On-site fuel-cell power plant technology and development program. Final report, January 1981-September 1986

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:6550613

Kemp, F S

Market requirements were reviewed to determine electrical and thermal requirements for the on-site fuel-cell power plant. System studies indicated that a sizable reduction in ancillary components is possible. In addition, more-durable industrial components (valves, pumps, heat exchangers) were incorporated. These changes provided significant improvements in reliability for the 200-kW design relative to the 40-kW field-test units. Stack-design efforts resulted in a conceptual 200-kW stack design that includes configuration B cells with alternative low-cost separator plates, dry-mix anode processing, encapsulated serpentine intercell cooler, and advanced electrolyte management. Fuel-processing design studies resulted in a 200-kW fuel processing system for the On-Site Technology Development Verification Test Article (VTA) to be run in the parallel NASA/DOE program. This design utilizes a low-cost, upfired industrial burner. An advanced reformer design incorporates a low-pressure drop catalyst and allows for a simplified six-tube configuration. With high-temperature shift and catalyst incorporated in the reformer, reformer efficiency can be increased by 0.8%, and the anode precooler heat exchanger is eliminated. A two-bridge individually commutated ASCR inverter design was developed for use in the parallel NASA/DOE 200-kW brassboard inverter. Also an advanced single-bridge transistor inverter was designed, fabricated, and tested. An advanced subscale water treatment system/thermal management system was designed, fabricated, and successfully evaluated with a 30-cell short stack. Based on this design, a 200-kW unit was fabricated to be used on the NASA/DOE On-Site Technology Development VTA.

• Research Organization: International Fuel Cells Corp., South Windsor, CT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6550613
• Report Number(s): PB-87-172821/XAB; FCR-7715
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300501* -- Fuel Cells-- Design & Development
CATALYSTS
COGENERATION
DESIGN
DEUS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS
FUEL CELLS
MARKETING
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
STEAM GENERATION
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
WATER TREATMENT