Upscaling MCFC - Technology to a 50 kWatt ER-MCFC stack demonstration

Objective

The state-of-the-art of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC) in 1993 permitted the construction of 10 kW systems. The next stage of development is the construction of 50-100 kW units. This size comes close to what is required in the low range of industrial co-generation applications.
This project aims at scaling up MCFC technology to commercial power generating units. The electricity generating area of the molten carbonate fuel cells will be upscaled to 1 m2 and the 50 kWatt demonstration will include an operating 50 cell stack.


Besides up-scaling MCFC other major development and research items are: life-time, performance and start-up and operating conditions of the stacks. The project includes a series of seven stack tests directed to the qualification of the different stack components at power levels varying from 300 Watt to 10 kWatt and finally a demonstration at 50 kWatt power level.

Two up-scaling qualification tests will be carried through in the 10 kWatt pressuried test facility at the ECN MCFC laboratories and a series of five basic research oriented stack tests (materials, life-time) at 0.1 sq.m. level will be conducted at the Tecnicas Reunidas laboratories in a newly installed testing facility. The stack components will be fabricated either by ECN (small dimensions) or by BCN's industrial shareholders (full scale, large series).

Based on these developments a 50 kWatt stack and natural gas fed MCFC installations will be fully designed and constructed by the Dutch industrial partners supported by Iberdrola and Tecnicas Reunidas.
Evaluation and reporting the achievements is a joint activity of the project's partners.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › chemical sciences › inorganic chemistry › inorganic compounds
• engineering and technology › electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering › electrical engineering › power engineering › electric power generation › combined heat and power
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › fossil energy › natural gas
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › fuel cells

Programme(s)

• FP3-JOULE 2 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1990-1994

Topic(s)

• 0401 - New options in energy conversion - fuel cells

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Brandstofcel Nederland BV

Address

119a,binckhorstlaan
1940 EB Beverwijk
Netherlands

Participants (2)

Iberdrola SA

Spain

Address

3,hermosilla
28001 Madrid

TÎcnicas Reunidas SA

Spain

Address

16,c/ Sierra Nevada 16
28850 Madrid