Projektinitiativ #105: Advanced solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) for combined heat and power (CHP) units ( 2 kommentarer)

There are broad potentials for development of SOFC fuel cells, e g to develop so called advanced “ready-to-stack” SOFC giving significant improvements to cost- and performance metrics, in applications using combined heat- and power units (CHP systems).

Saan Energi is developing a “ready-to-stack” modular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), which is a highly efficient generator of power and heat, reaching electrical efficacy of above 50% and combined heat- and electrical efficiacy of above 80%. Moreover, the development is targeted towards operation of these fuel cells both with hydrocarbons (e g natural gas) and sustainable fuels (e g biofuels and hydrogen).

The CHP market for Western and Northern Europe has a forecasted annual value of around eight (8) billion euros. We are aiming to bring our fuel cells to the market as a product for combined heat and power (a CHP system), in partnership with a Swedish utility company.
Our SOFC can be structured as a multi-layer component, comprising of consecutive parts made of metals and ceramics, such as metal substrate, metallic bipolar plates, ceramic layers for the anode, electrolyte and cathode and addition of coatings for enhancement of specific properties and functions.
The cell structure is built in a sequence using advanced methods and techniques, e.g. controlled dip coating, high-precision etching, lapping, screen-printing, magnetron sputtering and thermal spraying. Such methods are available for this project via Saan Energi and our potential partners. Moreover, advanced characterization such as electrochemical testing, electron microscopy and measurements of viscosity, permeability and conductivity will be matched with modelling and simulation to optimize the design and performance of the cells.

Such an optimization has a potential to provide considerable gains for cell performance, where power densities of above 500 mW/cm2 (for a H2/air at 750 ◦C) and an increased life time above 5000 hours can be targeted. Furthermore, SOFC operation with biofuels can be prepared and tested.
An anticipated gain in cost reduction for this cell structure results from two factors: 1) an improved performance will lead to fewer parts and decreased BOM for each kW of produced power and 2) a simplification of different steps in the process chain and thereby the manufacturing of SOFCs. These factors have collectively a potential to reach an overall cost target of less than 1000 €/kW for a SOFC stack and CHP system. The present cost of an equivalent stack is approximately 4500 €/kW.
This project initiative focuses on the potential to develop and demonstrate this kind of “ready-to-stack” SOFC, i.e on objectives to
• optimize characteristics and performance on fuel cell- and stack levels, respectively,
• show evidence for the cost-and-performance metrics targeted above,
• describe and quantify specifications for electrical power, heat generation and degradation, needed for application in CHP systems,
• run the SOFC stack with hydrogen, hydrocarbon and sustainable biofuels and
• develop and demonstrate feasibility with a 250W advanced SOFC stack leading towards a pilot application.
 
Examples of R&D activities needed to meet these objectives are
• development of metal sheets (Fe-Cr alloys),
• etching of metal sheets and bi-polar plates for gas channels- and manifolds,
• development of anodes and electrolytes by dip coating, lamination & thermal spraying,
• lapping and tumbling procedures to reduce roughness of electrolyte layers,
• development of PVD dense gadolinium doped cerium oxide coating,
• nano-coating by magnetron sputtering,
• electrochemical testing and characterization,
• electron microscopy (SEM, XRD, SEM-FIB),
• fluid mechanics and thermodynamics modelling and
• fuel cell fabrication & upscaling.

Namn Henrik Hedlund
Organisation Saan Energi AB

Kommentar #1

The project idea is very good and welcome for the Swedish R&D community from both academy and industry. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell are a very attractive and promising energy source but the filed needs more research in order to make them competitive on the market as well as and easy-scalable to industrial production.
University West has more than 25 years of experience in research and development activities of high temperature coatings produced by thermal spraying. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells are among those industrial applications that our recent activity has focused on, so the project is well in line with our research interests, hence we are interested to participate in this project.

Namn Nicolaie Markocsan
Organisation Högskolan Väst

Kommentar #2

Development of Fe-Cr alloys for high temperature applications is of our interest. We are also having competence in advanced characterization.

Namn Ehsan Gh
Organisation JTH