Palouse hills - labs.wsu.edu

2/18© Dr. Dustin McLarty, 2017

» Land grant Institution founded in 1890» 29,686 Students (20,043 at Pullman Campus)

Set among the scenic Palouse hills


How does pressurization affect performance?Are there alternative system configurations that enable pressurized operation?

How do we incorporate the slower transients of high temperature fuel cells with energy storage to meet local demands

What role can solid oxide technology and the hydrogen economy play in sustainable systems

Pressurized SOFC/SOEC

Micro-grid control

Food-Energy-Water Nexus


» WSU’s test stand development˃ Testing challenges

» Why Pressurized SOFC/SOEC?˃ Higher FC operating voltage (also with pure O2 cathode)˃ Potential for low energy H2 recovery, in-situ methanation, ammonia co-

production, integrated carbon capture & liquefaction˃ Reduce/eliminate high temperature air heat exchangers (with pure O2

cathode)˃ Potential for continuous H2 production in both modes (integrate with H2

liquefier being developed at WSU)

» What will CESI lab test?˃ Pre-commercial SOFC cells (100mm X 100mm) at 0-145psig˃ Operation at elevated pressure with pure O2 cathode˃ Indirect/direct internal reforming˃ Participation of CO in electrochemistry˃ O2 purge cycle for closed-end cathode


» 6kW furnace rated to 1000°C and 150psig˃ Top-hat style so top+ sides lift off to expose

working area˃ 12” I.D. test area


Aerospace grade multi-sensor pass through

˃ Sensor diameter 0.1”˃ Pressure rating 150psig˃ Up to 28 sensors

Anode Heat Exchanger

Furnace Wall

Retu

rn

Retu

rnSu

pply

Return

Inconel Tubes

Bored-through fitting

» Concentric supply/return flows˃ Counter-flow heat

exchanger˃ Reduces holes in pressure

vessel

» Copper cored electrodes

» Shielded thermocouples

» Shielded voltage wire˃ Missile wire rated to

2000F


» Cathode:˃ 150psig rated MFC for N2 delivering 0.210slpm

+ Expandable to 125slpm˃ 150psig rated MFC for O2/Air delivering 0.210slpm

» Anode˃ 150psig rated MFC for H2 delivering 0.15slpm˃ 150psig rated MFC for CO & CO2 delivering 0.0020.1slpm

» 1 kW Load bank˃ 200 amps˃ 10 voltage measurements

» Furnace Control» Humidifier Control» Humidifier

˃ Pressurized D-I water reservoir and liquid MFC for H2O delivering 0.210gpm

» Back pressure regulators˃ 3 X gas circuits, Anode, Cathode, Furnace, independent & linked

control˃ 3 X dual bottle 200 psig regulators with automatic switchover˃ 1 X 200 psig Argon regulator for inert furnace


» Cathode plate A: raised channels with contact paste

» Cathode plate B: recessed channels with metallic foam for current collection

» Anode plate A: counter-flow, Nickel mesh current collector

» Anode Plate B: cross-flow, Nickel mesh current collector

» Bi-polar Plate = Cathode B + Anode B


» Sealing˃ Thermal expansion mismatch between SS430

tray and YSZ electrolyte support˃ Bowing of anode supported cells at room

temperature breaks glass seal˃ Maintaining compression, initially up to

5MPa, due to tensioning rod creep during thermal cycling

+ Investigating Belleville washers (rated for 650°C)

» Pre-oxidizing SS430 trays˃ Settled on 3.5°C/min to 850°C with 5hr hold

» Leak testing˃ Added bypass that stops anode/cathode flow

and enables control of bypass pressure to measured anode/cathode pressure to avoid surge when bypass is closed.


High Temperature Pressurized Electrochemical Test Station




» Anonymous chart of SOFC cost per cell» List of cell characteristics

˃ Electrolyte support, materials for anode cathode

Support Anode Cathode Thickness (μm)

Rated Voltage @ 0.5A/cm2

Electrolyte NiO-GDC LSM-GDC 250 0.7

Electrolyte Ni-YSZ LSM 150 0.73

Electrolyte Ni-YSZ LSM 150 0.75

Electrolyte Ni-GDC LSCF 160 0.8

Anode 3 layers 2 layers 700 0.85

Anode GDC LSC 250 0.9


» Wind + Solar powering the grid and making H2 for vehicles

» Using the existing natural gas storage as the nations battery

H2OO2

SOFCWGS / H2

recovery

H2O

CO2CH4

H2

Forward: Power Production

Steam Reforming

SOECPartial Methanation

CH4 / H2

separation

Reverse: Fuel ProductionH2


» Removes SOFC from working fluid of gas turbine» SOFC heat balance by endothermic steam reforming» Facilitates passive hydrogen recovery

StateTemperature

(°C)Pressure

(MPa)1 27 0.12 207 0.43 900 0.44 900 0.035 50 0.036 420 1.57 25 1.58 357 1.59 750 1.5

10 900 0.411 927 0.412 655 0.113 329 0.1


» 65 kWe microturbine, 0.49 kg/s» 3 ton/day oxygen membrane» 1,450 SLPM O2 compressor» 385kW SOFC stack @ 30% O2 recovery

˃ 61.7m2 of SOFC area @ 0.67A/cm2

˃ Equivalent to 260kW stack @0.5A/cm2 in 1atm air with 80% util

Full PowerPeak FTE efficiency

Net Power 668kW 432kWSOFC Voltage 0.86V 0.925V

Hydrogen Utilization 60% 72%Anode Recirculation 76% 66%Oxygen Recovered 53% 30%dFC-GT Efficiency 52% 72%

Anode Exhaust XH2 40% 24%

0.5 ton/day oxygen© Air Products 2014, 12th European Gasification Conference

Design Variable ValueASR .2Ω·cm2

FC Temperature 750°CSteam to Carbon 2.5

Turbine Press. 1.5MPaPermeate Press. 33kPaCompressor Eff. 80%

Turbine Eff. 80%Turbine Inlet 927°C

Assumptions Results


>60% FTE between 33% and 85% of full power

>80 co-production

efficiency

micro-turbine SOFC oxygen

membranereformer &

bloweroxygen pump

H2recovery System

Size 65kW 385kW (61.7m2)

3 x 0.5 TPD membranes 800kW 1,450

SLPM 0.3TPD 668kWe 0.3TPD H2

Cost $52,000 $500,000 $180,000 $75,000 $20,000 $40,000 $865,000

$ per W 0.08 0.75 0.27 0.11 0.03 0.06 1.30


» High pressure SOFC testing» Oxygen cathode SOFC testing» Oxygen membrane tests with micro-turbine

pressures and vacuum pump» In-situ cell temperature measurements» Anode flow geometry for temperature profile

management» Hollow catalyzed anode plate for localized in-

stack methane reforming» In-situ methanation in electrolysis mode

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Palouse hills - labs.wsu.edu