Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5

Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5 – March 2018

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The Concept Potential Impact

The Bio-HyPP power plant is a combined heat and power (CHP) system that can use both biogas and natural gas as the fuel. The Bio-HyPP concept is based on a hybrid power plant - a combination of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and a micro gas turbine (MGT). The project aims at developing a full-scale technology demonstrator with an electric power output of 30 kW.

The development of the full-scale technology demonstrator of a Hybrid Power Plant in a lab environment suitable for gaseous sustainable biomass feedstock derived from fermentation processes will validate the great potential of the hybrid plant concept as an efficient and energy-sustainable source of heat and electrical power.

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Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5

Welcome to the Fifth Bio-HyPP Newsletter!

During the last months the Bio-HyPP project many components of the hybrid power

plant have been improved to reach the targeted performances.

DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt) investigated theoretically and experimentally the influence of biogas on the auxiliary systems of the SOFC system (reformer and anode gas

In this Issue:

• Project Progress

• Latest & Upcoming Events

• Latest Publications

• Latest & Upcoming Deliverables

• Partner’s section - UNIGE & RINA

recirculation device) confirming the suitability of the recirculation blower.

UNIGE (University of Genoa) developed a dynamic control model to characterize the impact of different valves in the hybrid power plant and it has been found that controlling the valves has a significant impact on the stable operating range of the system. Hiflux designed recuperators for both top economic and top performance demonstrators to achieve required specifications for overall cycle efficiency goals. TU/e (Technical University of Eindhoven) developed and manufactured a high-speed generator prototype and its stator was tested in laboratory static conditions.

In parallel, a Second questionnaire has been prepared to collect feedback and comments from expert stakeholders with the view to plan the future market strategy, in the long term perspective.

For more detailed information about and around the project, we warmly invite you to have a look at our project website:

www.bio-hypp.eu

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Project Progress

Figure 1: Blower test rig Figure 2: CAP Blower

Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5

Optimizing SOFC auxiliary components

Besides the fuel cell itself, an SOFC system usually consists of different auxiliary components such as reformer, anode off-gas recirculation and off-gas burner. The anode gas loop with gas recirculation device and reformer is very important for the operation of an SOFC system. It strongly influences the operating conditions as the recirculation can help to increase the fuel utilisation of the system. This is important as fuel utilisation is a key parameter to achieve high electrical efficiency.The general setup of the anode recirculation loop is described as it follows. Fuel is supplied to the system and prereformed inside the reformer. The steam and heat, needed for the reforming process, are provided by recirculation of the exhaust gas. After that the prereformed fuel gas is supplied to the anode of the SOFC and oxidized during load conditions. The exhaust of the anode is partly fed back via the gas recirculation while the rest is send to the combustor.

The recirculation device is one of the biggest challenges for SOFC systems with anode off-gas recirculation due to the high operating temperature. The recirculation blower chosen for the hybrid power plant has a design speed of 43500 rpm and a design temperature of 1133 K. To characterize the chosen blower a test rig was developed (Figure 1). It consists of a gas supply system for H2, CO2, H2O and N2. The blower (Figure 2) itself was integrated into a furnace together with a flow meter. Based on thermodynamic simulations of the hybrid power plant, the composition of the gas was varied to investigate the behaviour of the blower at different operation points of the hybrid power plant. The analysis of the experimental results shows that the examined recirculation blower fits to the criteria of the hybrid power plant. It can achieve the desired recirculation rates for methane and biogas operation. By varying the speed, the recirculation ratio and therefore the reformer temperature can be controlled. For more datails, please refer to D2.5 “SOFC auxiliary component characterization”.

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Project Progress

Hybrid system emulation

Before coupling a real solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with a micro gas turbine (MGT) to a hybrid power plant, it is beneficial to characterise and get insights about the behaviour of the components when impacted by the other. Therefore, DLR, UNIGE and third party NETL (National Energy Technology Laboratory) have set up test rigs in the past with a real MGT and an emulation of the fuel cell. These facilities were upgraded within the Bio-HyPP project for further investigations. For the details please refer to D3.1 “Upgraded hybrid system emulation rigs”.

Figure 3: Test Facility at UNIGE and test facility (HyPer) at NETL

Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5

UNIGE used the hybrid power plant test rig based on the Turbec T100 to perform tests with different volume sizes at transient conditions. First transient responses due to an on/off bleed valve operation were analysed at three different volumes. A special attention was devoted on surge tests. The tests showed that the surge zone was the same for all cases without any significant volume size effect. Possible surge precursor indicators were obtained to be used for the detection of risky machine operations. NETL used the Hybrid Performance (HyPer) emulator facility, based on the 120 kW Garrett micro gas turbine coupled to a fuel cell emulator to analyse the ancillary manoeuvres start-up and emergency shutdown. Experimental tests proved that emergency shutdown operations can mitigate compressor surge and stall events by opening the cold-air bypass valve and optimizing the ramp rate of the post-combustor fuel valve and gas turbine electric load. Furthermore an innovative control strategy to extend the fuel cell life as the fuel cell degrades was designed and validated at the HyPer facility.Details on the investigations can be found in D3.2 “Hybrid system emulation results”.

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Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5

Project Progress

Experts’ opinion to shape the future of Bio-HyPP

The Bio-HyPP project intends to directly involve a network of expert stakeholders, active in the sectors crucial to the project, in particular biogas and CHP systems related technology. The aim is to collect their vision, suggestions and expectations, discuss specific research results and exchange feedbacks and comments on the present and future of the system developed. An overview of the overall approach is reported in Figure 4.

After the initial analysis of existing solutions already available on the market for combined production of heat and power, the Consortium involved interested stakeholders, creating the Bio-HyPP Stakeholders Group. The Group shared its vision on the future perspective of the European Energy market and the future development of biogas and natural gas-related technologies via a first questionnaire.With these inputs in mind, the project proceeded selecting the most profitable business models to address selected target customers categories.In the next months, the Bio-HyPP Stakeholders Group will be involved once again via a second online questionnaire focused on Bio-HyPP system’s features and uniqueness. The aim is to balance system features with stakeholders’ needs and supporting a balanced market approach, in the long-term perspective.This approach aims to collect different opinions, inputs and expectations with the view to shape a sustainable business model for the system, supporting the technology once it will be validated and ready for the market. Please, contact us if you are interested in joining our Stakeholders Group, by clicking here.

Figure 4: Stakeholders engagement workflow

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University of Genoa

UNIGE (University of Genoa) is a public research University located in the city of Genoa, Italy, highly focused on scientific and technical studies. The research on hybrid power systems are carried out by the TPG (Thermochemical Power Group).

RINA

RINA is a global corporation that provides engineering and consultancy services, as well as testing, inspection and certification across the Energy, Marine, Transport & Infrastructure and Industry sectors. RINA Consulting is the engineering division of RINA, responsible of the activities carried out in the Bio-HyPP project.

Partner’s Section - This issue presents UNIGE & RINA

The TPG of UNIGE is composed of mechanical and chemical engineers (6 permanent and about 20 associate researchers and Ph.D. students), to perform theoretical and experimental research focusing mainly on: high temperature fuel cell technology (SOFC), performance modelling and control of energy systems, thermoeconomic analysis, turbomachinery and cycle optimization, advanced Cogenerative Heat&Power systems, smart poly-generation grids.

Since 2004, the TPG hosts the University Technology Centre of Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems, now LG Fuel Cell Systems, and in 2017, TPG founded the “HI-SEA” joint laboratory with Fincantieri, the largest italian shipbuilding company.

In the Bio-HyPP project, UNIGE is developing a new test rig for a top-economic hybrid system, where a commercial turbocharger will be operated in recuperated Brayton cycle mode, feeding

the fuel cell vessel.

RINA Consulting brings together a rich heritage of engineering consultancy expertise into one unique organisation. Working alongside clients, as a trusted technical partner, RINA Consulting provides a wide range of traditional and innovative services to critical industry sectors.

RINA Consulting offers R&D projects and consulting services to support companies in process and product development, starting from the strategic evaluation of the technical scenario, to product design, process upscale and market uptake, taking into consideration smart manufacturing technologies, such as big data, analytics and additive manufacturing.

Thanks to multidisciplinary teams and deep knowledge of applications across all sectors RINA Consulting creates value by cross-fertilising ideas between different markets, unlocking engineering productivity and driving value across production and the supply chain, providing also innovative solutions for special waste treatment and valorization and energy-efficient technologies.

Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5

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Shape Energy Sandspits – Turin, Italy

RINA and UNIGE attended the Shape-Energy SandPits event in Turin (Italy) on behalf of Bio-HyPP consortium last 7th-8th of February 2018. The event was an opportunity to promote the project via poster presentation and also via an interesting scientific dissemination workshop where Bio-HyPP targets and outcomes were promoted to the audience.

The list of scientific articles published in the framework of the Bio-HyPP project is available on the “Publications” section of the project website, at the following link:

www.bio-hypp.eu/public-documents/publictions

Special Thematic Session LEAP 03 - Naples, Italy

The 3rd LEAP (Low Emission Advanced Power cycles) session, organized in Naples during the final day of the European Fuel Cell 2017 event (15th December 2017), was used to disseminate project results. Six works related to the Bio-HyPP project were presented during the session by UNIGE, DLR and NETL.

Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5

• D2.5: SOFC auxiliary component characterisation (June 2017, M25)

• D2.6: Optimised electrical drive (January 2018, M32)

• D3.2: Hybrid system emulation results (November 2017, M30)

• D3.3: Control system implementation and validation (May 2018, M36)

• D4.2: Hybrid power plant with optimized components (May 2018, M36)

• D5.6: Second stakeholders’ vision document (May 2018, M36)

All the public deliverables are available for download on the section “Public Deliverables” of the Bio-HyPP website:

www.bio-hypp.eu/public-documents/public-deliverables

Latest & Upcoming Events

Latest and Upcoming Deliverables

Latest Publications

Project Information Project Coordinator

Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 2

organizzerò

The Consortium

Start date: 1 June 2015End date: 31 May 2019Duration: 48 monthsProject reference: 641073

Melanie Herbst

Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- undRaumfahrt e.V. (DLR)Pfaffenwaldring 38-4070569 Stuttgart, Germanywww.dlr.de

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation

programme under grant agreement No 641073

www.bio-hypp.eu info@bio-hypp.eu

Bio-HyPP Newsletter Issue 5