Remote Renewable Fuel Cell Systems

DOE-Russian Academy of Sciences Workshop

on

The Science Behind Fuel Cell Technology

Moscow, Russia

October 12-14, 1999

Glenn D. Rambach Energy and Environmental Engineering Center

Desert Research Institute Reno, NV

http://www.dri.edu

desertresearchinstitute

University and Community College

System of Nevada

Glenn Rambach

Fuel Cells in Remote Applications

Desert Research Institute

The science requirements for assuring the implementation of fuel

cells in remote applications

In Russia

In The United States

In ROW

status of the technology today

expected performance and cost evolution

• Hydrogen as a utility energy storage medium.

To buffer the intermittency and phase differences of renewables an loads.

Permits full autonomy from a fossil fuel supply infrastructure.

The storage function of hydrogen systems is more complex than, either

battery storage systems or fossil fueled fuel cell systems.

Batteries have one power/energy element.

Fossil fuel cell system have two power elements and a simple energy

element.

Four separate power or energy elements permit optimization in H2 system.

Models are yet to be developed for optimization of design and control of a

hydrogen system.

DRI is developing these models and relating them to current models for

similar systems.

To test these and other models, DRI has a complete 5-kW scale research

system with wind, solar, fuel cell stack, electrolyzer, storage tank,

programmable load, computer control and data acquisition system.

Approach/Rationale

Intermittent

renewable electricity

Liquid

fossil fuel

Reformer

and purifier

Electrolyzer

Hydrogen

Storage

Fuel cell

PEM

SOFC

PAFC

MCFC

AFC

Local grid

Remote load

Fuel Cell Utility Power Systems Configuration options

Delivered

Hydrogen

- OR -

- OR -

Hydrogen Electrical

power

Wind, hydrogen, fuel cell isolated power system

Cogen heat

• Wind turbine

• Solar PV

• Micro-hydro

• Low-q water turbine

• Wind

• Sunlight

• Water flow

Power logic

controller

• Community

• Mine

• Military post

• Autonomous device

• Hydrogen-fuel cell

• Hydrogen-ICE gen

• Halogen fuel cell

• Zn-Air fuel cell

• Zn-FeCN fuel cell

• Flywheel

• Compressed air

• Pumped hydro

• Battery

• Grid

Nature

Customer

Source, process, storage and load options

Energy

Storage

time dependant source

time dependant load

• Wind turbine

• Solar PV

• Low-q water turbine

• Wind

• Sunlight

• Water flow

Power logic

controller

• Community

• Mine

• Military post

• Autonomous device

Source, process, storage and load options

- How to use them -

• m Hydro

Characterize complex

source/load profiles

Create and use algorithm to design optimum system

based on current technology and source/load profiles

Create and use algorithm to

operate system to provide least

costly electricity to customer

• Hydrogen-fuel cell

• Hydrogen-ICE gen

• Halogen fuel cell

• Zn-Air fuel cell

• Zn-FeCN fuel cell

• Flywheel

• Compressed air

• Pumped hydro

• Battery

• Grid

Nature

Customer

Es = f(Qmax, Pload-avg)

DEs = f(hf/c, vehicles)

Ps = f(Costvessel, site space)

Power logic

controller

Compressor (if needed)

Hydrogen storage

Fuel cell

Cogenerated heat

Intermittent load

Intermittent, renewable source

Design criteria for remote hydrogen fuel cell utility power system

HC = f(hf/c, DCf/c)

Pf/c = f(Pload-peak,

Eelec. Stor)

QC = f(QEH2)

PC-out = f(Ps)

PC-in = f(PEH2-Out)

PRen = f(Pload-peak, hf/c, hEH2, hComp,

CFRen, P(t)Ren, CostRen )

P(t)load = f(COE(t), User)

PEH2 = f(Pload-peak, PRen)

PEH2-out = f(CostEH2 , TypeEH2)

CostPLC = f(PThru-peak)

Customer

Nature

Electrolyzer

DRI residential scale, renewable hydrogen,

fuel cell test facility and refuel station

Computer and Power Logic Controller

Electrolyzer

5 kW

Computer

Controlled

Load

0 - 5kW

Wind turbines

1.5 kW each

Solar arrays and trackers

1.0 kW each

Fuel cell

2 kW PEM

Hydrogen

Storage

250 psi

Hydrogen

Dispensing

Electricity

Hydrogen

PE = PR = (1 - CfR) PlAV

CfR hE hFC hC

PE = Electrolyzer rated power

PR = Renewable peak capacity

PlAV = Average load power

Cf = Capacity factor

h = Efficiency (<1)

FC = Fuel cell system

C = Compressor

Relationship of load, capacity factor, efficiencies

to the power of renewable and electrolyzer

Effects of renewable capacity factor, electrolyzer

efficiency and fuel cell system efficiency on renewable

power and electrolyzer power needed

Load average is 100kW

hE = Electrolyzer efficiency

hFC = Fuel cell power system efficiency

.70

.65

.70

.75

.70

.75

.40

.54

.40

.55

.55

.40

hFC

hE

Effects of renewable capacity factor and

turn-around efficiency on renewable power

and electrolyzer power needed

Load average is 100kW

.30

.25

.40

.35

.45

.50

.60

.70

hTurn-around

DRI residential scale, renewable hydrogen,

fuel cell test facility and refuel station

Computer and Power Logic Controller

Electrolyzer

5 kW

Computer

Controlled

Load

0 - 5kW

Wind turbines

1.5 kW each

Solar arrays and trackers

1.0 kW each

Fuel cell

2 kW PEM

Hydrogen

Storage

150 psi

Hydrogen

Dispensing

Electricity

Hydrogen

2 kW PEM Fuel Cell

Two 1.5 kW

Wind Turbines

Two 1 kW

Solar Arrays

Hydrogen

Generator

Planned Hydrogen

Fuel Cell Vehicle

Hydrogen

Refueling

Station

Hydrogen

Storage

Tank

Components of DRI renewable hydrogen,

fuel cell test facility

Renewable Hydrogen Energy Research System at DRI

Wind turbines

1.5 kW each

PV arrays

1.0 kW each

Wind and Solar at DRI Northern Nevada Science Center

Fuel cell system

and inverter

Switch

Out

Water recycling

Condenser

KOTZ

Radio

Transmitter

Three

miles

11-MW Diesel

Power Plant

Proportional

Power

KEA Wind Farm (650 kWp)

Village of Kotzebue

Wind, hydrogen, fuel cell power for KOTZ Radio Transmitter One of two design options in Kotzebue, AK

DRI Project

addition

Diesel-to- hydrogen reformer

Diesel fuel

PEM fuel cell systems

and inverters

Switch

Out

Three

miles

11-MW Diesel

Power Plant

Wind

Power

KEA Wind Farm (650 kWp)

Village of Kotzebue

Wind, hydrogen, fuel cell power system for Kotzebue, Alaska

Three

miles

Hydrogen transmission line

250-psig, 1/2” Dia.

Switch

Out

100% penetration wind turbine modifications

DRI Project

addition

Excess

Wind

Power

Water storage

Hydrogen storage

Diesel-to- hydrogen reformer

Diesel fuel

Anchorage

Fairbanks Nome

Kotzebue Wales

Kivalina

Deering

St. George

Seward

Juneau

St. Paul

Kotzebue, Alaska wind turbine site

650 kW of

wind power

in 10 wind

turbines

Market entry opportunities for fuel cells - Find the beginning, start there -

Unit power cost vs. unit size

Two-cycle scooter

and small application

0.01

Portable diesel

generator replacements

(Large)

PEMFCs

Today

(Small)

Residential fuel cell

battery hybrid

(EPRI MON)

Residential

direct power

production

Stationary

utility

production

Range-extended

electric utility vehicle

Electric

wheelchair

Start

here

Finish

here

Less Difficult (cost tolerant market)

Unit power cost ($/kW)

Un

it s

ize (

kW

)

L

ess D

ifficult (

sm

alle

r units)

DRI-Nevada Electric Vehicle and Fuel Cell Research Platform

Manufacturer: Coval Partners

Sponsor: Nevada State Energy Office

DRI Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Electric Scooter

Hydride fuel tanks

Scooter fuel cell power system components

PEM stack and heat exchanger

Power system control computer

Supercapacitors and batteries

Supercapacitors

Charger/Power

logic control

Batteries

Drive

Motor Recharge

power

input

Battery

recharge

power

On-demand

traction electric

power

Traction

electric

power

Battery electric vehicle

• Can be zero emission vehicle

•Large amount of battery energy storage

• Range from energy stored in batteries is limited

• Tradeoff in traction power needed vs. energy storage

• Long recharging time

Hotel

load

Low power electric

High power electric

Refuel

input

Hydrogen

supply

Fuel cell Power logic

control

Batteries

Drive

Motor

Fuel to

cell

Battery

recharge

power

Battery

recharge

power

On-demand

traction electric

power

Traction

electric

power

Fuel cell vehicle - range extender design

• Low power fuel cell used to continuously

recharge batteries

• Large amount of battery energy storage

• Range comes from size of hydrogen supply

• Greater range per mass than batteries

• Batteries currently cheaper per unit power than fuel

cells

• Provide almost all power to motor

• Short refueling time - a few minutes for hydrogen

refueling, compared to several hours for batteries.

Hotel

load

Gas line

Low power electric

High power electric

Refuel

input

Hydrogen

supply

Fuel cell Power logic

control

Battery or

supercapacitor

Drive

Motor

Gas line

Low power electric

High power electric

Fuel to

cell

Traction

power

Battery

recharge

power

On-demand

traction electric

power

Traction

electric

power

Fuel cell vehicle - direct fuel cell power design

• All traction power is produced in fuel cell

• Little or no battery energy storage (for fuel cell delay)

• Range comes from size of hydrogen supply

• Greater range per mass than batteries

• Rational approach after fuel cell cost competes with

batteries on $/kW scale.

• Short refueling time - a few minutes for hydrogen

refueling, compared to several hours for batteries.

Hotel

load