Carbonate fuel cell system development for industrial cogeneration. Final report Mar 80-Aug 81

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6867888

Schnacke, A W; Reinstrom, R M; Najewicz, D J; Dawes, M H

A survey of various industries was performed to investigate the feasibility of using natural gas-fueled carbonate fuel cell power plants as a cogeneration heat and power source. Two applications were selected: chlorine/caustic soda and aluminum. Three fuel processor technologies, conventional steam reforming, autothermal reforming and an advanced steam reformer concept were used to define three thermodynamic cycle concepts for each of the two applications. Performance and economic studies were conducted for the resulting systems. The advanced steam reformer was found among those studied to be most attractive and was evaluated further and compared to internally reforming the fuel within the fuel cell anodes. From the results of the studies it was concluded that the issues most affecting gas-fired carbonate fuel cell power plant commercial introduction are fuel cell and stack development, fuel reformer technology and the development of reliable, cost-effective heat transfer equipment.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (USA). Advanced Energy Programs Dept.
• OSTI ID: 6867888
• Report Number(s): PB-83-102343
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
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32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
COGENERATION
DEUS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC POWER
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EVALUATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL CELLS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HEAT
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
NATURAL GAS
POWER
POWER GENERATION
PROCESS HEAT
STEAM GENERATION
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT