Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Sewage Off-Gas-Driven Fuel Cells to Stimulate Rural Electrification
EPA Grant Number: SU833527Title: Sewage Off-Gas-Driven Fuel Cells to Stimulate Rural Electrification
Investigators: Clack, Herek L. , Chung, Brian , Zhang, Chen , Tu, Chia-Hao , Shi, Heling , Sharma, Kaustubh , Chen, Liwen , Mehta, Priyanka , Gu, Ray , Nguyen, Sammy
Institution: Illinois Institute of Technology
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 31, 2007 through May 31, 2008
Project Amount: $9,975
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Electrification of rural areas such as Africa, Asia, and South America is vital for economic development, but traditional energy sources are highly polluting, contributing to environmental contamination and global warming. In these regions, problems in waste management are also common for conventional decomposition/anaerobic digestion process produces methane, one of the most detrimental greenhouse gases. With the emergence of highly efficient fuel cell systems, a challenge arises to provide an efficient energy reform from methane to hydrogen fuel for the fuel cell. The objective of this project is to design an integrated system consists of an anaerobic digester/bioreactor and a fuel cell to combat such problems.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Literature reviews confirmed the feasibility of the system relying on methane to supply the fuel cell and the waste heat from the subsequent fuel cell operation driving the decomposition process. A batch bioreactor and a proton exchange fuel cell at the lab scale are used to construct a physical system that is tested at various temperatures to determine the optimal operating conditions, both individually and separately. Furthermore, system-level thermal and flow analysis is performed after experimentation to establish a final configuration in coupling the two devices. With streamline data collection still in process, it is expected that a complete energy self-sustaining module at the lab-scale will be achieved. Measurements obtained from data acquisition systems combined with analytical models will be utilized to determine the actual energy performance of the constructed design.
Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies:
Upon successful completion of Phase I, laboratory studies and model simulation based on the Phase I design will be used to examine the viability of a full-scale implementation of a regenerative waste treatment-power generation system. The actual process of waste treatment-power generation will be thoroughly investigated and changes will be made in the lab model to accommodate large-scale operation.
Supplemental Keywords:
Fuel cells, methane, sustainable energy, anaerobic digester,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.