water electrolysis device and innovative PEM fuel cell are currently under development at SESEC and both will be implemented into the OGZEB. The use of hydrogen in modified natural gas appliances, such as an on-demand hot water heater and cook top, is unique to the OGZEB.

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