Development of internal manifold heat exchanger (IMHEX reg sign ) molten carbonate fuel cell stacks
The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) has been in the forefront of molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) development for over 25 years. Numerous cell designs have been tested and extensive tests have been performed on a variety of gas manifolding alternatives for cells and stacks. Based upon the results of these performance tests, IGT's development efforts started focusing on an internal gas manifolding concept. This work, initiated in 1988, is known today as the IMHEX{reg sign} concept. MCP has developed a comprehensive commercialization program loading to the sale of commercial units in 1996. MCP's role is in the manufacture of stack components, stack assembly, MCFC subsystem testing, and the design, marketing and construction of MCFC power plants. Numerous subscale (1 ft{sup 2}) stacks have been operated containing between 3 and 70 cells. These tests verified and demonstrated the viability of internal manifolding from technical (no carbonate pumping), engineering (relaxed part dimensional tolerance requirements), and operational (good gas sealing) aspects. Simplified fabrication, ease of assembly, the elimination of external manifolds and all associated clamping requirements has significantly lowered anticipated stack costs. Ongoing 1 ft{sup 2} stack testing is generating performance and endurance characteristics as a function of system specified operating conditions. Commercial-sized, full-area stacks (10 ft{sup 2}) are in the process of being assembled and will be tested in November. This paper will review the recent developments the MCFC scale-up and manufacture work of MCP, and the research and development efforts of IGT which support those efforts. 17 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5068614
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9108177-1; ON: TI92002486
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 42. meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry, Montreux (Switzerland), 25-30 Aug 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
HEAT EXCHANGERS
DESIGN
MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELLS
COMMERCIALIZATION
FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
MANUFACTURING
MARKETING
PERFORMANCE TESTING
STACKS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
FUEL CELLS
HIGH-TEMPERATURE FUEL CELLS
POWER PLANTS
TESTING
300503* - Fuel Cells- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
300501 - Fuel Cells- Design & Development