Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Industrial Flue Gas Cleanup Using DFC Technology
EPA Contract Number: EPD11042Title: Industrial Flue Gas Cleanup Using DFC Technology
Investigators: Hunt, Jennifer
Small Business: FuelCell Energy Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011
Project Amount: $79,936
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2011) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Greenhouse Gases
Description:
The increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides have been linked to climate change, which has a myriad of environmental and human health implications. In response to this growing concern, FuelCell Energy (FCE) has developed novel system concepts for separation of carbon dioxide from greenhouse gas (GHG) emission sources, using Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) technology. DFC is based on carbonate fuel cell technology. The unique chemistry of the carbonate fuel cell offers an innovative approach for separation of CO2 from plant exhaust streams (flue gases). Preliminary test results also show that the DFC cuts NOx emissions in half. The carbonate fuel cell system produces electric power at high efficiencies and the simultaneous generation of power and CO2 capture is an attractive concept for flue gas cleanup. Development of this system is concurrent with emergence of DFC technology for generating electric power from fossil fuels. This technology has been deployed in megawatt-scale power plants and is readily available as a manufactured product.
The objectives of the Phase 1 activities are to determine the cost and power output of utilizing the DFC-based clean up system on a variety of industrial source flue gas compositions, including refinery operations, cement kilns, and pulp and paper mills. The composition of the flue gas from the different industries is one aspect which determines the power output of the DFC system. The power output in turn determines the overall cost and therefore the economic feasibility of DFC-based carbon capture. A literature review will be conducted to formulate a database of industrial flue gas compositions and trace level contaminants. Bench-scale single cell tests will be used to generate fuel cell performance curves using simulated industrial flue gas. The data will feed into existing DFC carbon capture models to generate capital cost estimates for DFC-based industrial flue gas clean up applications.
Phase 2 efforts would involve defining flue gas cleanup boundaries and the effect of trace contaminant levels identified in the Phase 1 literature search. Phase 3 would involve a commercial DFC unit demonstration at an industrial site.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
A thorough literature search was conducted to find suitable direct fuel cell (DFC) applications for flue gas clean up. Four industries were identified: cement, refineries, paper and pulp, and steel. Case studies were performed for the cement and refinery industries using FuelCell Energy Inc.'s (FCE) simulation model. Cell testing verified the modeled results for power generation with carbon capture. The gas composition from the system process model was simulated in the laboratory and used as the cathode feed for benchscale cell tests. The NOx destruction capability of the DFC also was quantified in cell tests. Inlet concentrations ranging from 100 to 350 ppm NO and NO2 were tested in the cells. It was found that more than 90 percent of the NO2 and approximately 44 percent of the NO were destroyed in the cell, yielding a combined NOx reduction of approximately 70 percent.
Conclusions:
The conceptualized DFC flue gas clean up system was found to be an efficient multi-contaminant removal process. It can remove up to 85 percent of the CO2 and up to 70 percent of the NOx from industrial effluents. The cost for carbon capture was determined to be approximately $34-54/ton of avoided CO2. This is one-third to one-half the cost of alternative clean up systems. Sensitivities to the price of natural gas (used as a fuel in the DFC) and the cost of electricity (a product of the DFC) also were analyzed. As the price of natural gas increases, the cost of carbon capture also increases. As the cost of electricity (COE) increases, however, the cost of carbon capture decreases. When the COE exceeds 12¢/kWh there is no net cost penalty for CO2 separation.
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.