Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Quiet Reliable and Compact Fuel Cell Based APU (QRCFC-APU)
EPA Contract Number: EPD06019Title: Quiet Reliable and Compact Fuel Cell Based APU (QRCFC-APU)
Investigators: Namazian, Mehdi
Small Business: Altex Technologies Corporation
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2006 through August 31, 2006
Project Amount: $69,981
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2006) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , Environmental Engineering , Particulate Matter , SBIR - Air and Climate , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , Watersheds
Description:
Truck auxiliary power unit (APU) power needs are increasing as better amenities are being added to sleeper cabins by the truck manufacturers to provide comfortable and sometimes luxurious interiors. Current APU power needs are approximately 2 to 6 kWe and are projected to go higher. Meeting this power demand through truck idling results in a significant cost because idling operations are estimated at $5,700/truck/year; a significant amount of emissions also is created. Argonne National Laboratory estimates that the 480,000 class 8 trucks alone generate 120 million pounds of NO, 202 million pounds of CO, and 9.6 million tons of CO2; they also generate about 5.5 million pounds of particulate matter.
Current APU technologies to replace truck idling are based on diesel engine power generators, which, though better than truck idling, still possess a range of problems, including low efficiency and high noise and emissions. They also tend to be very bulky and heavy. Another alternate technology for reducing truck idling is truck stop electrification (TSE). TSE currently is available at very few interstates across the country, however, and is unlikely to become ubiquitous in the near future. Problems posed by truck idling, coupled with higher fuel and other costs and the lack of an alternate technology to significantly alleviate the problems, have created a need for a breakthrough alternate technology.
Fuel cell (FC)-based APU technologies are ideally suited for use in truck APUs because of their inherent benefits. One benefit is high fuel efficiency, which results in significantly reduced fuel cost. Maintenance costs also are reduced, because the trucks are not idling at rest stops to create power for the sleeper cabins. In addition, the amount of emissions from FC-based APUs will be significantly lower. The emissions problems caused by truck APUs are significant in nonattainment areas of the country and in rest stops located in highly populated areas. These problems are in addition to the ones typically faced by truck drivers, such as the high concentrations of pollutants that are present at truck stops. FC-based APUs will significantly reduce emissions problems and result in health cost savings to individuals and society. Finally, multiple trucks idling at rest stops create severe noise pollution, which affects all truck drivers and nearby neighborhoods. An FC-based APU will completely eliminate the noise pollution problem.
FC-based truck APU development is hindered because of the following critical problems: (1) current Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technologies cannot start up fast and are not reliable for frequent start and stop and load varying truck APU applications; (2) traditional Proton Exchange Membrane-based systems have lower tolerance to sulfur and CO in the reformate, which in turn necessitates the need for bulky fuel processors (FP); and (3) diesel fuel reforming for FCs is extremely challenging because of its sulfur and heavy aromatics. The higher aromatics create carbon deposition in the reformer, and FC elements and sulfur are a catalyst poison that will reduce the longevity of all components that have catalytic materials.
Altex and its partners, Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Clear Edge Power (CEP), and Dewey Electronics, have identified a minimal risk development path that will pave the way for the development and commercialization of FC-based truck APUs. The basis of the proposed Quiet Reliable Compact Fuel Cell (QRCFC) APU is a proven distillate fuel preprocessing approach, developed by Altex and PSU under various U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) supported efforts. This proven preprocessing approach, combined with fuel processing components that use proven catalysts, produce a reformate that is highly suitable for a novel High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HT-PEM). HT-PEM FC consists of a membrane that is proven to work at 160–180°C range and more importantly tolerates up to 5 percent CO in the reformate. The high CO tolerance of this membrane enables Altex to develop an FP that is extremely reliable, while remaining compact. Altex’s FC partner, CEP, uses this membrane, originally developed by Celanese and currently marketed by PEMEAS, in their 2 kWe FC stack targeted for commercial applications. The same membrane also is used in two semicommercial FC products sold by UltraCell (25 We) and Plug Power (5 kWe). Altex and its partners also have proposed to employ this FC architecture on a recently awarded DoD contract to develop and deliver a 10 kWe JP8-fueled APU. In summary, the proposed FP and FC technology for the QRCFC eliminates the serious problems that hinder truck APU development by using other FC technologies, such as PEM and SOFC.
The QRCFC consists of three key components: (1) a fuel preprocessor (FPP) that includes the proven fractionator and the organic sulfur trap (OST) desulfurizer; (2) an FP component that consists of the three-zone temperature programmed reactor (TPR), which is made up of proven catalysts developed under Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and other DoD supported efforts; and (3) the novel HT-PEM FC stack. It also has burners, condenser, and balance of plant (BOP) components, such as pumps, valves, and controls; the only input to QRCFC is highway diesel fuel. A minimal amount of water is used in the QRCFC, but it is fully recycled and, hence, no external water supply is needed. The QRCFC employs the above mentioned components to effectively produce electric power for a truck APU. The FPP component splits the diesel fuel into a light, clean, desulfurized fuel and a heavy diesel fuel. Although the light, clean fuel is reacted with steam in the FP component, the heavier ends of the diesel fuel are burned in a burner to produce the needed thermal energy for chemical reactions. The reformate (products from the FP) are converted to electricity in the HT-PEM FC. Additional heat generated in the FC is effectively used to boil the water needed for steam generation. The FC exhaust gases are cooled in a condenser to recover the water, and the recovered water is fully recycled in the system. Only 75 percent of the water vapor in the exhaust has to be condensed for the system water needs; hence, QRCFC does not need an external water supply.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The following research activities were performed to validate the feasibility of the proposed QRCFC APU for trucks. As noted above, the QRCFC unit consists of three main components: FPP, FP, and FC.
FPP Component—The target fuel (diesel, 15 ppmw-S) was processed in a fractionator and desulfurized using an adsorbent column. Based on the tested performance, the components were sized for 6 kWe. The FPP tests conclusively showed that less than 1 ppm sulfur fuel can be delivered to the FP module
FP Component—FPP-processed diesel fuel was converted to a hydrogen rich reformate in a three-zone electrically heated reactor module at 5-20 W levels. Catalyst composition was changed to achieve needed reformate CO concentration. This module also was scaled to 800 W, integrated with a burner, and successfully tested. The FP tests conclusively showed that the FP can be scaled up to produce a low CO (< 2%) reformate acceptable to the HT-PEM FC stack.
FC Component—The HT-PEM membrane was tested to demonstrate its performance, and sulfur and CO tolerance. The results conclusively showed that a HT-PEM-based FC stack can tolerate up to 2 percent CO and up to 10 ppmv H2S, with minimal loss in performance. Furthermore, the performance also is reversible after excessive sulfur inputs are reduced to acceptable levels.
The above test activities and their results conclusively proved that the QRCFC is ready for scale up, testing, and demonstration under Phase II. Relative to downstream components, a novel finned-tube condenser was designed to recover water for the steam reforming, and make the unit water self-sufficient. Lastly, a controls package and power conditioning electronics, as well as BOP components, are integrated into the design. Based on a preliminary design developed under this effort, the full scale 6 kWe QRCFC is projected to be 50 percent smaller and 70 percent lighter than current diesel engine-based APUs. The QRCFC startup time is projected to be less than 10 minutes, and its noise level is projected to be less than 55 db at 7 meters. A preliminary economics analysis also showed that QRCFC is cost competitive. These attributes will allow QRCFC to capture a large truck APU market.
Conclusions:
Using tests and analysis, all QRCFC Phase I project goals were achieved. In particular, the QRCFC was designed. This design used previous Altex data and experience and additional data collected under the Phase I program. Test results, plus associated design and analysis results, support the feasibility of the QRCFC concept to meet the original truck APU needs. A preliminary cost analysis was performed that showed that the QRCFC also is economically viable.
In conclusion, the QRCFC, when fully developed, will be ready to replace the current truck idling technologies. Furthermore, because the FC stack used in QRCFC is being developed by CEP under private investment for ruggedized fork lift truck applications, the development cost for the concept should be acceptable. Although the feasibility of QRCFC has been demonstrated, additional work is recommended to build upon the success of the Phase I effort and design and to fabricate and assemble a prototype QRCFC system under Phase II. At the conclusion of these efforts, a highly developed QRCFC prototype would be demonstrated to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Finally, Altex projections show that the cost savings per truck would be close to $5,000/year using QRCFC APU. It is projected that a 20 percent overall market penetration would yield savings close to $464 million dollars and emissions would be reduced by 1.5 million tons/year CO2; 12,000 tons/year NOx; 20,160 tons/year CO; and 544 tons/year of particulate emissions.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, EPA, SBIR, diesel, truck, Altex, APU, sulfur, reforming, high temperature PEM, fuel cell, truck idling, air emissions, carbon moNOxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, CO, CO2, NOx, particulates, particulate matter, PM, RFA, Scientific Discipline, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Sustainable Industry/Business, Sustainable Environment, Technology, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Environmental Engineering, clean energy, environmentally friendly fuel cell power system, air pollutants, clean technologies, green design, air pollution control, automotive components, fuel cell energy systems, automobile engine exhausts, diesel exhaust, emission controls, pollution control, energy technology, emission reduction, diesel fuel, pollution preventionSBIR Phase II:
Quiet Reliable and Compact Fuel Cell Based APU (QRCFC-APU)The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.