Fuel cells for transportation program: FY1997 national laboratory annual report

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed a novel system for combined-cycle power generation, called the LAJ cycle. This system could serve as a basis for the development of a new generation of high-efficiency combined cycles. In one of several possible configurations of the new combined-cycle fossil fuel power system, natural gas enters the system at 4.0 MPa and about 300 K, is heated and reformed, and is transferred to a turbine at 4.0 MPa and 1200 K. The gas expands in the turbine to 0.6 MPa and 800 K, and then flows successively to heat exchangers and a condenser-separator, after which it is separated into two gas streams, one containing principally CO with some CH4 and water vapor and the other containing pure H2. The CO and H2 flow to separate fuel cells and undergo electrochemical oxidation with the concomitant production of electricity. Separate streams of water and carbon dioxide (CO2) are produced, making this cycle compatible with carbon mitigation strategies based on sequestration. Model calculations indicate combined-cycle efficiencies greater than 70% based on the lower heating value of natural gas. The high efficiencies realized result from a combination of the high-pressure natural gas reformate expansion and the highly efficient CO and H2 fuel cells. Most of the power derives from the fuel cells in the system.

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Recent advances in direct methanol fuel cells at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Journal of Power Sources ◽

10.1016/s0378-7753(99)00407-3 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 86 (1-2) ◽

pp. 111-116 ◽

Cited By ~ 552

Author(s):

Xiaoming Ren ◽

Piotr Zelenay ◽

Sharon Thomas ◽

John Davey ◽

Shimshon Gottesfeld

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Direct Methanol Fuel Cells ◽

National Laboratory ◽

Alamos National Laboratory ◽

Los Alamos ◽

Los Alamos National Laboratory ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Direct Methanol ◽

Methanol Fuel Cells

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DOE FE Distributed Generation Program

Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology ◽

10.1115/1.1782920 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 18-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Mark C. Williams ◽

Bruce R. Utz ◽

Kevin M. Moore

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Distributed Generation ◽

High Efficiency ◽

High Reliability ◽

National Laboratory ◽

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory ◽

Hydrogen Economy ◽

Wide Range ◽

The U.S

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy’s (FE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), in partnership with private industries, is leading the development and demonstration of high efficiency solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and fuel cell turbine hybrid power generation systems for near term distributed generation (DG) markets with an emphasis on premium power and high reliability. NETL is partnering with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in developing new directions in research under the Solid-State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) initiative for the development and commercialization of modular, low cost, and fuel flexible SOFC systems. The SECA initiative, through advanced materials, processing and system integration research and development, will bring the fuel cell cost to $400 per kilowatt (kW) for stationary and auxiliary power unit (APU) markets. The President of the U.S. has launched us into a new hydrogen economy. The logic of a hydrogen economy is compelling. The movement to a hydrogen economy will accomplish several strategic goals. The U.S. can use its own domestic resources—solar, wind, hydro, and coal. The U.S. uses 20 percent of the world’s oil but has only 3 percent of resources. Also, the U.S. can reduce green house gas emissions. Clear Skies and Climate Change initiatives aim to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions. SOFCs have no emissions, so they figure significantly in these DOE strategies. In addition, DG—SOFCs, reforming, energy storage—has significant benefit for enhanced security and reliability. The use of fuel cells in cars is expected to bring about the hydrogen economy. However, commercialization of fuel cells is expected to proceed first through portable and stationary applications. This logic says to develop SOFCs for a wide range of stationary and APU applications, initially for conventional fuels, then switch to hydrogen. Like all fuel cells, the SOFC will operate even better on hydrogen than conventional fuels. The SOFC hybrid is a key part of the FutureGen plants. FutureGen is a major new Presidential initiative to produce hydrogen from coal. The highly efficient SOFC hybrid plant will produce electric power and other parts of the plant could produce hydrogen and sequester CO2. The hydrogen produced can be used in fuel cell cars and for SOFC DG applications.

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