skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Ultra High Temperature Anode Recycle Blower for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (Phase I Final Report)

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1530718· OSTI ID:1530718
 [1];  [1]
  1. Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc., Albany, NY (United States)

Under funding from DOE Award DE-FE0031148, Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc. (MITI) has successfully developed, integrated and tested a prototype ultrahigh speed oil-free blower for use as an Ultra High Temperature Anode Recycle Blower (UHT-ARCB) in a 100 kWe Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). MITI’s recycle blower design is hermetically sealed, and features a completely encapsulated permanent magnet motor, which allows it to handle the steam-rich anode recycle gas mixture. At the SOFC’s nominal operating condition, the MITI ARCB rotates at approximately 55000 rpm, raises the pressure of the incoming 621 °C gas from 104 to 112 kPa, and uses less than 1.2 kWe at a rate of approximately 30 g/s. The UHT-ARCB’s thermal management uses the incoming natural gas supply for the SOFC as cooling medium for bearings, seals and motor magnet, along with a water jacket for motor housing cooling to prevent the high temperature gas from affecting the bearing/motor assembly. MITI’s development of this UHT-ARCB will contribute to a reduction of cost and overall balance of plant (BOP) of SOFC systems. The UHT-ARCB recirculates a fraction of the depleted anode exhaust to the fuel-cell inlet. Direct recycling of anode off-gas takes advantage of the water already present in the stream to assist the methane reforming process and inhibit carbon deposition, without the need for an external water supply.

Research Organization:
Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc., Albany, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE), Office of Clean Energy Systems (FE-22)
DOE Contract Number:
FE0031148
OSTI ID:
1530718
Report Number(s):
DOE-MITI-FE0031148
Resource Relation:
Related Information: 1. Heshmat, H., and Walton II, J.F., "On The Integration Of Hot Foil Bearings Into Gas Turbine Engines: Theoretical Treatment," Proceedings of ASME Turbo Expo 2019: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition; GT2019-91710, June 17-21, 2019, Phoenix, AZ.2. Heshmat, H., Walton II, J.F. and Córdova, L.J., "Technology Readiness of 5th and 6th Generation Compliant Foil Bearing for 10 MWE S-CO2 Turbomachinery Systems", The 6th International Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles Symposium, March 27 - 29, 2018, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. http://sco2symposium.com/www2/sco2/papers2018/components/072_Paper.pdf3. Heshmat, H., Walton II, J.F., and Nicholson, B.D., "Ultra-High Temperature Compliant Foil Bearings - The Journey to 870°C and Application in Gas Turbine Engines: Experiment," Proceedings of ASME Turbo Expo 2018: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition; GT2018-75555, June 11-15, 2018, Oslo, Norway.4. Cordova, J.L., Walton J.F. and Heshmat, H., “High Effectiveness, Low Pressure Drop Recuperator For High Speed And Power Oil-Free Turbogenerator,” GT2015-43718, ASME Turbo Expo 2015: Turbine Technical Conference and Exposition, June 15 – 19, 2015, Montréal, Canada
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English