Renewable Energy for Minnesota

Progress in Fuel Cell Research at CPG

2

World Headquarters, Central Engineering, and Manufacturing for the Americas In Fridley Minnesota

1,000,000 ft2 1500 employees

Who are we?Cummins Power Generation (AKA Onan)

3

Stationary Power Markets

Residential Telecommunications

Portables Recreational Vehicle

Commercial Mobile

Rental

Mobile Power Markets

Technologies

Engine Gensets

Standby / Interruptible Distributed Generation

Fuel Cell ProgramControls, Switch Gear

Marine

GenSet

Variable Speed and Hybrid

Gensets

Cummins Power Generation Products and Markets

4

Cummins v. CompetitionCummins v. Competition

Diesel Engines Gas Engines AlternatorsControls & Switchgear

Gensets TurbochargersFiltration & Air-

Handling Systems

Cummins

CAT

Detroit Diesel/ MTU

Kohler

Others

Diesel Engines Gas Engines AlternatorsControls & Switchgear

Gensets TurbochargersFiltration & Air-

Handling Systems

Cummins

CAT

Detroit Diesel/ MTU

Kohler

Others

to 200 kWto 200 kW

Power of One: Single Source SupplyPower of One: Single Source Supply

Gen-sets from 2.0kW to 2.8MW, parallelable to many Mega Watts.

5

How is a Fuel Cell Different From a Battery?

Both cause an electrical potential through oxidation of materials

Batteries

Internal materials transform during charging and discharging (power and energy limited by the cell size)

Fuel Cells

Internal materials act as catalysts and only the fuel oxidizes (power limited by cell size, energy by the fuel tank size)

6

Anode Electrolyte Cathode

Fuel or reducing electrode

+ Positive

Ion conductor

Not electrically conductive

Oxidizing electrode

Electron flow

Basic elements of a battery or fuel cell

- Negative

FC Ion flow

7

Proton Exchange Membrane’sThe Hydrogen Economy Fuel Cell

Proton Exchange Fuel Cell– Protons

(Hydrogen Nuclei) Cross Electrolyte

– Solid Electrolyte– Requires ultra-

pure Hydrogen.– Chemical to

Electrical conversion efficiencies

• ~50%– System

efficiencies• 35% - 45%

8

Solid OxideFuel Cell(SOFC)

Oxygen Ions Cross the ElectrolyteOperating Temperature 700-800 oCWell suited to run on gasified coal or Bio-FuelsSystem Efficiencies ~40-50%

Solid Oxide Fuel CellsThe Omnivorous Fuel Cell

9

Why Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC’s)?

– Simplified fuel reformation for HC fuels (CO is fuel constituent, some Sulfur tolerance)

– No water management in stacks– Potential for low cost / no precious metals– No external cooling required– High quality waste heat stream– High efficiencyChallenges– Thermal management (start up, shut down, transients) – startup time– Degradation– Seals– Cost, cost, cost

10

DOE Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Fuel Cell Program

SECA helps bridge cost of moving from Lab to

Commercialization Process

SECA drives research needed to get cost to a commercially competitive level -- $400 / kWe

SECA funding enables the process

11

Fuel Cells and Cummins

SECA(Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance)10 kWe SOFC Power System Commercialization

Develop a SOFC system includingSOFC stack, reformer, heat exchangerBalance of PlantControls and Power ElectronicsPackaging and integrationFactory cost of $400/ kWe net by end of Phase IIICommercialized at earliest possible date

Objective:

12

Target MarketsObjective:

Commercialization

Recreational Vehicle

Truck APUMarin

eCommercial

Mobile

Military

Telecommunications

Diesel Diesel

Diesel

Diesel

Natural Gas or Propane

Diesel

13

Team Arrangements

• System integration• Electronic controls• Power electronics • Fuel systems• Air handling systems• Heat transfer• Reformer technology• Noise and vibration• Manufacturing• Marketing, sales, distribution

• Planar SOFC technology • Planar stack manufacturing• Reformer technology• Reformer manufacturing• Material sciences

Strategic Strategic PartnersPartners

14

What are the advantages?

Advantages of fuel cells–Can have greater conversion efficiency.

•Particularly for the conversion to electrical energy.

–SOFC can provide 50% open cycle and potentially 70% with bottoming cycle vs. 40% for heat engines open cycle.

•One of the leading arguments for fuel cells. Makes more costly renewable energy, affordable.

15

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

10 100 1000 10000Power (kW)

Ther

mal

Eff

icie

ncy

Gas Turbine(Non-recuperated)

Gas TurbineRecuperated

Current Fuel Cells

Diesel Recip

Natural Gas Recip(Stoichiometric)

Natural Gas Recip(Lean Burn)

DOE Advanced Gas Genset Target

Fuel Cell/ Microturbine Target 60-70%

Efficiency Vs. Technology

Higher efficiency plus high fuel costs favor evolving technology, fuel cells

16

What are the advantages?

Advantages of fuel cells–Can have near zero harmful emissions on

carbon based fuels (SOFC’s).•Heat engines running on Hydrogen also have near zero emissions.

•No NOx, if you are careful. –Fuel Cells are quiet with no vibration. –Fuel Cells can have a reduced IR signature.

•The military likes em.

17

0.76

0.40

0.01

0.45

0.42

0.273

0.164

0.030

0.015

0.015

0.3

0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00

Tier 1 Diesel

Tier 2 Diesel

Tier 3 Diesel

US Utility Average

Lean Burn Gas Recip

ARES Gas Recip

Gas Turbine

Microturbine

Fuel Cell

Rich Burn Gas Recip + TWC

Tier 1 Diesel+ SCR

Tier 2 Diesel + SCR

Tier 3 Diesel+ SCR

Lean burn gas recip + SCR

ARES Gas Recip + SCR

Gas Turbine+ SCR

NOx (lb/MWe-hr)

MOH - Mobile Off-Highway

SCR - Selective Catalytic Reduction

TWC - Three-Way Catalyst

Base Plant

MOH Regulations

1.5

3.4

8.2

13.6

20.9

Generating Equipment Exhaust Emissions

All technologies are evolving into a tight bandUltra low FC emissions may drive BACT regulations that favor fuel cells

in non containment areas

18

What are the disadvantages?

Disadvantages of fuel cells–Presently more costly.

•Not a mature technology.•Ceramics are relatively fragile.•Can be difficult to seal.

–Start up issues.•SOFC’s will always take tens of minutes to start.

•Transient response, Fuel must lead load.

19

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1 10 100 1000 10000 100000Power (Kw)

Pric

e ($

/kW

)Current Fuel Cells

Natural Gas Recip

Gas Turbine(Non-recuperated)

Microturbine(Recuperated)

Industry Fuel Cell Target

DOE SECA Fuel Cell Targets Long Term ($400/kW mfg. cost)

Diesel Recip

High Eq. costs drive total ownership costs, particularly in less than base load applications

Published Equipment Prices

Equipment Cost/KW vs. Power

20

Fuel Cells and Cummins

Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA)– Public (DOE), Private partnership to develop low cost SOFC’s.

• Cummins Power Generation is one of the industry teams.– DOE Target System Cost of $400 / kW by 2010

21

Phase 1 Reality

NOC = normal operating conditionsNotes:

– Peak efficiency is not a specific test - it is normal operation– $/kW calculation is based on peak power which will be done at end of test– All operation on pipeline natural gas with facility desulphurizer

> 90%

< 1%

~ 1-2 %

~ 35 - 44% DC Net~ 750 – 775

~ 3.3 kWDC NET (NOC)~ 5.4 kW DC NET (Peak)

Phase 1 Reality

> 80%

< 1 %

< 2 %

> 25% mobile< 800

3 – 10 kW

Phase 1 Program Requirements

Availability

Transient Degradation (/ 10 cycles)

Efficiency (net electrical LHV)

Steady State Degradation (/ 500 hrs.)

Cost ($/kW @ 50k/a.)

System Size (net)

22

Initial Phase 1 System Testing: Stack Current & Voltage vs. Time

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

0 120 240 360 480 600 720 840

Time Since Start [Hours]

Tota

l Sta

ck V

olta

ge [V

]

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

Cur

rent

[A]

Stack Tower Voltage, to BoostEOL Voltage LimitStack CurrentAugust 4 – September 5, 2006

System characterization NOC Hold

10 Transients

NOC Hold

Peak Power@80 A (450 mW/cm2)@100 A (500 mW/cm2)

23

Initial Phase 1 System Testing: Peak Power

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

625 631 637 643 649 655 661 667 673

Time Since Start (Hours)

Pow

er (W

)

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

Effic

ienc

y (%

)

Gross DC Power Net DC Output Power Gross DC Efficiency Net DC Output Efficiency

5.5kWn DC @ 100ADC (1.5hrs)

5.4 kW net DC @ 80ADC (22 hrs)

Two hard transitions 80ADC to e-stop due to test errors

At 42 ADC Steady-state

At 42 ADC Steady-state

24

SOFC Planar Construction– Solid electrolyte, supported

by Anode material.– Cell interconnects made of

stainless steel.

Anode

Cathode

Electrolyte

•Anode – nickel-zirconia cermet, ~ 1 mm thick•Electrolyte – yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), ~ 5 µm thick•Cathode – conducting ceramic, ~ 50 µm thick

All Courtesy of Versa Power

SOFC Cells

SOFC Stacks

25

Ceramics manufacturing

26

Low cost, high volume ceramics manufacturing

27

The SystemFuel Cell Stacks center piece of a larger system.– Fuel Cells by themselves are clean, balance of plant

may not be.– Balance of Plant (BOP)

• Thermal, fluid management– Control flows to match current demand, and fuel utilization

requirements. – Control stack average temperature.– Control stack temperature gradients.

• Combustor cleans up exhaust– MUST BE CAREFUL WITH DESIGN OF COMBUSTOR.

– Fuel processor• Other than Natural Gas, SOFC needs some fuel processing• Greatly simplified versus a PEM, however.

28

Mobile SOFC Balance of Plant

29

Stationary SOFC BOP

30

The System PEPower Electronics–Load management

– Fuel Must Lead ON Load, and Must Lag OFF Load

–Supply a buffer between required load power and fuel cell dynamics (Fuel processor limits transient performance).•Control stack loading to a safe rate.•Maintain supplemental energy storage.

– Battery based hybrid system•Generate stable AC power to user.

31

Fuel Cell Power Electronics

Onan Hybrid QD Electronics

32

Affordable Hybrid Fuel Cell SystemAffordable Hybrid Fuel Cell System

Ceramic solid-oxide technology – Clean, efficient, silent power– 10 kW power system– Improved emissions– Improved efficiency– Maintenance benefits over engine

gensets– Longer life– Lower costs over longer term

Key Markets– RV– Commercial mobile– Telecommunications standby– Distributed Generation– Residential

Ceramic solid-oxide technology – Clean, efficient, silent power– 10 kW power system– Improved emissions– Improved efficiency– Maintenance benefits over engine

gensets– Longer life– Lower costs over longer term

Key Markets– RV– Commercial mobile– Telecommunications standby– Distributed Generation– Residential

Packaged SystemPackaged SystemFuel Cell ModuleFuel Cell Module

33

Fuel Cell System Mock-Up

Operator controls

Power Module

Fuel cell boost

BOP Section

635mm(25”)

915mm(36”)

635mm(25”)

34

Fuel Cell System Components

Power Unit

Display Panel Inverter / Charger

Transfer Switch

35

36

37

SECA is a vital part of the DOE’s ultimate goal, called Vision 21

– Clean, efficient electric power generation with ~60% Efficiency on coal ~70% on natural gas 2015.

– Think about it, ~60% efficient electric power production on Coal or Renewable Bio-Fuels!

– Can also include Hydrogen separation.

Ultimate Goal of SECA Clean Coal and/or Clean Renewables

Fuel Cell

38