Experimental Evaluation of a Pt-based Heat Exchanger Methanol Reformer for a HTPEM Fuel Cell Stack

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Kær, Søren Knudsen; Nielsen, Mads Pagh

2008-01-01

and automotive applications. Using a liquid hydrocarbon as e.g. methanol as the hydrogen carrier and reforming it to a hydrogen rich gas can solve some of these storage issues. The work presented here examines the use of a heat exchanger methanol reformer for use with a HTPEM fuel cell stack. Initial......Fuel cell systems running on pure hydrogen can efficiently produce electricity and heat for various applications, stationary and mobile. Storage volume can be problematic for stationary fuel cell systems with high run-time demands, but it is especially a challenge when dealing with mobile...

Plasma-catalytic reforming of liquid hydrocarbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nedybaliuk, O.A.; Chernyak, V.Ya; Kolgan, V.V.; Iukhymenko, V.V.; Solomenko, O.V.; Fedirchyk, I.I.; Martysh, E.V.; Demchina, V.P.; Klochok, N.V.; Dragnev, S.V.

2015-01-01

The series of experiments studying the plasma-catalytic reforming of liquid hydrocarbons was carried out. The dynamic plasma-liquid system based on a low-power rotating gliding arc with solid electrodes was used for the investigation of liquid hydrocarbons reforming process. Conversion was done via partial oxidation. A part of oxidant flow was activated by the discharge. Synthesis-gas composition was analysed by means of mass-spectrometry and gas-chromatography. A standard boiler, which operates on natural gas and LPG, was used for the burning of synthesis-gas

Developing an energy efficient steam reforming process to produce hydrogen from sulfur-containing fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Simson, Amanda

Hydrogen powered fuel cells have the potential to produce electricity with higher efficiency and lower emissions than conventional combustion technology. In order to realize the benefits of a hydrogen fuel cell an efficient method to produce hydrogen is needed. Currently, over 90% of hydrogen is produced from the steam reforming of natural gas. However, for many applications including fuel cell vehicles, the use of a liquid fuel rather than natural gas is desirable. This work investigates the feasibility of producing hydrogen efficiently by steam reforming E85 (85% ethanol/15% gasoline), a commercially available sulfur-containing transportation fuel. A Rh-Pt/SiO2-ZrO2 catalyst has demonstrated good activity for the E85 steam reforming reaction. An industrial steam reforming process is often run less efficiently, with more water and at higher temperatures, in order to prevent catalyst deactivation. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a process that can operate without catalyst deactivation at more energy efficient conditions. In this study, the steam reforming of a sulfur-containing fuel (E85) was studied at near stoichiometric steam/carbon ratios and at 650C, conditions at which catalyst deactivation is normally measured. At these conditions the catalyst was found to be stable steam reforming a sulfur-free E85. However, the addition of low concentrations of sulfur significantly deactivated the catalyst. The presence of sulfur in the fuel caused catalyst deactivation by promoting ethylene which generates surface carbon species (coke) that mask catalytic sites. The amount of coke increased during time on stream and became increasingly graphitic. However, the deactivation due to both sulfur adsorption and coke formation was reversible with air treatment at 650°C. However, regenerations were found to reduce the catalyst life. Air regenerations produce exotherms on the catalyst surface that cause structural changes to the catalyst. During regenerations the

Characterization and Modeling of a Methanol Reforming Fuel Cell System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sahlin, Simon Lennart

topologies is the Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell (RMFC) system that operates on a mix of methanol and water. The fuel is reformed with a steam reforming to a hydrogen rich gas, however with additional formation of Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide. High Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (HT...... to heat up the steam reforming process. However, utilizing the excess hydrogen in the system complicates the RMFC system as the amount of hydrogen can vary depending on the fuel methanol supply, fuel cell load and the reformer gas composition. This PhD study has therefore been involved in investigating......Many fuel cells systems today are operated with compressed hydrogen which has great benefits because of the purity of the hydrogen and the relatively simple storage of the fuel. However, compressed hydrogen is stored in the range of 800 bar, which can be expensive to compress.One of the interesting...

The agnion Heatpipe-Reformer - operating experiences and evaluation of fuel conversion and syngas composition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gallmetzer, Georg; Ackermann, Pascal [Highterm Research GmbH, Hettenshausen (Germany); Schweiger, Andreas; Kienberger, Thomas [Highterm Research GmbH, Graz (Austria); Groebl, Thomas; Walter, Heimo [Technische Universitaet Wien, Institut fuer Energietechnik und Thermodynamik, Wien (Austria); Zankl, Markus; Kroener, Martin [Agnion Technologies GmbH, Hettenshausen (Germany)

2012-09-15

Fluidized bed gasification of solid fuels is considered as one of the core technologies for future sustainable energy supply. Whereas autothermal oxygen-driven gasification is applied in large-scale substitute natural gas (SNG) and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) plants or small-scale combined heat and power (CHP) plants, the allothermal steam-reforming process of the agnion Heatpipe-Reformer is designed for cost- and fuel-efficient syngas generation at small scales for distributed applications. The Heatpipe-Reformer's pressurized syngas generation provides a number of benefits for SNG, biomass to liquid (BTL) and CHP applications. A modified gas engine concept uses the pressurized and hydrogen-rich syngas for increased performance and tar tolerance at decreased capital expenses. Agnion has installed and operated a 500-kW thermal input pilot plant in Pfaffenhofen, Germany, over the last 2 years, showing stable operation over a variety of operating points. The syngas composition has been measured at values expected by thermodynamic models. An influence of the steam-to-fuel ratio and reformer temperature was observed. Tar and sulphur contents have been monitored and correlated to operation parameters, showing influences on stoichiometry and carbon conversion. The mass and energy streams of the plant were balanced. One of the main observations in the monitoring programme is the fact that syngas output, efficiency and syngas quality correlate to high values if the carbon conversion is high. Carbon conversion rates and cold gas efficiencies are comparably high in respect to today's processes, promising economic and fuel-efficient operation of the Heatpipe-Reformer applications. (orig.)

Small-scale reforming of diesel and jet fuels to make hydrogen and syngas for fuel cells: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Xinhai; Li, Peiwen; Shen, Yuesong

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Issues of reforming of heavy hydrocarbon fuels are reviewed. • The advantages of autothermal reforming over other types of reforming are discussed. • The causes and solutions of the major problems for reforming reactors are studied. • Designs and startup strategies for autothermal reforming reactors are proposed. - Abstract: This paper reviews the technological features and challenges of autothermal reforming (ATR) of heavy hydrocarbon fuels for producing hydrogen and syngas onboard to supply fuels to fuel cells for auxiliary power units. A brief introduction at the beginning enumerates the advantages of using heavy hydrocarbon fuels onboard to provide hydrogen or syngas for fuel cells such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). A detailed review of the reforming and processing technologies of diesel and jet fuels is then presented. The advantages of ATR over steam reforming (SR) and partial oxidation reforming (POX) are summarized, and the ATR reaction is analyzed from a thermodynamic point of view. The causes and possible solutions to the major problems existing in ATR reactors, including hot spots, formation of coke, and inhomogeneous mixing of fuel, steam, and air, are reviewed and studied. Designs of ATR reactors are discussed, and three different reactors, one with a fixed bed, one with monoliths, and one with microchannels are investigated. Novel ideas for design and startup strategies for ATR reactors are proposed at the end of the review

Experimental characterization and modeling of an ethanol steam reformer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mandø, Matthias; Bovo, Mirko; Nielsen, Mads Pagh

2006-01-01

This work describes the characterization of an ethanol reforming system for a high temperature PEM fuel cell system. High temperature PEM fuel cells are well suited for operation on reformate gas due to the superior CO tolerance compared with low temperature PEM. Steam reforming of liquid biofuels...

Determination of optimal reformer temperature in a reformed methanol fuel cell system using ANFIS models and numerical optimization methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Kristian Kjær; Andreasen, Søren Juhl

2015-01-01

In this work a method for choosing the optimal reformer temperature for a reformed methanol fuel cell system is presented based on a case study of a H3 350 module produced by Serenergy A/S. The method is based on ANFIS models of the dependence of the reformer output gas composition on the reformer...... temperature and fuel flow, and the dependence of the fuel cell voltage on the fuel cell temperature, current and anode supply gas CO content. These models are combined to give a matrix of system efficiencies at different fuel cell currents and reformer temperatures. This matrix is then used to find...... the reformer temperature which gives the highest efficiency for each fuel cell current. The average of this optimal efficiency curve is 32.11% and the average efficiency achieved using the standard constant temperature is 30.64% an increase of 1.47 percentage points. The gain in efficiency is 4 percentage...

Fossil fuel subsidy reform: lessons from the Indonesian case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savatic, Filip

2016-10-01

Global assessments of consumption and the Indonesian case show the relevance of non-household consumers of subsidized energy products. As shown in this study, understanding in more nuance how reforms affect them has the potential to improve the reforms that will be developed by policy-makers worldwide. Further study can reinforce the many benefits of successful reform for the countries and societies slowly turning away from these policies of the past. Estimates regarding the amount of public funds utilized to subsidize the production or consumption of fossil fuels are staggering. For 2011, they range from $83 billion in OECD member states, to nearly $4.1 trillion worldwide if environmental externalities are considered. Numerous studies have demonstrated that subsidies repress economic growth, undermine energy sector investment, increase public debt, benefit wealthy citizens over the poor, instigate a rise in illicit activities, and engender greater global and local pollution. The negative effects of fossil fuel subsidies have led numerous governments to reform their energy policies. There has also been a growing international consensus in favor of reform. While the components of successful reform programs have been identified through past case studies, the nature of reforms adopted by several governments that target non-households have not been systematically examined. Since the late 1990s, the Indonesian government has implemented numerous reforms of its fossil fuel subsidies, including measures targeting household as well as non-household energy consumption. In doing so, it has incurred significant fiscal savings. However, an innovative budgetary analysis reveals that households receive a minority, and a declining share, of fossil fuel subsidy funds. This is the case despite the fact that subsidies were implemented to ensure poor households have access to cheap energy. These findings demonstrate the need to consider non-household sectors in the design of fossil

Hydrogen production by steam reforming methanol for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amphlett, J.C.; Creber, K.A.M.; Davis, J.M.; Mann, R.F.; Peppley, B.A.; Stokes, D.M.

1993-01-01

Catalytic steam reforming of methanol has been studied as a means of generating hydrogen for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. A semi-empirical model of the kinetics of the catalytic steam reforming of methanol over Cu O/Zn O/Al 2 O 3 catalyst has been developed. This model is able to predict the performance of the reformer with respect to the various parameters important in developing an integrated reformer-polymer fuel cell system. A set of sample calculations of reformer temperature and CO production are given. The impact of the performance of the reformer catalyst on the design of the overall fuel cell power system is discussed. The selectivity of the catalyst to minimize CO content in the fuel gas is shown to be more critical than was previously believed. 4 figs., 4 tabs., 11 refs

Dynamic Modeling of a Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell System using Empirical Data and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Kristian Kjær; Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Shaker, Hamid Reza

2013-01-01

In this work, a dynamic MATLAB Simulink model of a H3-350 Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell (RMFC) stand-alone battery charger produced by Serenergy is developed on the basis of theoretical and empirical methods. The advantage of RMFC systems is that they use liquid methanol as a fuel instead of gaseous...... of the reforming process are implemented. Models of the cooling flow of the blowers for the fuel cell and the burner which supplies process heat for the reformer are made. The two blowers have a common exhaust, which means that the two blowers influence each other’s output. The models take this into account using...... an empirical approach. Fin efficiency models for the cooling effect of the air are also developed using empirical methods. A fuel cell model is also implemented based on a standard model which is adapted to fit the measured performance of the H3-350 module. All the individual parts of the model are verified...

Dynamic Modeling of a Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell System using Empirical Data and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Kristian Kjær; Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Shaker, Hamid Reza

2014-01-01

In this work, a dynamic MATLAB Simulink model of a H3-350 Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell (RMFC) stand-alone battery charger produced by Serenergy is developed on the basis of theoretical and empirical methods. The advantage of RMFC systems is that they use liquid methanol as a fuel instead of gaseous...... of the reforming process are implemented. Models of the cooling flow of the blowers for the fuel cell and the burner which supplies process heat for the reformer are made. The two blowers have a common exhaust, which means that the two blowers influence each other’s output. The models take this into account using...... an empirical approach. Fin efficiency models for the cooling effect of the air are also developed using empirical methods. A fuel cell model is also implemented based on a standard model which is adapted to fit the measured performance of the H3-350 module. All the individual parts of the model are verified...

Pembuatan Fuel dari Liquid Hasil Pirolisis Plastik Polipropilen Melalui Proses Reforming Dengan Katalis NiO/γ-Al2O3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahendra Fajri Nugraha

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Estimasi jumlah timbulan sampah di Indonesia pada tahun 2008 mencapai 38,5 juta ton/tahun. Melihat dari sifat penyusun plastik yang tersusun dari komponen hidrokarbon minyak bumi, maka limbah plastik sangat berpotensi untuk dikonversi menjadi BBM. Tujuan penelitian ini Mempelajari proses konversi limbah plastik khususnya jenis polipropilen (PP menjadi fuel serta pengaruh berbagai macam komposisi katalis NiO/γ-Al2O3, temperatur, laju alir reaktan pada reactor reforming terhadap kualitas fuel (yield aromatis yang dihasilkan. Pada penelitian ini bahan baku yang digunakan merupakan plastik jenis Polipropilen (PP. Pada penelitian ini minyak yang telah dihasilkan pada proses pirolisis selanjutnya akan di reforming. Pada penelitian ini digunakan logam NiO dengan penyangga γ-Al2O3 (NiO/γ-Al2O3 sebagai katalis untuk proses reforming minyak hasil pirolisis plastik polipropilen. Variabel penelitian meliputi Loading Ni (% massa : 6; 10; 14, Laju alir (ml/jam : 2I7; 500; 690, Suhu reaksi (oC : 400; 450; 500. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dan analisa diketahui bahwa % yield aromatis terbesar pada proses reforming minyak hasil pirolisis plastik polipropilen dihasilkan dengan kondisi operasi 14 % loading Ni pada katalis, temperatur reforming 500oC serta laju reaktan sebesar 217 mL/jam. Dengan kata lain dapat disimpulkan bahwa pada penelitian ini, hasil terbaik didapat pada variabel flowlaju terendah dan variabel suhu tertinggi. Kondisi operasi efektif dalam pembuatan fuel pada proses reforming diperoleh saat loading Ni pada katalis NiO/γ-Al2O3 14 %, temperatur reforming 400oC serta laju reaktan 500 mL/jam.

Steam Methane Reformation Testing for Air-Independent Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mwara, Kamwana N.

2015-01-01

Recently, NASA has been looking into utilizing landers that can be propelled by LOX-CH (sub 4), to be used for long duration missions. Using landers that utilize such propellants, also provides the opportunity to use solid oxide fuel cells as a power option, especially since they are able to process methane into a reactant through fuel reformation. One type of reformation, called steam methane reformation, is a process to reform methane into a hydrogen-rich product by reacting methane and steam (fuel cell exhaust) over a catalyst. A steam methane reformation system could potentially use the fuel cell's own exhaust to create a reactant stream that is hydrogen-rich, and requires less internal reforming of the incoming methane. Also, steam reformation may hold some advantages over other types of reforming, such as partial oxidation (PROX) reformation. Steam reformation does not require oxygen, while up to 25 percent can be lost in PROX reformation due to unusable CO (sub 2) reformation. NASA's Johnson Space Center has conducted various phases of steam methane reformation testing, as a viable solution for in-space reformation. This has included using two different types of catalysts, developing a custom reformer, and optimizing the test system to find the optimal performance parameters and operating conditions.

An afterburner-powered methane/steam reformer for a solid oxide fuel cells application

Science.gov (United States)

Mozdzierz, Marcin; Chalusiak, Maciej; Kimijima, Shinji; Szmyd, Janusz S.; Brus, Grzegorz

2018-04-01

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems can be fueled by natural gas when the reforming reaction is conducted in a stack. Due to its maturity and safety, indirect internal reforming is usually used. A strong endothermic methane/steam reforming process needs a large amount of heat, and it is convenient to provide thermal energy by burning the remainders of fuel from a cell. In this work, the mathematical model of afterburner-powered methane/steam reformer is proposed. To analyze the effect of a fuel composition on SOFC performance, the zero-dimensional model of a fuel cell connected with a reformer is formulated. It is shown that the highest efficiency of a solid oxide fuel cell is achieved when the steam-to-methane ratio at the reforming reactor inlet is high.

Hexaaluminate Combustion Catalysts for Fuel Cell Fuel Reformers

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Thomas, Fred S; Campbell, Timothy J; Shaaban, Aly H; Binder, Michael J; Holcomb, Frank H; Knight, James

2004-01-01

.... When heat is produced by combustion of logistics fuel in an open-flame or radiant burner, the rate of hydrogen production in the steam reforming reactor is generally limited by the rate of heat transfer from the burner...

Performance evaluation of a proof-of-concept 70 W internal reforming methanol fuel cell system

Science.gov (United States)

Avgouropoulos, G.; Schlicker, S.; Schelhaas, K.-P.; Papavasiliou, J.; Papadimitriou, K. D.; Theodorakopoulou, E.; Gourdoupi, N.; Machocki, A.; Ioannides, T.; Kallitsis, J. K.; Kolb, G.; Neophytides, S.

2016-03-01

A proof-of-concept 70 W Internal Reforming Methanol Fuel Cell (IRMFC) stack including Balance-of-Plant (BoP) was designed, assembled and tested. Advent TPS® high-temperature, polymer electrolyte membrane electrode assemblies were employed for fuel cell operation at 200 °C. In order to avoid phosphoric acid poisoning of the reformer, the anode electrocatalyst of each cell was indirectly adjoined, via a separation plate, to a highly active CuMnAlOx catalyst coated onto copper foam, which served as methanol reforming layer. The reformer was in-situ converting the methanol/steam feed to the required hydrogen (internal reforming concept) at 200 °C, which was readily oxidized at the anode electrodes. The operation of the IRMFC was supported through a number of BoP components consisting of a start-up subsystem (air blower, evaporator and monolithic burner), a combined afterburner/evaporator device, methanol/water supply and data acquisition units (reactants/products analysis, temperature control, flow control, system load/output control). Depending on the composition of the liquid MeOH/H2O feed streams, current densities up to 0.18 A cm-2 and power output up to 70 W could be obtained with remarkable repeatability. Specific targets for improvement of the efficiency were identified.

Multiplexed electrospray scaling for liquid fuel injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waits, C Mike; Hanrahan, Brendan; Lee, Ivan

2010-01-01

Evaporation and space-charge requirements are evaluated to understand the effect of device scaling and fuel preheating for a liquid fuel injector using a multiplexed electrospray (MES) configuration in compact combustion applications. This work reveals the influence of the droplet diameter, droplet velocity and droplet surface temperature as well as the surrounding gas temperature on the size and performance of microfabricated MES. Measurements from MES devices are used in the model to accurately account for the droplet diameter versus flow rate relationship, the minimum droplet diameter and the relevant droplet velocities. A maximum extractor electrode to ground electrode distance of 3.1 mm required to overcome space-charge forces is found to be independent of voltage or droplet velocity for large levels of multiplexing. This maximum distance also becomes the required evaporation length scale which imposes minimum fuel pre-heating requirements for large flow densities. Required fuel preheating is therefore evaluated for both ethanol and 1-butanol with combustor parameters relevant to fuel reformation, thermoelectric conversion, thermophotovoltaic conversion and thermionic conversion

Solar Reforming of Carbon Dioxide to Produce Diesel Fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dennis Schuetzle; Robert Schuetzle

2010-12-31

This project focused on the demonstration of an innovative technology, referred to as the Sunexus CO2 Solar Reformer, which utilizes waste CO2 as a feedstock for the efficient and economical production of synthetic diesel fuel using solar thermal energy as the primary energy input. The Sunexus technology employs a two stage process for the conversion of CO2 to diesel fuel. A solar reforming system, including a specially designed reactor and proprietary CO2 reforming catalyst, was developed and used to convert captured CO2 rich gas streams into syngas (primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide) using concentrated solar energy at high conversion efficiencies. The second stage of the system (which has been demonstrated under other funding) involves the direct conversion of the syngas into synthetic diesel fuel using a proprietary catalyst (Terra) previously developed and validated by Pacific Renewable Fuels and Chemicals (PRFC). The overall system energy efficiency for conversion of CO2 to diesel fuel is 74%, due to the use of solar energy. The results herein describe modeling, design, construction, and testing of the Sunexus CO2 Solar Reformer. Extensive parametric testing of the solar reformer and candidate catalysts was conducted and chemical kinetic models were developed. Laboratory testing of the Solar Reformer was successfully completed using various gas mixtures, temperatures, and gas flow rates/space velocities to establish performance metrics which can be employed for the design of commercial plants. A variety of laboratory tests were conducted including dry reforming (CO2 and CH{sub 4}), combination dry/steam reforming (CO2, CH{sub 4} & H{sub 2}O), and tri-reforming (CO2, CH{sub 4}, H{sub 2}O & O{sub 2}). CH{sub 4} and CO2 conversions averaged 95-100% and 50-90% per reformer cycle, respectively, depending upon the temperatures and gas space velocities. No formation of carbon deposits (coking) on the catalyst was observed in any of these tests. A 16 ft. diameter

Leveraging Fuel Subsidy Reform for Transition in Yemen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivier Ecker

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Yemen is currently undergoing a major political transition, yet many economic challenges—including fuel subsidy reform—remain highly relevant. To inform the transition process with respect to a potential subsidy reform, we use a dynamic computable general equilibrium and microsimulation model for Yemen; we show that overall growth effects of subsidy reduction are positive in general, but poverty can increase or decrease depending on reform design. A promising strategy for a successful reform combines fuel subsidy reduction with direct income transfers to the poorest one-third of households during reform, and productivity-enhancing investment in infrastructure, plus fiscal consolidation. Public investments should be used for integrating economic spaces and restructuring of agricultural, industrial and service value chains in order to create a framework that encourages private-sector-led and job-creating growth.

Nickel catalysts for internal reforming in molten carbonate fuel cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berger, R.J.; Berger, R.J.; Doesburg, E.B.M.; Doesburg, E.B.M.; van Ommen, J.G.; Ross, J.R.H.; Ross, J.R.H.

1996-01-01

Natural gas may be used instead of hydrogen as fuel for the molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) by steam reforming the natural gas inside the MCFC, using a nickel catalyst (internal reforming). The severe conditions inside the MCFC, however, require that the catalyst has a very high stability. In

Control and experimental characterization of a methanol reformer for a 350W high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Kær, Søren Knudsen; Jensen, Hans-Christian Becker

suited for reformer systems, where high CO tolerance is required. This enables the use fuels based on e.g. liquid alcohols. This work presents the control strategies of a methanol refoermer for a 350W HTPEM FC system. The system examined is the Serenergy H3-350 Mobile Battery Charger, an integrated......High temperature polymer electrolyte membrane(HTPEM) fuel cells offer many advantages due to their increased operating tempera-tures compared to similar Nafion-based membrane tech-nologies, that rely on the conductive abilities of liquid water. The polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes are especially...

A micro fuel reformer integrated with a combustor and a microchannel evaporator

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Kazushi; Tanaka, Shuji; Hiraki, Hisashi; Esashi, Masayoshi

2006-09-01

This paper describes the development of a micro fuel reformer integrated with a combustor and an evaporator. Fuel reforming tests were performed by using a mixture of methanol and water as reforming fuel and hydrogen as combustion fuel. It was found that the design of the microchannel evaporator is critical to obtain larger hydrogen output. Hydrogen output and CO concentration were investigated by varying the input combustion power at different fuel feeding rates. 32.9 sccm of hydrogen, which is equivalent to 5.9 W in lower heating value, was produced, when input combustion power was 11 W.

Steam and partial oxidation reforming options for hydrogen production from fossil fuels for PEM fuel cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yousri M.A. Welaya

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM generates electrical power from air and from hydrogen or hydrogen rich gas mixtures. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in converting current hydrocarbon based marine fuels such as natural gas, gasoline, and diesel into hydrogen rich gases acceptable to the PEM fuel cells on board ships. Using chemical flow sheeting software, the total system efficiency has been calculated. Natural gas appears to be the best fuel for hydrogen rich gas production due to its favorable composition of lower molecular weight compounds. This paper presents a study for a 250 kW net electrical power PEM fuel cell system utilizing a partial oxidation in one case study and steam reformers in the second. This study has shown that steam-reforming process is the most competitive fuel processing option in terms of fuel processing efficiency. Partial oxidation process has proved to posses the lowest fuel processing efficiency. Among the options studied, the highest fuel processing efficiency is achieved with natural gas steam reforming system.

Advances in catalysts for internal reforming in high temperature fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Dicks, A. L.

Catalytic steam reforming of natural gas is an attractive method of producing the hydrogen required by the present generation of fuel cells. The molten carbonate (MCFC) and solid oxide (SOFC) fuel cells operate at high enough temperatures for the endothermic steam reforming reaction to be carried out within the stack. For the MCFC, the conventional anodes have insufficient activity to catalyse the steam reforming of natural gas. For these cells, internal reforming can be achieved only with the addition of a separate catalyst, preferably located in close proximity to the anode. However, in the so-called `Direct Internal Reforming' configuration, attack from alkali in the MCFC may severely limit catalyst lifetime. In the case of the state-of-the-art SOFC, natural gas can be reformed directly on the nickel cermet anode. However, in the SOFC, temperature variations in the cell caused by the reforming reaction may limit the amount of internal reforming that can be allowed in practice. In addition, some external pre-reforming may be desirable to remove high molecular weight hydrocarbons from the fuel gas, which would otherwise crack to produce elemental carbon. Degradation of the SOFC anode may also be a problem when internal reforming is carried out. This has prompted several research groups to investigate the use of alternative anode materials.

Vehicle type choice under the influence of a tax reform and rising fuel prices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mabit, Stefan Lindhard

2014-01-01

change in new vehicle purchases toward more diesel vehicles and more fuel-efficient vehicles. The paper analyses to what extent a vehicle tax reform similar to the Danish 2007 reform may explain changes in purchasing behaviour. The paper investigates the effects of a tax reform, fuel price changes......, and technological development on vehicle type choice using a mixed logit model. The model allows a simulation of the effect of car price changes that resemble those induced by the tax reform. This effect is compared to the effects of fuel price changes and technology improvements. The simulations show...... that the effect of the tax reform on fuel efficiency is similar to the effect of rising fuel prices while the effect of technological development is much larger. The conclusion is that while the tax reform appeared in the same year as a large increase in fuel efficiency, it seems likely that it only explains...

Energy and exergy analysis of an ethanol reforming process for solid oxide fuel cell applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tippawan, Phanicha; Arpornwichanop, Amornchai

2014-04-01

The fuel processor in which hydrogen is produced from fuels is an important unit in a fuel cell system. The aim of this study is to apply a thermodynamic concept to identify a suitable reforming process for an ethanol-fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Three different reforming technologies, i.e., steam reforming, partial oxidation and autothermal reforming, are considered. The first and second laws of thermodynamics are employed to determine an energy demand and to describe how efficiently the energy is supplied to the reforming process. Effect of key operating parameters on the distribution of reforming products, such as H2, CO, CO2 and CH4, and the possibility of carbon formation in different ethanol reformings are examined as a function of steam-to-ethanol ratio, oxygen-to-ethanol ratio and temperatures at atmospheric pressure. Energy and exergy analysis are performed to identify the best ethanol reforming process for SOFC applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reforming sewage sludge pyrolysis volatile with Fe-embedded char: Minimization of liquid product yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Guotao; Chen, Dezhen; Arena, Umberto; Huang, Zhen; Dai, Xiaohu

2018-03-01

Obtaining high quality syngas from sewage sludge (SS) means transferring a low-grade SS into a high-grade fuel or raw materials for chemical products. In this study, Fe is added to SS in form of Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 to produce an effective and self-sufficient catalyst in order to obtain more syngas and minimize liquid products from SS pyrolysis. The Fe-embedded sewage sludge chars (SSCs) were used as catalysts for volatile reforming at 600°C. It has been found that the gas yield increases from 15.9 to 35.8wt% of the SS and that of liquids decreases from 31.9 to 10.2wt% after volatile reforming with Fe-embedded SSC when Fe was added equal to 7 % in the dried SS. In addition, the content of nitrogen-containing compounds in the oily products decreased. After reforming with Fe-embedded SSC, the molar fractions of syngas combustible components, including H 2 , CH 4 and CO, increase, and the higher heating value of the syngas increased to 17.0MJ/Nm 3 from the original 12.5MJ/Nm 3 obtained from SS pyrolysis at 550°C. Moreover, the volatile reforming seems to reduce the level of some important syngas pollutants, like H 2 S, HCl and HCN, even though it was also observed an increase of the contents of SO 2 , NH 3 , NO 2, HCNO and N 2 O. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reforming performance of a plasma-catalyst hybrid converter using low carbon fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horng, R.-F.; Lai, M.-P.; Huang, H.-H.; Chang, Y.-P.

2009-01-01

The reforming performance of a plasma-catalyst hybrid converter using different low carbon fuels was investigated. The methodology was to use arc from spark discharge combined with an appropriate oxygen/carbon molar ratio (O 2 /C) and feeding rate of the supplied mixture. To enhance the mixing and reforming reaction, a gas intake swirl was generated by inducing the mixture tangentially into the reaction chamber. The required energy for fuel processing was provided by heat released through the oxidation of the air-fuel mixture. The reforming temperature as well as the effect of steam addition on the hydrogen production was studied. The results showed that reformate gas temperature had a profound effect on the overall reaction. The H 2 /(CO + CO 2 ) ratio reformed by both methane and propane was shown to increase with temperature and that the optimum ratio was obtained when reforming methane under 650 deg. C. The conversion efficiency of the fuel was also shown to increase with increasing temperature. The best thermal efficiency of 72.01% was obtained near 750 deg. C. The theoretical equilibrium calculations and the experimental results were compared.

Development of large scale internal reforming molten carbonate fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sasaki, A.; Shinoki, T.; Matsumura, M. [Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Hyogo (Japan)

1996-12-31

Internal Reforming (IR) is a prominent scheme for Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) power generating systems in order to get high efficiency i.e. 55-60% as based on the Higher Heating Value (HHV) and compact configuration. The Advanced Internal Reforming (AIR) technology has been developed based on two types of the IR-MCFC technology i.e. Direct Internal Reforming (DIR) and Indirect Internal Reforming (DIR).

High liquid fuel yielding biofuel processes and a roadmap for the future transportation

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Navneet R.

In a fossil-fuel deprived world when crude oil will be scarce and transportation need cannot be met with electricity and transportation liquid fuel must be produced, biomass derived liquid fuels can be a natural replacement. However, the carbon efficiency of the currently known biomass to liquid fuel conversion processes ranges from 35-40%, yielding 90 ethanol gallon equivalents (ege) per ton of biomass. This coupled with the fact that the efficiency at which solar energy is captured by biomass (hydrodeoxygenation is proposed which can achieve liquid fuel yield of 215 ege/ton consuming 0.11 kg hydrogen per liter of oil. Due to the lower hydrogen consumption of the H2Bioil process, synergistically integrated transition pathways are feasible where hot syngas derived from coal gasification (H2Bioil-C) or a natural gas reformer (H 2Bioil-NG) is used to supply the hydrogen and process heat for the biomass fast-hydropyrolysis/hydrodeoxygenation. Another off-shoot of the H2Bioil process is the H2Bioil-B process, where hydrogen required for the hydropyrolysis is obtained from gasification of a fraction of the biomass. H2Bioil-B achieves the highest liquid fuel yield (126-146 ege/ton of biomass) reported in the literature for any self-contained conversion of biomass to biofuel. Finally, an integration of the H2Bioil process with the H2CAR process is suggested which can achieve 100% carbon efficiency (330 ege/ton of biomass) at the expense of 0.24 kg hydrogen/liter of oil. A sun-to-fuel efficiency analysis shows that extracting CO2 from air and converting it to liquid fuel is at least two times more efficient than growing dedicated fuel crops and converting them to liquid fuel even for the highest biomass growth rates feasible by algae. This implies that liquid fuel should preferably be produced from sustainably available waste (SAW) biomass first and if the SAW biomass is unable to meet the demand for liquid fuel, then, CO2 should be extracted from air and converted to

The reformation of liquid hydrocarbons in an aqueous discharge reactor

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Xuming; Cha, Min

2015-01-01

deposition. These findings offer a new approach to the reforming processes of liquid hydrocarbons and provide a novel concept for the design of a practical and compact plasma reformer. © 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd.

The reformation of liquid hydrocarbons in an aqueous discharge reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xuming; Cha, Min Suk

2015-01-01

We present an aqueous discharge reactor for the reformation of liquid hydrocarbons. To increase a dielectric constant of a liquid medium, we added distilled water to iso-octane and n-dodecane. As expected, we found decreased discharge onset voltage and increased discharge power with increased water content. Results using optical emission spectroscopy identified OH radicals and O atoms as the predominant oxidative reactive species with the addition of water. Enriched CH radicals were also visualized, evidencing the existence of cascade carbon–carbon cleavage and dehydrogenation processes in the aqueous discharge. The gaseous product consisted primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and unsaturated hydrocarbons. The composition of the product was readily adjustable by varying the volume of water added, which demonstrated a significant difference in composition with respect to the tested liquid hydrocarbon. In this study, we found no presence of CO 2 emissions or the contamination of the reactor by solid carbon deposition. These findings offer a new approach to the reforming processes of liquid hydrocarbons and provide a novel concept for the design of a practical and compact plasma reformer. (paper)

State of the art: Multi-fuel reformers for automotive fuel cell applications. Problem identification and research needs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westerholm, R. [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Analytical Chemistry; Pettersson, L.J. [Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden). Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Technology

1999-12-01

On an assignment from the Transport and Communications Research Board (KFB) a literature study and a study trip to the USA and Great Britain have been performed. The literature study and the study trip was made during late spring and autumn 1999.The purpose of the project was to collect available information about the chemical composition of the product gas from a multi-fuel reformer for a fuel cell vehicle. It was furthermore to identify problems and research needs. The report recommends directions for future major research efforts. The results of the literature study and the study trip led to the following general conclusions: With the technology available today it does not seem feasible to develop a highly efficient and reliable multi-fuel reformer for automotive applications, i. e. for applications where all types of fuels ranging from natural gas to heavy diesel fuels can be used. The potential for developing a durable and reliable system is considerably higher if dedicated fuel reformers are used.The authors propose that petroleum-derived fuels should be designed for potential use in mobile fuel cell applications. In the present literature survey and the site visit discussions we found that there are relatively low emissions from fuel cell engines compared to internal combustion engines. However, the major research work on reformers/fuel cells have been performed during steady-state operation. Emissions during start-up, shutdown and transient operation are basically unknown and must be investigated in more detail. The conclusions and findings in this report are based on open/available information, such as discussions at site visits, reports, scientific publications and symposium proceedings.

Modelling and Optimization of Reforming Systems for use in PEM Fuel Cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berry, Melissa; Korsgaard, Anders Risum; Nielsen, Mads Pagh

2004-01-01

Three different reforming methods for the conversion of natural gas to hydrogen are studied and compared: Steam Reforming (SR), Auto-thermal Reforming (ATR), and Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPOX). Thermodynamic and kinetic models are developed for the reforming reactors as well as the subsequent...... reactors needed for CO removal to make the synthesis gas suitable for use in a PEM fuel cell. The systems are optimized to minimize the total volume, and must supply adequate hydrogen to a fuel cell with a 100kW load. The resultant system efficiencies are calculated. The CPOX system is the smallest...

Pre-reforming of natural gas in solid oxide fuel-cell systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peters, R.; Riensche, E.; Cremer, P. [Institute for Materials and Processes Systems IWV 3: Energy Process Engineering, Forschungszentrum Juelich (Germany)

2000-03-01

Several measures concerning fuel processing in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system offer the possibility of significant cost reduction and higher system efficiencies. For SOFC systems, the ratio between internal and pre-reforming has to be optimized on the basis of experimental performance data. Furthermore, anode gas recycling by an injector in front of the pre-reformer can eliminate the steam generator and the corresponding heat of evaporation. A detailed study is carried out on pre-reforming in a reformer of considerable size (10 kW{sub el}). Simulating anode gas recycling with an injector, the influence of carbon dioxide on reactor performance was studied. Also, the dependence of the methanol conversion on mass flow and temperature will be discussed. In addition, some results concerning the dynamic behaviour of the pre-reformer are given. (orig.)

Ethanol internal steam reforming in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Diethelm, Stefan; Van herle, Jan

This study investigates the performance of a standard Ni-YSZ anode supported cell under ethanol steam reforming operating conditions. Therefore, the fuel cell was directly operated with a steam/ethanol mixture (3 to 1 molar). Other gas mixtures were also used for comparison to check the conversion of ethanol and of reformate gases (H 2, CO) in the fuel cell. The electrochemical properties of the fuel cell fed with four different fuel compositions were characterized between 710 and 860 °C by I- V and EIS measurements at OCV and under polarization. In order to elucidate the limiting processes, impedance spectra obtained with different gas compositions were compared using the derivative of the real part of the impedance with respect of the natural logarithm of the frequency. Results show that internal steam reforming of ethanol takes place significantly on Ni-YSZ anode only above 760 °C. Comparisons of results obtained with reformate gas showed that the electrochemical cell performance is dominated by the conversion of hydrogen. The conversion of CO also occurs either directly or indirectly through the water-gas shift reaction but has a significant impact on the electrochemical performance only above 760 °C.

Applications of solar reforming technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spiewak, I. [Weizmann Inst. of Science, Rehovoth (Israel); Tyner, C.E. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Langnickel, U. [Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Koeln (Germany)

1993-11-01

Research in recent years has demonstrated the efficient use of solar thermal energy for driving endothermic chemical reforming reactions in which hydrocarbons are reacted to form synthesis gas (syngas). Closed-loop reforming/methanation systems can be used for storage and transport of process heat and for short-term storage for peaking power generation. Open-loop systems can be used for direct fuel production; for production of syngas feedstock for further processing to specialty chemicals and plastics and bulk ammonia, hydrogen, and liquid fuels; and directly for industrial processes such as iron ore reduction. In addition, reforming of organic chemical wastes and hazardous materials can be accomplished using the high-efficiency destruction capabilities of steam reforming. To help identify the most promising areas for future development of this technology, we discuss in this paper the economics and market potential of these applications.

Numerical studies of a compact gasoline reformer for fuel cell vehicle applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McIntyre, C.S.; Harrison, S.J.; Oosthuizen, P.H.; Peppley, B.A.

2004-01-01

There has been recent interest in the development of compact fuel processors to produce hydrogen for fuel cell powered vehicles. Gasoline is a promising candidate for distributed or on-board processing because of its high energy density and well-developed infrastructure. A compact fuel processor is under development which utilizes autothermal reforming (ATR) to extract hydrogen from iso-octane, which is used as a surrogate for gasoline. The processor consists of a double-pass packed-bed catalytic reactor to promote partial oxidation, steam reforming, and water-gas-shift reactions. As part of this system development, a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package was used to model flow and chemical reactions. Reformer performance is presented in terms of hydrogen content in the product stream, reformer efficiency (LHV efficiency) and iso-octane conversion. Results are compared to on-going experimental studies. (author)

Leveraging Fuel Subsidy Reform for Transition in Yemen

OpenAIRE

Clemens Breisinger; Wilfried Engelke; Olivier Ecker

2012-01-01

Yemen is currently undergoing a major political transition, yet many economic challenges—including fuel subsidy reform—remain highly relevant. To inform the transition process with respect to a potential subsidy reform, we use a dynamic computable general equilibrium and microsimulation model for Yemen; we show that overall growth effects of subsidy reduction are positive in general, but poverty can increase or decrease depending on reform design. A promising strategy for ...

Purifier-integrated methanol reformer for fuel cell vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jaesung; Kim, Il-soo; Choi, Keun-Sup

We developed a compact, 3-kW, purifier-integrated modular reformer which becomes the building block of full-scale 30-kW or 50-kW methanol fuel processors for fuel cell vehicles. Our proprietary technologies regarding hydrogen purification by composite metal membrane and catalytic combustion by washcoated wire-mesh catalyst were combined with the conventional methanol steam-reforming technology, resulting in higher conversion, excellent quality of product hydrogen, and better thermal efficiency than any other systems using preferential oxidation. In this system, steam reforming, hydrogen purification, and catalytic combustion all take place in a single reactor so that the whole system is compact and easy to operate. Hydrogen from the module is ultrahigh pure (99.9999% or better), hence there is no power degradation of PEMFC stack due to contamination by CO. Also, since only pure hydrogen is supplied to the anode of the PEMFC stack, 100% hydrogen utilization is possible in the stack. The module produces 2.3 Nm 3/h of hydrogen, which is equivalent to 3 kW when PEMFC has 43% efficiency. Thermal efficiency (HHV of product H 2/HHV of MeOH in) of the module is 89% and the power density of the module is 0.77 kW/l. This work was conducted in cooperation with Hyundai Motor Company in the form of a Korean national project. Currently the module is under test with an actual fuel cell stack in order to verify its performance. Sooner or later a full-scale 30-kW system will be constructed by connecting these modules in series and parallel and will serve as the fuel processor for the Korean first fuel cell hybrid vehicle.

The reformation of liquid hydrocarbons in an aqueous discharge reactor

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Xuming

2015-04-21

We present an aqueous discharge reactor for the reformation of liquid hydrocarbons. To increase a dielectric constant of a liquid medium, we added distilled water to iso-octane and n-dodecane. As expected, we found decreased discharge onset voltage and increased discharge power with increased water content. Results using optical emission spectroscopy identified OH radicals and O atoms as the predominant oxidative reactive species with the addition of water. Enriched CH radicals were also visualized, evidencing the existence of cascade carbon-carbon cleavage and dehydrogenation processes in the aqueous discharge. The gaseous product consisted primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and unsaturated hydrocarbons. The composition of the product was readily adjustable by varying the volume of water added, which demonstrated a significant difference in composition with respect to the tested liquid hydrocarbon. In this study, we found no presence of CO2 emissions or the contamination of the reactor by solid carbon deposition. These findings offer a new approach to the reforming processes of liquid hydrocarbons and provide a novel concept for the design of a practical and compact plasma reformer. © 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd.

An estimation of the water balance in a reformer/fuel-cells system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jovan, Vladimir [Jo-ef Stefan Institute and Centre of Excellence Low-Carbon Technologies (Slovenia); Cufar, Alja [University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics (Slovenia)], e-mail: vladimir.jovan@ijs.si

2011-07-01

PEM fuel cells use hydrogen as fuel. Since it is a very light element, its energy density is small despite its high caloric value. Thus hydrogen storage requires a lot of space. One possible solution is simultaneous production of hydrogen from higher-density materials, such as methanol. The object of this paper is to determine what is the total water balance in a system consisting of a methanol reformer and a fuel-cells-based generator set, and to determine if water should be supplied to, or removed from, the system. Based on relatively little information obtained from technical sources and on some simple assumptions, this paper presents a model which helps to determine the actual water balance in the system. In conclusion, commercially available fuel-cell systems with realistic water production can be used for fuel reforming purposes in the methanol reformer. It is also shown that under normal operating conditions, and using commercially available devices, there is always an excess of water produced.

Hydrogen fueling stations in Japan hydrogen and fuel cell demonstration project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koseki, K.; Tomuro, J.; Sato, H.; Maruyama, S.

2004-01-01

A new national demonstration project of fuel cell vehicles, which is called Japan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Demonstration Project (JHFC Project), has started in FY2002 on a four-year plan. In this new project, ten hydrogen fueling stations have been constructed in Tokyo and Kanagawa area in FY2002-2003. The ten stations adopt the following different types of fuel and fueling methods: LPG reforming, methanol reforming, naphtha reforming, desulfurized-gasoline reforming, kerosene reforming, natural gas reforming, water electrolysis, liquid hydrogen, by-product hydrogen, and commercially available cylinder hydrogen. Approximately fifty fuel cell passenger cars and a fuel cell bus are running on public roads using these stations. In addition, two hydrogen stations will be constructed in FY2004 in Aichi prefecture where The 2005 World Exposition (EXPO 2005) will be held. The stations will service eight fuel cell buses used as pick-up buses for visitors. We, Engineering Advancement Association of Japan (ENAA), are commissioned to construct and operate a total of twelve stations by Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI). We are executing to demonstrate or identify the energy-saving effect, reduction of the environmental footprint, and issues for facilitating the acceptance of hydrogen stations on the basis of the data obtained from the operation of the stations. (author)

Pyrochlore-type catalysts for the reforming of hydrocarbon fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, David A [Morgantown, WV; Shekhawat, Dushyant [Morgantown, WV; Haynes, Daniel [Morgantown, WV; Smith, Mark [Morgantown, WV; Spivey, James J [Baton Rouge, LA

2012-03-13

A method of catalytically reforming a reactant gas mixture using a pyrochlore catalyst material comprised of one or more pyrochlores having the composition A.sub.2-w-xA'.sub.wA''.sub.xB.sub.2-y-zB'.sub.yB''.sub.zO.sub.7-.DELTA.. Distribution of catalytically active metals throughout the structure at the B site creates an active and well dispersed metal locked into place in the crystal structure. This greatly reduces the metal sintering that typically occurs on supported catalysts used in reforming reactions, and reduces deactivation by sulfur and carbon. Further, oxygen mobility may also be enhanced by elemental exchange of promoters at sites in the pyrochlore. The pyrochlore catalyst material may be utilized in catalytic reforming reactions for the conversion of hydrocarbon fuels into synthesis gas (H.sub.2+CO) for fuel cells, among other uses.

Autoignition of liquid-fuel sprays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitzutani, Y.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on the published autoignition data of liquid fuel sprays that were extensively reviewed by classifying them into the following three categories; liquid fuels injected into a stagnant hot atmosphere, liquid fuels injected into a hot air stream (vitiated or unvitiated), and droplet cluster ignited behind an incident or reflected shock. Comparison of these data with the counterparts of gaseous fuels and single droplets revealed that it was the ignition process dominated by droplet evaporation whereas it was the one dominated by chemical kinetics. It consisted, depending on the experimental condition, of the data and of the ignition process dominated by the shattering of droplets by an incident shock. In addition, theoretical works on spray autoignition were reviewed, pointing out that they were still far from universally predicting the ignition delays of liquid fuel sprays

Liquid-Phase Electrical Discharges: Fundamental Mechanisms and Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Franclemont, Joshua

The increased demand in alternative energy in recent decades has generated significant interest in cleaner fuel sources including hydrogen and syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide). Hydrogen and syngas are both primarily produced through the steam reforming of hydrocarbons, specifically natural gas. Although other processes are known, the cheapest source of these fuels is currently through the heating of natural gas in the presence of steam and a catalyst. However, due to the emissions associated with the steam reforming of natural gas and the lack of low cost, efficient, and reliable onboard hydrogen storage technologies for fuel cell powered vehicles, attention has been focused on plasma-assisted reforming of hydrocarbons. Plasma processes can be implemented onboard and are able to directly reform liquid hydrocarbons and alcohols without external heating or catalysts. In addition to hydrogen and syngas, the plasma-assisted reforming of hydrocarbons and alcohols offers other desirable products such as C2 gases (ethane, ethylene, and acetylene), methanol and ethanol. The primary goal of this study is to investigate the fundamental chemical reactions occurring during plasma-assisted reforming of liquid hydrocarbons and alcohols using streamer-like pulsed electrical discharges. Due to the relatively unexplored field of chemical reactions in liquid plasmas, the focus of this study is on elucidating chemical pathways responsible for the formation of hydrogen, syngas, and other products during the direct reforming of liquid methanol, glycerol, and pentane as model species.

System model development for a methanol reformed 5 kW high temperature PEM fuel cell system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sahlin, Simon Lennart; Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Kær, Søren Knudsen

2015-01-01

This work investigates the system performance when reforming methanol in an oil heated reformer system for a 5 kW fuel cell system. A dynamic model of the system is created and evaluated. The system is divided into 4 separate components. These components are the fuel cell, reformer, burner...... and evaporator, which are connected by two separate oil circuits, one with a burner and reformer and one with a fuel cell and evaporator. Experiments were made on the reformer and measured oil and bed temperatures are presented in multiple working points. The system is examined at loads from 0 to 5000 W electric...

Liquid hydrogen production via hydrogen sulfide methane reformation

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Cunping; T-Raissi, Ali

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2S) methane (CH 4) reformation (H 2SMR) (2H 2S + CH 4 = CS 2 + 4H 2) is a potentially viable process for the removal of H 2S from sour natural gas resources or other methane containing gases. Unlike steam methane reformation that generates carbon dioxide as a by-product, H 2SMR produces carbon disulfide (CS 2), a liquid under ambient temperature and pressure-a commodity chemical that is also a feedstock for the synthesis of sulfuric acid. Pinch point analyses for H 2SMR were conducted to determine the reaction conditions necessary for no carbon lay down to occur. Calculations showed that to prevent solid carbon formation, low inlet CH 4 to H 2S ratios are needed. In this paper, we analyze H 2SMR with either a cryogenic process or a membrane separation operation for production of either liquid or gaseous hydrogen. Of the three H 2SMR hydrogen production flowsheets analyzed, direct liquid hydrogen generation has higher first and second law efficiencies of exceeding 80% and 50%, respectively.

Development of a 400 W High Temperature PEM Fuel Cell Power Pack

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schaltz, Erik; Jespersen, Jesper Lebæk; Rasmussen, Peter Omand

2006-01-01

reformer design because CO removal is not needed. A fuel like methanol would be a preferable choice for reforming when using HTPEM fuel cells because of its high energy density and low reforming temperatures. The thermal integration and use of HTPEM fuel cells with methanol reformers show promising results......When using pressurized hydrogen to fuel a fuel cell, much space is needed for fuel storage. This is undesirable especially with mobile or portable fuel cell systems, where refuelling also often is inconvenient. Using a reformed liquid carbonhydrate can reduce this fuel volume considerably. Nafion...... based low temperature PEM (LTPEM) fuel cells are very intolerant to reformate gas because of the presence of CO. PBI based high temperature PEM (HTPEM) fuel cells can operate stable at much higher CO concentrations. This makes the HTPEM very suitable for applications using a reformer, and could simplify...

Reforming of natural gas—hydrogen generation for small scale stationary fuel cell systems

Science.gov (United States)

Heinzel, A.; Vogel, B.; Hübner, P.

The reforming of natural gas to produce hydrogen for fuel cells is described, including the basic concepts (steam reforming or autothermal reforming) and the mechanisms of the chemical reactions. Experimental work has been done with a compact steam reformer, and a prototype of an experimental reactor for autothermal reforming was tested, both containing a Pt-catalyst on metallic substrate. Experimental results on the steam reforming system and a comparison of the steam reforming process with the autothermal process are given.

Hydrogen from methanol for fuel cells in mobile systems: development of a compact reformer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoehlein, B [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany); Boe, M [H. Topsoee A/S, Lyngby (Denmark); Boegild-Hansen, J [H. Topsoee A/S, Lyngby (Denmark); Broeckerhoff, P [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany); Colsman, G [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany); Emonts, B [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany); Menzer, R [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany); Riedel, E

1996-07-01

On-board generation of hydrogen from methanol with a reformer in connection with the use of a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is an attractive option for a passenger car drive. Special considerations are required to obtain low weight and volume. Furthermore, the PEMFC of today cannot tolerate more than 10 ppm of carbon monoxide in the fuel. Therefore a gas conditioning step is needed after the methanol reformer. Our main research activities focus on the conceptual design of a drive system for a passenger car with methanol reformer and PEMFC: Engineering studies with regard to different aspects of this design including reformer, catalytic burner, gas conditioning, balances of the fuel cycles and basic design of a compact methanol reformer. The work described here was carried out within the framework of a JOULE II project of the European Union (1993-1995). Extensive experimental studies have been carried out at the Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (KFA) in Germany and at Haldor Topsoee A/S in Denmark. (orig.)

Simulation of a 250 kW diesel fuel processor/PEM fuel cell system

Science.gov (United States)

Amphlett, J. C.; Mann, R. F.; Peppley, B. A.; Roberge, P. R.; Rodrigues, A.; Salvador, J. P.

Polymer-electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems offer a potential power source for utility and mobile applications. Practical fuel cell systems use fuel processors for the production of hydrogen-rich gas. Liquid fuels, such as diesel or other related fuels, are attractive options as feeds to a fuel processor. The generation of hydrogen gas for fuel cells, in most cases, becomes the crucial design issue with respect to weight and volume in these applications. Furthermore, these systems will require a gas clean-up system to insure that the fuel quality meets the demands of the cell anode. The endothermic nature of the reformer will have a significant affect on the overall system efficiency. The gas clean-up system may also significantly effect the overall heat balance. To optimize the performance of this integrated system, therefore, waste heat must be used effectively. Previously, we have concentrated on catalytic methanol-steam reforming. A model of a methanol steam reformer has been previously developed and has been used as the basis for a new, higher temperature model for liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Similarly, our fuel cell evaluation program previously led to the development of a steady-state electrochemical fuel cell model (SSEM). The hydrocarbon fuel processor model and the SSEM have now been incorporated in the development of a process simulation of a 250 kW diesel-fueled reformer/fuel cell system using a process simulator. The performance of this system has been investigated for a variety of operating conditions and a preliminary assessment of thermal integration issues has been carried out. This study demonstrates the application of a process simulation model as a design analysis tool for the development of a 250 kW fuel cell system.

Tailored reforming of n-dodecane in an aqueous discharge reactor

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Xuming

2016-03-24

Here, we present an original technical approach to simultaneously produce a tailored synthetic liquid fuel and a syngas. In an aqueous discharge reactor with gaseous bubbles, we reformed an emulsified n-dodecane/water mixture. The higher dielectric permittivity of the mixture facilitates electrical discharges that cause the electron impact dissociation of n-dodecane into alkyl and hydrogen radicals, while the addition of water also provides a steam-reforming environment inside the discharged bubbles. We added methane and carbon dioxide to the system because they dissociate into methyl and oxygen radicals, respectively, which prevent the alkyl-alkyl recombinations that result in the formation of long-chain hydrocarbons (HCs). Thus, we were able to control product selectivity by adding methane to increase the production of short-chain HCs and hydrogen gas or by adding carbon dioxide to increase the production of oxygenated fuels, such as 1-dodecanol. Using gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry we detail the compositions of both the synthetic liquid and the syngas, and we provide conceptual chemical mechanisms to selectively increase the production of oxygenates and that of HCs that are shorter or longer than the base fuel. The basis of this in-liquid discharge for the purpose of fuel reforming has potential applications to advanced engines to control ignition delay time, a continuing focus of study in our lab. © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Liquid hydrogen production via hydrogen sulfide methane reformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Cunping; T-Raissi, Ali [University of Central Florida, Florida Solar Energy Center, 1769 Clearlake Road, Cocoa, FL 32922 (United States)

2008-01-03

Hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S) methane (CH{sub 4}) reformation (H{sub 2}SMR) (2H{sub 2}S + CH{sub 4} = CS{sub 2} + 4H{sub 2}) is a potentially viable process for the removal of H{sub 2}S from sour natural gas resources or other methane containing gases. Unlike steam methane reformation that generates carbon dioxide as a by-product, H{sub 2}SMR produces carbon disulfide (CS{sub 2}), a liquid under ambient temperature and pressure - a commodity chemical that is also a feedstock for the synthesis of sulfuric acid. Pinch point analyses for H{sub 2}SMR were conducted to determine the reaction conditions necessary for no carbon lay down to occur. Calculations showed that to prevent solid carbon formation, low inlet CH{sub 4} to H{sub 2}S ratios are needed. In this paper, we analyze H{sub 2}SMR with either a cryogenic process or a membrane separation operation for production of either liquid or gaseous hydrogen. Of the three H{sub 2}SMR hydrogen production flowsheets analyzed, direct liquid hydrogen generation has higher first and second law efficiencies of exceeding 80% and 50%, respectively. (author)

A miniature fuel reformer system for portable power sources

Science.gov (United States)

Dolanc, Gregor; Belavič, Darko; Hrovat, Marko; Hočevar, Stanko; Pohar, Andrej; Petrovčič, Janko; Musizza, Bojan

2014-12-01

A miniature methanol reformer system has been designed and built to technology readiness level exceeding a laboratory prototype. It is intended to feed fuel cells with electric power up to 100 W and contains a complete setup of the technological elements: catalytic reforming and PROX reactors, a combustor, evaporators, actuation and sensing elements, and a control unit. The system is engineered not only for performance and quality of the reformate, but also for its lightweight and compact design, seamless integration of elements, low internal electric consumption, and safety. In the paper, the design of the system is presented by focussing on its miniaturisation, integration, and process control.

Internal reforming characteristics of cermet supported solid oxide fuel cell using yttria stabilized zirconia fed with partially reformed methane

Science.gov (United States)

Momma, Akihiko; Takano, Kiyonami; Tanaka, Yohei; Negishi, Akira; Kato, Ken; Nozaki, Ken; Kato, Tohru; Ichigi, Takenori; Matsuda, Kazuyuki; Ryu, Takashi

In order to investigate the internal reforming characteristics in a cermet supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) using YSZ as the electrolyte, the concentration profiles of the gaseous species along the gas flow direction in the anode were measured. Partially reformed methane using a pre-reformer kept at a constant temperature is supplied to the center of the cell which is operated with a seal-less structure at the gas outlet. The anode gas is sucked in via silica capillaries to the initially evacuated gas tanks. The process is simultaneously carried out using five sampling ports. The sampled gas is analyzed by a gas chromatograph. Most of the measurements are made at the cell temperature (T cell) of 750 °C and at various temperatures of the pre-reformer (T ref) with various fuel utilizations (U f) of the cell. The composition of the fuel at the inlet of the anode was confirmed to be almost the same as that theoretically calculated assuming equilibrium at the temperature of the pre-reformer. The effect of internal reforming in the anode is clearly observed as a steady decrease in the methane concentration along the flow axis. The effect of the water-gas shift reaction is also observed as a decrease in the CO 2 concentration and an increase of CO concentration around the gas inlet region, as the water-gas shift reaction inversely proceeds when T cell is higher than T ref. The diffusion of nitrogen from the seal-less outermost edge is observed, and the diffusion is confirmed to be more significant as U f decreases. The observations are compared with the results obtained by the SOFC supported by lanthanum gallate electrolyte. With respect to the internal reforming performance, the cell investigated here is found to be more effective when compared to the previously reported electrolyte supported cell.

Ecodesign of Liquid Fuel Tanks

Science.gov (United States)

Gicevska, Jana; Bazbauers, Gatis; Repele, Mara

2011-01-01

The subject of the study is a 10 litre liquid fuel tank made of metal and used for fuel storage and transportation. The study dealt with separate life cycle stages of this product, compared environmental impacts of similar fuel tanks made of metal and plastic, as well as analysed the product's end-of-life cycle stage, studying the waste treatment and disposal scenarios. The aim of this study was to find opportunities for improvement and to develop proposals for the ecodesign of 10 litre liquid fuel tank.

Development of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) automotive auxiliary power unit (APU) fueled by gasoline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeMinco, C.; Mukerjee, S.; Grieve, J.; Faville, M.; Noetzel, J.; Perry, M.; Horvath, A.; Prediger, D.; Pastula, M.; Boersma, R.; Ghosh, D.

2000-01-01

This paper describes the design and the development progress of a 3 to 5 auxiliary power unit (APU) based on a gasoline fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). This fuel cell was supplied reformate gas (reactant) by a partial oxidation (POx) catalytic reformer utilizing liquid gasoline and designed by Delphi Automotive Systems. This reformate gas consists mainly of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and nitrogen and was fed directly in to the SOFC stack without any additional fuel reformer processing. The SOFC stack was developed by Global Thermoelectric and operates around 700 o C. This automotive APU produces power to support future 42 volt vehicle electrical architectures and loads. The balance of the APU, designed by Delphi Automotive Systems, employs a packaging and insulation design to facilitate installation and operation on-board automobiles. (author)

Integration of high temperature PEM fuel cells with a methanol reformer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pan, Chao; He, Ronghuan; Li, Qingfeng

2005-01-01

On-board generation of hydrogen by methanol reforming is an efficient and practical option to fuel PEMFC especially for vehicle propulsion purpose. The methanol reforming can take place at temperatures around 200°C with a nearly 100% conversion at a hydrogen yield of about 400 L–(h–kg catalyst)-1...

Modeling and dynamics of an autothermal JP5 fuel reformer for marine fuel cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsourapas, Vasilis; Sun, Jing; Nickens, Anthony

2008-01-01

In this work, a dynamic model of an integrated autothermal reformer (ATR) and proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM FC) system and model-based evaluation of its dynamic characteristics are presented. The ATR reforms JP5 fuel into a hydrogen rich flow. The hydrogen is extracted from the reformate flow by a separator membrane (SEP), then supplied to the PEM FC for power generation. A catalytic burner (CB) and a turbine are also incorporated to recuperate energy from the remaining SEP flow that would otherwise be wasted. A dynamic model of this system, based on the ideal gas law and energy balance principles, is developed and used to explore the effects of the operating setpoint selection of the SEP on the overall system efficiency. The analysis reveals that a trade-off exists between the SEP efficiency and the overall system efficiency. Finally the open loop system simulation results are presented and conclusions are drawn on the SEP operation

Compact reformer for the solid polymer fuel cell policy and best

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goulding, P.S.; Deegan, M.; Gough, A. [Newcastle University (United Kingdom)

1998-07-01

This report summarises the results of a study investigating the feasibility of the Compact Reformer concept, and examining its design and manufacture. The development and testing of a hybrid reformer and thin coat catalyst systems are described, and details of the modeling of the reactor, and the optimisation and costing of the solid polymer fuel cell are given. (UK)

Liquid fuel cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grigorii L. Soloveichik

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The advantages of liquid fuel cells (LFCs over conventional hydrogen–oxygen fuel cells include a higher theoretical energy density and efficiency, a more convenient handling of the streams, and enhanced safety. This review focuses on the use of different types of organic fuels as an anode material for LFCs. An overview of the current state of the art and recent trends in the development of LFC and the challenges of their practical implementation are presented.

Use of catalytic reforming to aid natural gas HCCI combustion in engines: experimental and modelling results of open-loop fuel reforming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peucheret, S.; Wyszynski, M.L.; Lehrle, R.S. [Future Power Systems Group, Mechanical Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom); Golunski, S. [Johnson Matthey, Technology Centre, Blount' s Court, Sonning Common, Reading RG4 9NH (United Kingdom); Xu, H. [Jaguar Land Rover Research, Jaguar Land Rover W/2/021, Abbey Road, Coventry CV3 4LF (United Kingdom)

2005-12-01

The potential of the homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion process to deliver drastically reduced emissions of NO{sub x} and improved fuel economy from internal combustion engines is well known. The process is, however, difficult to initiate and control, especially when methane or natural gas are used as fuel. To aid the HCCI combustion of natural gas, hydrogen addition has been successfully used in this study. This hydrogen can be obtained from on-line reforming of natural gas. Methane reforming is achieved here by reaction with engine exhaust gas and air in a small scale monolith catalytic reactor. The benchmark quantity of H{sub 2} required to enhance the feasibility and engine load range of HCCI combustion is 10%. For low temperature engine exhaust gas, typical for HCCI engine operating conditions, experiments show that additional air is needed to produce this quantity. Experimental results from an open-loop fuel exhaust gas reforming system are compared with two different models of basic thermodynamic equilibria calculations. At the low reactor inlet temperatures needed for the HCCI application (approx. 400 deg C) the simplified three-reaction thermodynamic equilibrium model is in broad agreement with experimental results, while for medium (550-650 deg C) inlet temperature reforming with extra air added, the high hydrogen yields predicted from the multi-component equilibrium model are difficult to achieve in a practical reformer. (author)

Incidence and impact: The regional variation of poverty effects due to fossil fuel subsidy reform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rentschler, Jun

2016-01-01

Since fossil fuel subsidy reforms can induce significant distributional shifts and price shocks, effective compensation and social protection programs are crucial. Based on the statistical simulation model by Araar and Verme (2012), this study estimates the regional variability of direct welfare effects of removing fuel subsidies in Nigeria. Uncompensated subsidy removal is estimated to increase the national poverty rate by 3–4% on average. However, uniform cash compensation that appears effective at the national average, is found to fail to mitigate price shocks in 16 of 37 states – thus putting livelihoods (and public support for reforms) at risk. States that are estimated to incur the largest welfare shocks, coincide with hotspots of civil unrest following Nigeria's 2012 subsidy reform attempt. The study illustrates how regionally disaggregated compensation can be revenue neutral, and maintain or reduce pre-reform poverty rates in all states. Overall, it highlights the importance of understanding differences in vulnerability, and designing tailored social protection schemes which ensure public support for subsidy reforms. - Highlights: •Fossil fuel subsidy reforms can induce significant distributional shifts and price shocks. •There is significant regional variation of a reform's effects on poverty rates. •Compensation is key to protect livelihoods and win public support for reform. •Compensation schemes must be carefully tailored to account for regional variation.

Internal reforming characteristics of cermet supported solid oxide fuel cell using yttria stabilized zirconia fed with partially reformed methane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Momma, Akihiko; Takano, Kiyonami; Tanaka, Yohei; Negishi, Akira; Kato, Ken; Nozaki, Ken; Kato, Tohru [Energy Technology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Umezono Tsukuba Ibaraki, 305-8568 (Japan); Ichigi, Takenori; Matsuda, Kazuyuki; Ryu, Takashi [Application Development Project, Corporate R and D, NGK Insulators, Ltd., 2-56 Suda-cho Mizuho-ku Nagoya-shi Aichi, 467-8530 (Japan)

2009-08-01

In order to investigate the internal reforming characteristics in a cermet supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) using YSZ as the electrolyte, the concentration profiles of the gaseous species along the gas flow direction in the anode were measured. Partially reformed methane using a pre-reformer kept at a constant temperature is supplied to the center of the cell which is operated with a seal-less structure at the gas outlet. The anode gas is sucked in via silica capillaries to the initially evacuated gas tanks. The process is simultaneously carried out using five sampling ports. The sampled gas is analyzed by a gas chromatograph. Most of the measurements are made at the cell temperature (T{sub cell}) of 750 C and at various temperatures of the pre-reformer (T{sub ref}) with various fuel utilizations (U{sub f}) of the cell. The composition of the fuel at the inlet of the anode was confirmed to be almost the same as that theoretically calculated assuming equilibrium at the temperature of the pre-reformer. The effect of internal reforming in the anode is clearly observed as a steady decrease in the methane concentration along the flow axis. The effect of the water-gas shift reaction is also observed as a decrease in the CO{sub 2} concentration and an increase of CO concentration around the gas inlet region, as the water-gas shift reaction inversely proceeds when T{sub cell} is higher than T{sub ref}. The diffusion of nitrogen from the seal-less outermost edge is observed, and the diffusion is confirmed to be more significant as U{sub f} decreases. The observations are compared with the results obtained by the SOFC supported by lanthanum gallate electrolyte. With respect to the internal reforming performance, the cell investigated here is found to be more effective when compared to the previously reported electrolyte supported cell. (author)

Modelling and optimization of reforming systems for use in PEM fuel cell systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, M.; Korsgaard, A.R.; Nielsen, M.P.

2004-01-01

Three different reforming methods for the conversion of natural gas to hydrogen are studied and compared: Steam Reforming (SR), Auto-thermal Reforming (ATR), and Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPOX). Thermodynamic and kinetic models are developed for the reforming reactors as well as the subsequent reactors needed for CO removal to make the synthesis gas suitable for use in a PEM fuel cell. The systems are optimized to minimize the total volume, and must supply adequate hydrogen to a fuel cell with a 100kW load. The resultant system efficiencies are calculated. The CPOX system is the smallest and exhibits a comparable efficiency to the SR system. The SR system had the best relation between efficiency and volume increase. Optimal temperature profiles within each reactor were found. It was shown that temperature control can significantly reduce reactor volume and increase conversion capabilities. (author)

Liquid fuel concept benefits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hron, M.

1996-01-01

There are principle drawbacks of any kind of solid nuclear fuel listed and analyzed in the first part of the paper. One of the primary results of the analyses performed shows that the solid fuel concept, which was to certain degree advantageous in the first periods of a nuclear reactor development and operation, has guided this branch of a utilization of atomic nucleus energy to a death end. On the background of this, the liquid fuel concept and its benefits are introduced and briefly described in the first part of the paper, too. As one of the first realistic attempts to utilize the advantages of liquid fuels, the reactor/blanket system with molten fluoride salts in the role of fuel and coolant simultaneously, as incorporated in the accelerator-driven transmutation technology (ADTT) being proposed and currently having been under development in the Los Alamos National Laboratory, will be studied both theoretically and experimentally. There is a preliminary design concept of an experimental assembly LA-O briefly introduced in the paper which is under preparation in the Czech Republic for such a project. Finally, there will be another very promising concept of a small low power ADTT system introduced which is characterized by a high level of safety and economical efficiency. In the conclusion, the overall survey of principal benefits which may be expected by introducing liquid nuclear fuel in nuclear power and research reactor systems is given and critically analyzed. 7 refs, 4 figs

Performance and endurance of a PEMFC operated with synthetic reformate fuel feed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sishtla, C; Koncar, G; Platon, R [Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL (United States); Gamburzev, S; Appleby, A J [Texas Engineering Experimental Station, Texas A and M Univ. System, College Station, TX (United States). Center for Electrochemical Systems and Hydrogen Research; Velev, O A [AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, CA (United States)

1998-03-15

Widespread implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) powerplants for stationary and vehicular applications will be dependent in the near future on using readily available hydrocarbon fuels as the source of the hydrogen fuel. Methane and propane are ideal fuels for stationary applications, while methanol, gasoline, and diesel fuel are better suited for vehicular applications. Various means of fuel processing are possible to produce a gaseous fuel containing H{sub 2}, CO{sub 2} and CO. CO is a known electrocatalyst poison and must be reduced to low (10`s) ppm levels and CO{sub 2} is said to cause additional polarization effects. Even with no CO in the feed gas a H{sub 2}/CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2}O gas mixture will form some CO. Therefore, as a first step of developing a PEMFC that can operate for thousands of hours using a reformed fuel, we used an anode gas feed of 80% H{sub 2} and 20% CO{sub 2} to simulate the reforming of CH{sub 4}. To investigate the effect of reformate on cell performance and endurance, a single cell with an active area of 58 cm{sup 2} was assembled with a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) furnished by Texas A and M University using IGT`s internally manifolded heat exchange (IMHEX{sup TM}) design configuration. The MEA consisted of a Nafion 112 membrane with anode and cathode Pt catalyst loadings of 0.26 and 1.46 mg/cm{sup 2}, respectively. The cell was set to operate on a synthetic reformate - air at 60 C and 1 atm and demonstrated over 5000 h of endurance with a decay rate of less than 1%/1000 h of operation. The cell also underwent four successful thermal cycles with no appreciable loss in performance. The stable performance is attributed to a combination of the IGT IMHEX plate design with its inherent uniform gas flow distribution across the entire active area and MEA quality. The effects of temperature, gas composition, fuel utilization (stoics) and thermal cycle on cell performance are described. (orig.)

Internal reforming of methane in solid oxide fuel cell systems

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, R.; Dahl, R.; Klüttgen, U.; Palm, C.; Stolten, D.

Internal reforming is an attractive option offering a significant cost reduction, higher efficiencies and faster load response of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power plant. However, complete internal reforming may lead to several problems which can be avoided with partial pre-reforming of natural gas. In order to achieve high total plant efficiency associated with low energy consumption and low investment costs, a process concept has been developed based on all the components of the SOFC system. In the case of anode gas recycling an internal steam circuit exists. This has the advantage that there is no need for an external steam generator and the steam concentration in the anode gas is reduced. However, anode gas recycling has to be proven by experiments in a pre-reformer and for internal reforming. The addition of carbon dioxide clearly shows a decrease in catalyst activity, while for temperatures higher than 1000 K hydrogen leads to an increase of the measured methane conversion rates.

A methodology for thermodynamic simulation of high temperature, internal reforming fuel cell systems

Science.gov (United States)

Matelli, José Alexandre; Bazzo, Edson

This work presents a methodology for simulation of fuel cells to be used in power production in small on-site power/cogeneration plants that use natural gas as fuel. The methodology contemplates thermodynamics and electrochemical aspects related to molten carbonate and solid oxide fuel cells (MCFC and SOFC, respectively). Internal steam reforming of the natural gas hydrocarbons is considered for hydrogen production. From inputs as cell potential, cell power, number of cell in the stack, ancillary systems power consumption, reformed natural gas composition and hydrogen utilization factor, the simulation gives the natural gas consumption, anode and cathode stream gases temperature and composition, and thermodynamic, electrochemical and practical efficiencies. Both energetic and exergetic methods are considered for performance analysis. The results obtained from natural gas reforming thermodynamics simulation show that the hydrogen production is maximum around 700 °C, for a steam/carbon ratio equal to 3. As shown in the literature, the found results indicate that the SOFC is more efficient than MCFC.

Synergistic production of hydrogen using fossil fuels and nuclear energy application of nuclear-heated membrane reformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hori, M.; Matsui, K.; Tashimo, M.; Yasuda, I.

2004-01-01

Processes and technologies to produce hydrogen synergistically by the steam reforming reaction using fossil fuels and nuclear heat are reviewed. Formulas of chemical reactions, required heats for reactions, saving of fuel consumption or reduction of carbon dioxide emission, possible processes and other prospects are examined for such fossil fuels as natural gas, petroleum and coal. The 'membrane reformer' steam reforming with recirculation of reaction products in a closed loop configuration is considered to be the most advantageous among various synergistic hydrogen production methods. Typical merits of this method are: nuclear heat supply at medium temperature below 600 deg. C, compact plant size and membrane area for hydrogen production, efficient conversion of feed fuel, appreciable reduction of carbon dioxide emission, high purity hydrogen without any additional process, and ease of separating carbon dioxide for future sequestration requirements. With all these benefits, the synergistic production of hydrogen by membrane reformer using fossil fuels and nuclear energy can be an effective solution in this century for the world which has to use. fossil fuels any way to some extent while reducing carbon dioxide emission. For both the fossil fuels industry and the nuclear industry, which are under constraint of resource, environment and economy, this production method will be a viable symbiosis strategy for the coming hydrogen economy era. (author)

Evaluation of an integrated methane autothermal reforming and high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Authayanun, Suthida; Saebea, Dang; Patcharavorachot, Yaneeporn; Arpornwichanop, Amornchai

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the performance and efficiency of an integrated autothermal reforming and HT-PEMFC (high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell) system fueled by methane. Effect of the inclusion of a CO (carbon monoxide) removal process on the integrated HT-PEMFC system was considered. An increase in the S/C (steam-to-carbon) ratio and the reformer temperature can enhance the hydrogen fraction while the CO formation reduces with increasing S/C ratio. The fuel processor efficiency of the methane autothermal reformer with a WGS (water gas shift reactor) reactor, as the CO removal process, is higher than that without a WGS reactor. A higher fuel processor efficiency can be obtained when the feed of the autothermal reformer is preheated to the reformer temperature. Regarding the cell performance, the reformate gas from the methane reformer operated at T in  = T R and with a high S/C ratio is suitable for the HT-PEMFC system without a WGS reactor. When considering the HT-PEMFC system with a WGS reactor, the CO poisoning has less significant impact on the cell performance and the system can be operated over a broader range to minimize the required total active area. A WGS reactor is necessary for the methane autothermal reforming and HT-PEMFC integrated system with regard to the system efficiency. - Highlights: • An integrated autothermal reforming and HT-PEMFC system was studied. • The HT-PEMFC system with and without a CO removal process was considered. • Parametric analysis was performed to obtain a high system efficiency. • The HT-PEMFC system with the WGS reactor can be run over a broader range. • The efficiencies of the HT-PEMFC systems without and with a WGS reactor were reported

Control and experimental characterization of a methanol reformer for a 350 W high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Kær, Søren Knudsen; Sahlin, Simon Lennart

2013-01-01

is the water and methanol mixture fuel flow and the burner fuel/air ratio and combined flow. An experimental setup is presented capable of testing the methanol reformer used in the Serenergy H3 350 Mobile Battery Charger; a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (HTPEM) fuel cell system......This work presents a control strategy for controlling the methanol reformer temperature of a 350 W high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system, by using a cascade control structure for reliable system operation. The primary states affecting the methanol catalyst bed temperature....... The experimental system consists of a fuel evaporator utilizing the high temperature waste gas from the cathode air cooled 45 cell HTPEM fuel cell stack. The fuel cells used are BASF P1000 MEAs which use phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole membranes. The resulting reformate gas output of the reformer system...

Autothermal reforming of liquid hydrocarbons for H{sub 2} production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palm, C.; Montel, S.; Cremer, P.; Peters, R.; Stolten, D. [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany). Inst. for Materials and Processes in Energy Systems IWV-3: Process Engineering

2001-07-01

The process of autothermal reforming of hydrocarbons can be used for the production of hydrogen within a fuel cell system. The application of three precious metal catalysts for the autothermal reforming of alkane mixtures with boiling ranges between 235 and 325 C was examined. The experiments were carried out at n(O{sub 2})/n(C) = 0.40, n(H{sub 2}O)/n(C) = 2.20, a catalyst bed temperature between 730 and 570 C and a hydrocarbon feed of 30 g/h. The catalysts yielded different hydrocarbon conversions, which can be explained by differences in the activity for the steam reforming reaction. The most active catalyst was also successfully utilized in the conversion of 400 g/h hydrocarbon feed. (orig.)

Plasma Reforming of Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels in Non-Thermal Plasma-Liquid Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-30

channel with liquid wall in the microporous media under the ultrasound cavitations has shown the following: · The action of the ultrasound field in the...microporous liquid which has a very large ratio of the plasma-liquid contact surface to the plasma volume. As is known the ultrasonic (US) cavitation is a very...2) and it ran over a flat dielectric surface of the magnetostrictive transmitter (5) which produced ultrasonic (US) cavitations , so the discharge

Producing liquid fuels from biomass

Science.gov (United States)

Solantausta, Yrjo; Gust, Steven

The aim of this survey was to compare, on techno-economic criteria, alternatives of producing liquid fuels from indigenous raw materials in Finland. Another aim was to compare methods under development and prepare a proposal for steering research related to this field. Process concepts were prepared for a number of alternatives, as well as analogous balances and production and investment cost assessments for these balances. Carbon dioxide emissions of the alternatives and the price of CO2 reduction were also studied. All the alternatives for producing liquid fuels from indigenous raw materials are utmost unprofitable. There are great differences between the alternatives. While the production cost of ethanol is 6 to 9 times higher than the market value of the product, the equivalent ratio for substitute fuel oil produced from peat by pyrolysis is 3 to 4. However, it should be borne in mind that the technical uncertainties related to the alternatives are of different magnitude. Production of ethanol from barley is of commercial technology, while biomass pyrolysis is still under development. If the aim is to reach smaller carbon dioxide emissions by using liquid biofuels, the most favorable alternative is pyrolysis oil produced from wood. Fuels produced from cultivated biomass are more expensive ways of reducing CO2 emissions. Their potential of reducing CO2 emissions in Finland is insignificant. Integration of liquid fuel production to some other production line is more profitable.

Integrated HT-PEMFC and multi-fuel reformer for micro CHP. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-07-01

The project was initiated in April 2008 and completed by the end of March 2010. The project consortium consisted of: Dantherm Power, Serenergy and Department of Energy Technology at Aalborg University (project manager). The activities were coordinated with the project ''Nordjysk H2FC Center'' funded by the Region of Northern Jutland. A number of experimental characterization methods were developed through this project to improve the understanding in fuel cell performance under different operating conditions. In particular the application of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy was found useful and lead to new information about individual losses in the fuel cell. Techniques to measure local temperatures of the MEA were also successfully developed. Durability studies were made on single cells as well as complete stacks. A dedicated test facility was constructed in a container to isolate the test from disturbances that occur in the laboratory. The stack tests were run for just above 6 months with few interruptions and it was found that single cell and stack degradation rates were comparable. Operation temperature was found to have the most pronounced influence on degradation. The information formed the basis for a simple modeling tool to optimize the stack operating temperature versus reformate gas CO concentration. The activities on multi-fuel reformer development were mostly focused on two issues; manufacturability and analyses of flow distribution and heat transfer. The latter was required since these areas these turned out to cause challenges in the reactor design. Through a combination of experimental tests, CFD analyses and flow network modeling design modifications were suggested to improve flow distribution on both the flue gas side and the reformate side. Most of these design changes were not validated in this project through the construction and test of a new reformer. In spite of the problems identifies, the reformed successfully

Compact methanol reformer test for fuel-cell powered light-duty vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emonts, B; Hoehlein, B; Peters, R [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Energieverfahrenstechnik (IEV); Hansen, J B; Joergensen, S L [Haldor Topsoe A/S, Lyngby (Denmark)

1998-03-15

On-board production of hydrogen from methanol based on a steam reformer in connection with the use of low-temperature fuel-cells (PEMFC) is an attractive option as energy conversion unit for light-duty vehicles. A steam reforming process at higher pressures with an external burner offers advantages in comparison to a steam reformer with integrated partial oxidation in terms of total efficiency for electricity production. The main aim of a common project carried out by the Forschungszentrum Juelich (FZJ), Haldor Topsoee A/S (HTAS) and Siemens AG is to design, to construct and to test a steam reformer reactor concept (HTAS) with external catalytic burner (FZJ) as heat source as well as catalysts for heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogen production (HTAS), concepts for gas treatment (HTAS, FZJ) and a low-temperature fuel cell (Siemens). Based on the experimental results obtained so far concerning methanol reformers, catalytic burners and gas conditioning units, our report describes the total system, a test unit and preliminary test results related to a hydrogen production capacity of 50 kW (LHV) and dynamic operating conditions. This hydrogen production system is aimed at reducing the specific weight (<2 kg/kW{sub th} or 4 kg/kW{sub el}) combined with high efficiency for net electricity generation from methanol (about 50%) and low specific emissions. The application of Pd-membranes as gas cleaning unit fulfill the requirements with high hydrogen permeability and low cost of the noble metal. (orig.)

Gas composition modeling in a reformed Methanol Fuel Cell system using adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Kristian Kjær; Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Shaker, Hamid Reza

2013-01-01

This work presents a method for modeling the gas composition in a Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell system. The method is based on Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy-Inference-Systems which are trained on experimental data. The developed models are of the H2, CO2, CO and CH3OH mass flows of the reformed gas. The ANFIS......, or fuel cell diagnostics systems....

Catalysis in high-temperature fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Föger, K; Ahmed, K

2005-02-17

Catalysis plays a critical role in solid oxide fuel cell systems. The electrochemical reactions within the cell--oxygen dissociation on the cathode and electrochemical fuel combustion on the anode--are catalytic reactions. The fuels used in high-temperature fuel cells, for example, natural gas, propane, or liquid hydrocarbons, need to be preprocessed to a form suitable for conversion on the anode-sulfur removal and pre-reforming. The unconverted fuel (economic fuel utilization around 85%) is commonly combusted using a catalytic burner. Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd. has developed anodes that in addition to having electrochemical activity also are reactive for internal steam reforming of methane. This can simplify fuel preprocessing, but its main advantage is thermal management of the fuel cell stack by endothermic heat removal. Using this approach, the objective of fuel preprocessing is to produce a methane-rich fuel stream but with all higher hydrocarbons removed. Sulfur removal can be achieved by absorption or hydro-desulfurization (HDS). Depending on the system configuration, hydrogen is also required for start-up and shutdown. Reactor operating parameters are strongly tied to fuel cell operational regimes, thus often limiting optimization of the catalytic reactors. In this paper we discuss operation of an authothermal reforming reactor for hydrogen generation for HDS and start-up/shutdown, and development of a pre-reformer for converting propane to a methane-rich fuel stream.

Modeling of Pem Fuel Cell Systems Including Controls and Reforming Effects for Hybrid Automotive Applications

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Boettner, Daisie

2001-01-01

.... This study develops models for a stand-alone Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack, a direct-hydrogen fuel cell system including auxiliaries, and a methanol reforming fuel cell system for integration into a vehicle performance simulator...

A revisit of fossil-fuel subsidies in China: Challenges and opportunities for energy price reform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Boqiang; Ouyang, Xiaoling

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We measure fossil-fuel subsidies and effects of subsidy removal in a systematic fashion during 2006–2010. • Fossil-fuel subsidies scale of China was CNY 881.94 billion in 2010, equivalent to 2.59% of GDP. • Impacts of removing subsidies on macroeconomic variables are examined by the CGE model. • Future policy should focus on designing transparent, targeted and efficient energy subsidies. - Abstract: Fossil-fuel subsidies contribute to the extensive growth of energy demand and the related carbon dioxide emissions in China. However, the process of energy price reform is slow, even though China faces increasing problems of energy scarcity and environmental deterioration. This paper focuses on analyzing fossil fuel subsidies in China by estimating subsidies scale and the implications for future reform. We begin by measuring fossil-fuel subsidies and the effects of subsidy removal in a systematic fashion during 2006–2010 using a price-gap approach. Results indicate that the oil price reform in 2009 significantly reduced China’s fossil-fuel subsidies and modified the subsidy structure. Fossil-fuel subsidies scale in China was 881.94 billion CNY in 2010, which was lower than the amount in 2006, equivalent to 2.59% of the GDP. The macro-economic impacts of removing fossil-fuel subsidies are then evaluated by the computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. Results demonstrate that the economic growth and employment will be negatively affected as well as energy demand, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions. Finally, policy implications are suggested: first, risks of government pricing of energy are far from negligible; second, an acceptable macroeconomic impact is a criterion for energy price reform in China; third, the future energy policy should focus on designing transparent, targeted and efficient energy subsidies

Microwave plasmas generated in bubbles immersed in liquids for hydrocarbons reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levko, Dmitry; Sharma, Ashish; Raja, Laxminarayan L

2016-01-01

We present a computational modeling study of microwave plasma generated in cluster of atmospheric-pressure argon bubbles immersed in a liquid. We demonstrate that the use of microwaves allows the generation of a dense chemically active non-equilibrium plasma along the gas–liquid interface. Also, microwaves allow generation of overdense plasma in all the bubbles considered in the cluster which is possible because the collisional skin depth of the wave exceeds the bubble dimension. These features of microwave plasma generation in bubbles immersed in liquids are highly desirable for the large-scale liquid hydrocarbon reforming technologies. (letter)

Synthesis gas production via hybrid steam reforming of natural gas and bio-liquids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Balegedde Ramachandran, P.

2013-01-01

This thesis deals with (catalytic) steam reforming of bio-liquids for the production of synthesis gas. Glycerol, both crude from the biodiesel manufacturing and refined, and pyrolysis oil are tested as bio-based feedstocks. Liquid bio-based feeds could be preferred over inhomogeneous fibrous solid

Coupling of a 2.5 kW steam reformer with a 1 kW el PEM fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Mathiak, J.; Heinzel, A.; Roes, J.; Kalk, Th.; Kraus, H.; Brandt, H.

The University of Duisburg-Essen has developed a compact multi-fuel steam reformer suitable for natural gas, propane and butane. This steam reformer was combined with a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEM FC) and a system test of the process chain was performed. The fuel processor comprises a prereformer step, a primary reformer, water gas shift reactors, a steam generator, internal heat exchangers in order to achieve an optimised heat integration and an external burner for heat supply as well as a preferential oxidation step (PROX) as CO purification. The fuel processor is designed to deliver a thermal hydrogen power output from 500 W to 2.5 kW. The PEM fuel cell stack provides about 1 kW electrical power. In the following paper experimental results of measurements of the single components PEM fuel cell and fuel processor as well as results of the coupling of both to form a process chain are presented.

Novel materials for fuel cells operating on liquid fuels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

César A. C. Sequeira

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Towards commercialization of fuel cell products in the coming years, the fuel cell systems are being redefined by means of lowering costs of basic elements, such as electrolytes and membranes, electrode and catalyst materials, as well as of increasing power density and long-term stability. Among different kinds of fuel cells, low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs are of major importance, but their problems related to hydrogen storage and distribution are forcing the development of liquid fuels such as methanol, ethanol, sodium borohydride and ammonia. In respect to hydrogen, methanol is cheaper, easier to handle, transport and store, and has a high theoretical energy density. The second most studied liquid fuel is ethanol, but it is necessary to note that the highest theoretically energy conversion efficiency should be reached in a cell operating on sodium borohydride alkaline solution. It is clear that proper solutions need to be developed, by using novel catalysts, namely nanostructured single phase and composite materials, oxidant enrichment technologies and catalytic activity increasing. In this paper these main directions will be considered.

Non-thermal plasma ethanol reforming in bubbles immersed in liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levko, Dmitry; Sharma, Ashish; Raja, Laxminarayan L

2017-01-01

Ethanol reforming in non-thermal plasma generated in atmospheric-pressure argon bubbles immersed in liquid ethanol/water solution is studied using a self-consistent multi-species fluid model. The influence of the dielectric constant of the liquid on the plasma dynamics and its effect on the generation of active species is analyzed. Several modes of discharge are obtained for large liquid dielectric constant. In these modes, we obtain either an axial streamer or a combination of two simultaneous streamers propagating along the bubble axis and near the liquid wall. The influence of these modes on the production of active species is also studied. The main reactions responsible for the generation of molecular hydrogen and light hydrocarbon species are analyzed. A possible mechanism of hydrogen generation in liquid phase is discussed. (paper)

Mixed reforming of simulated gasoline to hydrogen in a BSCFO membrane reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Wenliang; Han, Wei; Xiong, Guoxing; Yang, Weishen [State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 110, Dalian 116023 (China)

2006-10-30

Currently, fuel cells are receiving more and more attention as the most promising new power generation technology, and fuel processing by the mixed reforming of liquid hydrocarbons (MRL) with water and oxygen is regarded as a desirable way for fuel cells. In this paper, we developed a new mixed reforming method for hydrogen production by combining a dense ceramic membrane Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 3-{delta}}(BSCFO) with a catalyst LiLaNiO/{gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in a membrane reactor and reforming a simulated gasoline. During a 500-h long-term test at optimized reaction conditions, all the components in the simulated gasoline converted completely, and around 90% selectivity of CO, around 95% selectivity of H{sub 2} and around 8.0mLcm{sup -2}min{sup -1} oxygen permeation flux were achieved. This provides a new optional way of hydrogen production for fuel cells. (author)

The conversion of anaerobic digestion waste into biofuels via a novel Thermo-Catalytic Reforming process.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Johannes; Meyer, Johannes; Ouadi, Miloud; Apfelbacher, Andreas; Binder, Samir; Hornung, Andreas

2016-01-01

Producing energy from biomass and other organic waste residues is essential for sustainable development. Fraunhofer UMSICHT has developed a novel reactor which introduces the Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®) process. The TCR® is a process which can convert any type of biomass and organic feedstocks into a variety of energy products (char, bio-oil and permanent gases). The aim of this work was to demonstrate this technology using digestate as the feedstock and to quantify the results from the post reforming step. The temperature of a post reformer was varied to achieve optimised fuel products. The hydrogen rich permanent gases produced were maximised at a post reforming temperature of 1023 K. The highly de-oxygenated liquid bio-oil produced contained a calorific value of 35.2 MJ/kg, with significantly improved fuel physical properties, low viscosity and acid number. Overall digestate showed a high potential as feedstock in the Thermo-Catalytic Reforming to produce pyrolysis fuel products of superior quality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen system (hydrogen fuels feasibility)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guarna, S.

1991-07-01

This feasibility study on the production and use of hydrogen fuels for industry and domestic purposes includes the following aspects: physical and chemical properties of hydrogen; production methods steam reforming of natural gas, hydrolysis of water; liquid and gaseous hydrogen transportation and storage (hydrogen-hydride technology); environmental impacts, safety and economics of hydrogen fuel cells for power generation and hydrogen automotive fuels; relevant international research programs

High-Temperature Desulfurization of Heavy Fuel-Derived Reformate Gas Streams for SOFC Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, Maria; Surgenor, Angela D.

2007-01-01

Desulfurization of the hot reformate gas produced by catalytic partial oxidation or autothermal reforming of heavy fuels, such as JP-8 and jet fuels, is required prior to using the gas in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Development of suitable sorbent materials involves the identification of sorbents with favorable sulfidation equilibria, good kinetics, and high structural stability and regenerability at the SOFC operating temperatures (650 to 800 C). Over the last two decades, a major barrier to the development of regenerable desulfurization sorbents has been the gradual loss of sorbent performance in cyclic sulfidation and regeneration at such high temperatures. Mixed oxide compositions based on ceria were examined in this work as regenerable sorbents in simulated reformate gas mixtures and temperatures greater than 650 C. Regeneration was carried out with dilute oxygen streams. We have shown that under oxidative regeneration conditions, high regeneration space velocities (greater than 80,000 h(sup -1)) can be used to suppress sulfate formation and shorten the total time required for sorbent regeneration. A major finding of this work is that the surface of ceria and lanthanan sorbents can be sulfided and regenerated completely, independent of the underlying bulk sorbent. This is due to reversible adsorption of H2S on the surface of these sorbents even at temperatures as high as 800 C. La-rich cerium oxide formulations are excellent for application to regenerative H2S removal from reformate gas streams at 650 to 800 C. These results create new opportunities for compact sorber/regenerator reactor designs to meet the requirements of solid oxide fuel cell systems at any scale.

Nuclear Energy and Synthetic Liquid Transportation Fuels

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Richard

2012-10-01

This talk will propose a plan to combine nuclear reactors with the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) process to produce synthetic carbon-neutral liquid transportation fuels from sea water. These fuels can be formed from the hydrogen and carbon dioxide in sea water and will burn to water and carbon dioxide in a cycle powered by nuclear reactors. The F-T process was developed nearly 100 years ago as a method of synthesizing liquid fuels from coal. This process presently provides commercial liquid fuels in South Africa, Malaysia, and Qatar, mainly using natural gas as a feedstock. Nuclear energy can be used to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen as well as to extract carbon dioxide from sea water using ion exchange technology. The carbon dioxide and hydrogen react to form synthesis gas, the mixture needed at the beginning of the F-T process. Following further refining, the products, typically diesel and Jet-A, can use existing infrastructure and can power conventional engines with little or no modification. We can then use these carbon-neutral liquid fuels conveniently long into the future with few adverse environmental impacts.

Comparison of alternate fuels for aircraft. [liquid hydrogen, liquid methane, and synthetic aviation kerosene

Science.gov (United States)

Witcofski, R. D.

1979-01-01

Liquid hydrogen, liquid methane, and synthetic aviation kerosene were assessed as alternate fuels for aircraft in terms of cost, capital requirements, and energy resource utilization. Fuel transmission and airport storage and distribution facilities are considered. Environmental emissions and safety aspects of fuel selection are discussed and detailed descriptions of various fuel production and liquefaction processes are given. Technological deficiencies are identified.

Hydrogen from catalytic reforming of biomass-derived hydrocarbons in liquid water

Science.gov (United States)

Cortright, R. D.; Davda, R. R.; Dumesic, J. A.

2002-08-01

Concerns about the depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the pollution caused by continuously increasing energy demands make hydrogen an attractive alternative energy source. Hydrogen is currently derived from nonrenewable natural gas and petroleum, but could in principle be generated from renewable resources such as biomass or water. However, efficient hydrogen production from water remains difficult and technologies for generating hydrogen from biomass, such as enzymatic decomposition of sugars, steam-reforming of bio-oils and gasification, suffer from low hydrogen production rates and/or complex processing requirements. Here we demonstrate that hydrogen can be produced from sugars and alcohols at temperatures near 500K in a single-reactor aqueous-phase reforming process using a platinum-based catalyst. We are able to convert glucose-which makes up the major energy reserves in plants and animals-to hydrogen and gaseous alkanes, with hydrogen constituting 50% of the products. We find that the selectivity for hydrogen production increases when we use molecules that are more reduced than sugars, with ethylene glycol and methanol being almost completely converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. These findings suggest that catalytic aqueous-phase reforming might prove useful for the generation of hydrogen-rich fuel gas from carbohydrates extracted from renewable biomass and biomass waste streams.

Electricity reforms and firm level responses: changing ownership, fuel choices, and technology decisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, P.R.; Nag, Tirthankar; Biswas, Debashish

2005-01-01

This paper examines how electricity reforms in India managed to influence the responses of generating firms. Indian electricity reforms have federal and state character. This paper utilises an extensive survey of generation units in Gujarat State. The findings suggest that reforms have created heterogeneous ownership of generation units. The fuel-mix and technology choices of new owners differ from pre-reform pattern followed by state-owned utilities. The new owners prefer natural gas, sourced technologies internationally, and chosen unit sizes that follow market dynamics. Consequently, the operational performance of power plants has improved. This paper quantifies energy efficiency and carbon intensity baselines, projects their trends, and delineates the contribution of reforms for the state. In generalisation, this paper argues that energy and cost efficiency of power plants across different states shows secular improvements under the reforms, though it cautions that environmental performance would not show such uniformly improving trends. (Author)

Dynamic modeling and controllability analysis of an ethanol reformer for fuel cell application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, Vanesa M.; Serra, Maria; Riera, Jordi [Institut de Robotica i Informatica Industrial (CSIC-UPC), Llorens i Artigas 4-6, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Lopez, Eduardo [Institut de Tecniques Energetiques, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, ed. ETSEIB, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Planta Piloto de Ingenieria Quimica (CONICET-UNS), Camino de la Carrindanga km7, 8000 Bahia Blanca (Argentina); Llorca, Jordi [Institut de Tecniques Energetiques, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, ed. ETSEIB, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2010-09-15

This work presents a controllability analysis of a low temperature ethanol reformer based on a cobalt catalyst for fuel cell application. The study is based on a non-linear dynamic model of a reformer which operates in three separate stages: ethanol dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde and hydrogen, acetaldehyde steam reforming, and water-gas-shift reaction. The controllability analysis is focused on the rapid dynamics due to mass balances and is based on a linearization of the complex non-linear model of the reformer. RGA, CN and MRI analysis tools are applied to the linear model suggesting that a good performance can be obtained with decentralized control for frequencies up to 0.1 rad s{sup -1}. (author)

A novel reactor type for autothermal reforming of diesel fuel and kerosene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasel, Joachim; Samsun, Remzi Can; Tschauder, Andreas; Peters, Ralf; Stolten, Detlef

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Development and experimental evaluation of Juelich’s novel ATR reactor type. • Constructive integration of steam generation chamber and nozzle for water injection. • Internal steam generator modified to reduce pressure drop to approx. a thirtieth. • Novel concept for ATR heat management proven to be suitable for fuel cell systems. • Reaction conditions during shut-down and start-up optimized to reduce byproducts. - Abstract: This paper describes the development and experimental evaluation of Juelich’s novel reactor type ATR AH2 for autothermal reforming of diesel fuel and kerosene. ATR AH2 overcomes the disadvantages of Juelich’s former reactor generations from the perspective of the fuel cell system by constructively integrating an additional pressure swirl nozzle for the injection of cold water and a steam generation chamber. As a consequence, ATR AH2 eliminates the need for external process configurations for steam supply. Additionally, the internal steam generator has been modified by increasing its cross-sectional area and by decreasing its length. This measure reduces the pressure drop of the steam generator from approx. 500 mbar to roughly a thirtieth. The experimental evaluation of ATR AH2 at steady state revealed that the novel concept for heat management applied in ATR AH2 is suitable for fuel cell systems at any reformer load point between 20% and 120% when the mass fractions of cold water to the newly integrated nozzle are set to values between 40% and 50%. The experimental evaluation of ATR AH2 during start-up and shut-down showed that slight modifications of the reaction conditions during these transient phases greatly reduced the concentrations of ethene, ethane, propene and benzene in the reformate. From the fuel cell system perspective, these improvements provide a very beneficial contribution to longer stabilities for the catalysts and adsorption materials

Thermodynamic simulation of biomass gas steam reforming for a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Sordi

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a methodology to simulate a small-scale fuel cell system for power generation using biomass gas as fuel. The methodology encompasses the thermodynamic and electrochemical aspects of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC, as well as solves the problem of chemical equilibrium in complex systems. In this case the complex system is the internal reforming of biomass gas to produce hydrogen. The fuel cell input variables are: operational voltage, cell power output, composition of the biomass gas reforming, thermodynamic efficiency, electrochemical efficiency, practical efficiency, the First and Second law efficiencies for the whole system. The chemical compositions, molar flows and temperatures are presented to each point of the system as well as the exergetic efficiency. For a molar water/carbon ratio of 2, the thermodynamic simulation of the biomass gas reforming indicates the maximum hydrogen production at a temperature of 1070 K, which can vary as a function of the biomass gas composition. The comparison with the efficiency of simple gas turbine cycle and regenerative gas turbine cycle shows the superiority of SOFC for the considered electrical power range.

Simulation study of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system with autothermal reforming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ersoz, Atilla [TUBITAK Marmara Research Centre, Energy Systems and Environmental Research Institute, 41470 Gebze, Kocaeli (Turkey); Olgun, Hayati [TUBITAK Marmara Research Centre, Energy Systems and Environmental Research Institute, 41470 Gebze, Kocaeli (Turkey); Ozdogan, Sibel [Marmara University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 81040 Goztepe, Istanbul (Turkey)

2006-08-15

This paper presents the results of a study for a 100 kW net electrical power PEM fuel cell system. The major system components are an autothermal reformer, high and low temperature shift reactors, a preferential oxidation reactor, a PEM fuel cell, a combustor and an expander. Intensive heat integration within the PEM fuel cell system has been necessary to achieve acceptable net electrical efficiency levels. The calculations comprise the auxiliary equipment such as pumps, compressors, heaters, coolers, heat exchangers and pipes. The process simulation package 'ASPEN-HYSYS 3.1' has been used along with conventional calculations. The operation conditions of the autothermal reformer have been studied in detail to determine the values, which lead to the production of a hydrogen rich gas mixture with CO concentration at ppm level. The operation parameters of the other reactors have been determined considering the limitations implied by the catalysts involved. A gasoline type hydrocarbon fuel has been studied as the source for hydrogen production. The chemical composition of the hydrocarbon fuel affects the favorable operation conditions of autothermal reforming and the following fuel purification steps. Thermal efficiencies have been calculated for all of the major system components for selected operation conditions. The fuel cell stack efficiency has been calculated as a function of the number of cells (500-1250 cells). Efficiencies of all of the major system components along with auxiliary unit efficiencies determine the net electrical efficiency of the PEM fuel cell system. The obtained net electrical efficiency levels are between 30 (500 cells) and 37% (1250 cells). Hence, they are comparable with or higher than those of the conventional gasoline based internal combustion engine systems, in terms of the mechanical power efficiency.

Simulation study of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system with autothermal reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ersoz, Atilla; Olgun, Hayati; Ozdogan, Sibel

2006-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study for a 100 kW net electrical power PEM fuel cell system. The major system components are an autothermal reformer, high and low temperature shift reactors, a preferential oxidation reactor, a PEM fuel cell, a combustor and an expander. Intensive heat integration within the PEM fuel cell system has been necessary to achieve acceptable net electrical efficiency levels. The calculations comprise the auxiliary equipment such as pumps, compressors, heaters, coolers, heat exchangers and pipes. The process simulation package 'ASPEN-HYSYS 3.1' has been used along with conventional calculations. The operation conditions of the autothermal reformer have been studied in detail to determine the values, which lead to the production of a hydrogen rich gas mixture with CO concentration at ppm level. The operation parameters of the other reactors have been determined considering the limitations implied by the catalysts involved. A gasoline type hydrocarbon fuel has been studied as the source for hydrogen production. The chemical composition of the hydrocarbon fuel affects the favorable operation conditions of autothermal reforming and the following fuel purification steps. Thermal efficiencies have been calculated for all of the major system components for selected operation conditions. The fuel cell stack efficiency has been calculated as a function of the number of cells (500-1250 cells). Efficiencies of all of the major system components along with auxiliary unit efficiencies determine the net electrical efficiency of the PEM fuel cell system. The obtained net electrical efficiency levels are between 30 (500 cells) and 37% (1250 cells). Hence, they are comparable with or higher than those of the conventional gasoline based internal combustion engine systems, in terms of the mechanical power efficiency

C1 Chemistry for the Production of Ultra-Clean Liquid Transportation Fuels and Hydrogen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerald P. Huffman

2005-03-31

Faculty and students from five universities--the University of Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, University of Utah, West Virginia University, and Auburn University--are collaborating in a research program to develop C1 chemistry processes to produce ultra-clean liquid transportation fuels and hydrogen, the zero-emissions transportation fuel of the future. The feedstocks contain one carbon atom per molecular unit. They include synthesis gas (syngas), a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced by coal gasification or reforming of natural gas, methane, methanol, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. An important objective is to develop C1 technology for the production of liquid transportation fuel and hydrogen from domestically plentiful resources such as coal, coalbed methane, and natural gas. An Industrial Advisory Board with representatives from Chevron-Texaco, Eastman Chemical, Conoco-Phillips, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the U.S. Army National Automotive Center (Tank & Automotive Command--TACOM), and Tier Associates provides guidance on the practicality of the research. The current report presents results obtained in this research program during the six months of the subject contract from October 1, 2002 through March 31, 2003. The results are presented in thirteen detailed reports on research projects headed by various faculty members at each of the five CFFS Universities. Additionally, an Executive Summary has been prepared that summarizes the principal results of all of these projects during the six-month reporting period.

Dynamic modeling of a three-stage low-temperature ethanol reformer for fuel cell application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, Vanesa M; Serra, Maria [Institut de Robotica i Informatica Industrial (CSIC-UPC), Llorens i Artigas 4-6, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Lopez, Eduardo; Llorca, Jordi [Institut de Tecniques Energetiques, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, ed. ETSEIB, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2009-07-01

A low-temperature ethanol reformer based on a cobalt catalyst for the production of hydrogen has been designed aiming the feed of a fuel cell for an autonomous low-scale power production unit. The reformer comprises three stages: ethanol dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde and hydrogen over SnO{sub 2} followed by acetaldehyde steam reforming over Co(Fe)/ZnO catalyst and water gas shift reaction. Kinetic data have been obtained under different experimental conditions and a dynamic model has been developed for a tubular reformer loaded with catalytic monoliths for the production of the hydrogen required to feed a 1 kW PEMFC. (author)

Low contaminant formic acid fuel for direct liquid fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Masel, Richard I [Champaign, IL; Zhu, Yimin [Urbana, IL; Kahn, Zakia [Palatine, IL; Man, Malcolm [Vancouver, CA

2009-11-17

A low contaminant formic acid fuel is especially suited toward use in a direct organic liquid fuel cell. A fuel of the invention provides high power output that is maintained for a substantial time and the fuel is substantially non-flammable. Specific contaminants and contaminant levels have been identified as being deleterious to the performance of a formic acid fuel in a fuel cell, and embodiments of the invention provide low contaminant fuels that have improved performance compared to known commercial bulk grade and commercial purified grade formic acid fuels. Preferred embodiment fuels (and fuel cells containing such fuels) including low levels of a combination of key contaminants, including acetic acid, methyl formate, and methanol.

Plasma devices for hydrocarbon reformation

KAUST Repository

Cha, Min Suk

2017-02-16

Plasma devices for hydrocarbon reformation are provided. Methods of using the devices for hydrocarbon reformation are also provided. The devices can include a liquid container to receive a hydrocarbon source, and a plasma torch configured to be submerged in the liquid. The plasma plume from the plasma torch can cause reformation of the hydrocarbon. The device can use a variety of plasma torches that can be arranged in a variety of positions in the liquid container. The devices can be used for the reformation of gaseous hydrocarbons and/or liquid hydrocarbons. The reformation can produce methane, lower hydrocarbons, higher hydrocarbons, hydrogen gas, water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or a combination thereof.

Design and optimization of a combined fuel reforming and solid oxide fuel cell system with anode off-gas recycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Tae Seok; Chung, J.N.; Chen, Yen-Cho

2011-01-01

Highlights: → In this work, an analytical, parametric study is performed to evaluate the feasibility and performance of a combined fuel reforming and SOFC system. → Specifically the effects of adding the anode off-gas recycling and recirculation components and the CO 2 absorbent unit are investigated. → The AOG recycle ratio increases with increasing S/C ratio and the addition of AOG recycle eliminates the need for external water consumption. → The key finding is that for the SOFC operating at 900 deg. C with the steam to carbon ratio at 5 and no AOG recirculation, the system efficiency peaks. - Abstract: An energy conversion and management concept for a combined system of a solid oxide fuel cell coupled with a fuel reforming device is developed and analyzed by a thermodynamic and electrochemical model. The model is verified by an experiment and then used to evaluate the overall system performance and to further suggest an optimal design strategy. The unique feature of the system is the inclusion of the anode off-gas recycle that eliminates the need of external water consumption for practical applications. The system performance is evaluated as a function of the steam to carbon ratio, fuel cell temperature, anode off gas recycle ratio and CO 2 adsorption percentage. For most of the operating conditions investigated, the system efficiency starts at around 70% and then monotonically decreases to the average of 50% at the peak power density before dropping down to zero at the limiting current density point. From an engineering application point of view, the proposed combined fuel reforming and SOFC system with a range of efficiency between 50% and 70% is considered very attractive. It is suggested that the optimal system is the one where the SOFC operates around 900 deg. C with S/C ratio higher than 3, maximum CO 2 capture, and minimum AOG recirculation.

Thermal performance of a meso-scale liquid-fuel combustor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vijayan, V.; Gupta, A.K.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Demonstrated successful combustion of liquid fuel-air mixtures in a novel meso-scale combustor. → Flame quenching was eliminated using heat recirculation in a swiss roll type combustor that also extended the flammability limits. → Liquid fuel was rapidly vaporized with the use of hot narrow channel walls that eliminated the need of a fuel atomizer. → Maximum power density of the combustor was estimated to be about 8.5 GW/m3 and heat load in the range of 50-280W. → Overall efficiency of the combustor was estimated in the range of 12 to 20%. - Abstract: Combustion in small scale devices poses significant challenges due to the quenching of reactions from wall heat losses as well as the significantly reduced time available for mixing and combustion. In the case of liquid fuels there are additional challenges related to atomization, vaporization and mixing with the oxidant in the very short time-scale liquid-fuel combustor. The liquid fuel employed here is methanol with air as the oxidizer. The combustor was designed based on the heat recirculating concept wherein the incoming reactants are preheated by the combustion products through heat exchange occurring via combustor walls. The combustor was fabricated from Zirconium phosphate, a ceramic with very low thermal conductivity (0.8 W m -1 K -1 ). The combustor had rectangular shaped double spiral geometry with combustion chamber in the center of the spiral formed by inlet and exhaust channels. Methanol and air were introduced immediately upstream at inlet of the combustor. The preheated walls of the inlet channel also act as a pre-vaporizer for liquid fuel which vaporizes the liquid fuel and then mixes with air prior to the fuel-air mixture reaching the combustion chamber. Rapid pre-vaporization of the liquid fuel by the hot narrow channel walls eliminated the necessity for a fuel atomizer. Self-sustained combustion of methanol-air was achieved in a chamber volume as small as 32.6 mm 3

Direct ethanol solid oxide fuel cell operating in gradual internal reforming

Science.gov (United States)

Nobrega, S. D.; Galesco, M. V.; Girona, K.; de Florio, D. Z.; Steil, M. C.; Georges, S.; Fonseca, F. C.

2012-09-01

An electrolyte supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) using standard electrodes, doped-lanthanum manganite cathode and Ni-cermet anode, was operated with direct (anhydrous) ethanol for more than 100 h, delivering essentially the same power output as running on hydrogen. A ceria-based layer provides the catalytic activity for the gradual internal reforming, which uses the steam formed by the electrochemical oxidation of hydrogen for the decomposition of ethanol. Such a concept opens up the way for multi-fuel SOFCs using standard components and a catalytic layer.

Natural gas pricing reform in China: Getting closer to a market system?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paltsev, Sergey; Zhang, Danwei

2015-01-01

Recent policy in China targets an increase in the contribution of natural gas to the nation's energy supply. Historically, China's natural gas prices have been highly regulated with a goal to protect consumers. The old pricing regime failed to provide enough incentives for natural gas suppliers, which often resulted in natural gas shortage. A new gas pricing reform was tested in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces in 2011, and introduced nationwide in 2013. The reform is aimed at creating a more market-based pricing mechanism. We show that a substantial progress toward a better predictability and transparency of prices has been made. The prices are now more connected with the international fuel oil and liquid petroleum gas prices. The government's approach for a temporary two-tier pricing when some volumes are still traded at old prices reduced a potential opposition during the new regime implementation. Some limitations of the natural gas pricing remain as it created biased incentives for producers and favors large natural gas suppliers. The pricing reform at its current stage falls short of establishing a complete market mechanism driven by an interaction of supply and demand of natural gas in China. - Highlights: • China's reform of natural gas pricing is in effect nationwide from 2013. • Prices are now connected to international fuel oil and liquid petroleum gas prices. • The reform benefits domestic producers and importers of natural gas. • There are still price distortions between industrial and residential sector. • The reform needs to create a system where both supply and demand are considered.

The economic consequences of a fuel levy reform in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramos Mabugu

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This paper assesses the economic effects of a hypothetical fuel levy imposed by South African provinces. The welfare effects of increasing the fuel levy by 10 per cent are negative but very small. Similarly, the marginal excess burdens for efficiency and equity (poverty are quite low, suggesting much smaller impacts of the intervention on both economic activity and equity.  Furthermore, a fiscal policy reform that raises fuel levy by 10 per cent is progressive as it has stronger negative effects on higher income households than the lower income households. A potential source of instability for the macroeconomy and total government revenue is the negative effect on economic activity induced by the fuel levy increase. The remedies suggested are that policymakers should make tax room elsewhere in the intergovernmental fiscal system to accommodate the fuel levy increase.

Catalytic processing of high-sulfur fuels for distributed hydrogen production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muradov, Nazim; Ramasamy, Karthik; Huang, Cunping; T-Raissi, Ali [Central Florida Univ., FL (United States)

2010-07-01

In this work, the development of a new on-demand hydrogen production technology is reported. In this process, a liquid hydrocarbon fuel (e.g., high-S diesel) is first catalytically pre-reformed to shorter chain gaseous hydrocarbons (predominantly, C{sub 1}-C{sub 3}) before being directed to the steam reformer, where it is converted to syngas and then to high-purity hydrogen. In the pre-reformer, most sulfurous species present in the fuel are catalytically converted to H{sub 2}S. In the desulfurization unit, H{sub 2}S is scrubbed and converted to H{sub 2} and elemental sulfur. Desulfurization of the pre-reformate gas is carried out in a special regenerative redox system, which includes Fe(II)/Fe(III)-containing aqueous phase scrubber coupled with an electrolyzer. The integrated pre-reformer/scrubber/electrolyzer unit operated successfully on high-S diesel fuel for more than 100 hours meeting the required desulfurization target of >95 % sulfur removal. (orig.)

C1 Chemistry for the Production of Ultra-Clean Liquid Transportation Fuels and Hydrogen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerald P. Huffman

2006-03-30

Professors and graduate students from five universities--the University of Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, University of Utah, West Virginia University, and Auburn University--are collaborating in a research program to develop C1 chemistry processes to produce ultra-clean liquid transportation fuels and hydrogen, the zero-emissions transportation fuel of the future. The feedstocks contain one carbon atom per molecular unit. They include synthesis gas (syngas), a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced by coal gasification or reforming of natural gas, methane, methanol, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. An important objective is to develop C1 technology for the production of liquid transportation fuel and hydrogen from domestically plentiful resources such as coal, coalbed methane, and hydrocarbon gases and liquids produced from coal. An Advisory Board with representatives from Chevron-Texaco, Eastman Chemical, Conoco-Phillips, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the U.S. Army National Automotive Center, and Tier Associates provides guidance on the practicality of the research. The current report summarizes the results obtained in this program during the period October 1, 2002 through March 31, 2006. The results are presented in detailed reports on 16 research projects headed by professors at each of the five CFFS Universities and an Executive Summary. Some of the highlights from these results are: (1) Small ({approx}1%) additions of acetylene or other alkynes to the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) reaction increases its yield, causes chain initiation, and promotes oxygenate formation. (2) The addition of Mo to Fe-Cu-K/AC F-T catalysts improves catalyst lifetime and activity. (3) The use of gas phase deposition to place highly dispersed metal catalysts on silica or ceria aerogels offers promise for both the F-T and the water-gas shift WGS reactions. (4) Improved activity and selectivity are exhibited by Co F-T catalysts in supercritical hexane. (5) Binary Fe

A system extinguishing a fire by insulating a liquid fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colome, Jacques; Duchene, Alain; Regnier, Jean.

1975-01-01

The invention refers to a system for quickly extinguishing a liquid fuel body on fire by insulating it completely from the ambient air. It applies particularly to the case of a high temperature liquid sodium sheet flowing accidentally from a circuit belonging to a fast neutron reactor. The system in question includes a lower receptacle for collecting the liquid fuel and a top cover shutting off the receptacle. This cover has inclined channels to take the liquid fuel flow and openings to allow this liquid through at the bottom end of the channels. These openings are closed by retractable shutters moving away under the pressure of the liquid in the channels and closing automatically after the liquid has flowed into the receptacle [fr

Direct internal steam reforming of ethanol in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) - A thermodynamic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lima da Silva, Aline; De Fraga Malfatti, Celia; Heck, Nestor Cesar; Melo Halmenschlager, Cibele

2003-01-01

Among the various types of fuel cells, the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) has attracted considerable interest due to the possibility for operation with an internal reformer and higher system efficiency. In SOFC, high operative temperature allows the direct conversion of ethanol into H 2 and CO to take place in the electrochemical cell. Ethanol is considered to be an attractive fuel because it is a renewable energy source and presents some advantages over other green fuels such as safety in storage and handling. Direct internal reforming of ethanol, however, can produce undesirable products that diminish system efficiency and, in the case of carbon deposition over the anode, promote the growth of carbon filaments attached to the anode crystallites which generate massive forces within the electrode structure leading to its rapid breakdown. In this context, a thermodynamic analysis is fundamental to predict the product distribution as well as the conditions favorable for carbon to precipitate inside the cell. Despite of such importance, there are few works in literature dealing with thermodynamic analysis of the direct internal steam reforming of ethanol in fuel cell systems. Hence, the aim of this work is to find appropriate ranges for operating conditions where carbon deposition in SOFC with direct internal reforming operation is not feasible, in temperature range of 500- 1200K. The calculation here is more complicated than that for a reformer because the disappearance of hydrogen and the generation of H 2 O from electrochemical reaction must be taken into account. In the present study, the effects of hydrogen consumption on anode components and on carbon formation are investigated. Equilibrium determinations are performed by the Gibbs energy minimization method, considering the following species: H 2 , H 2 O, CH 4 , CO, CO 2 and C gr . (graphite). The effect of the type of solid electrolyte (oxygen-conducting and hydrogen-conducting) on carbon formation is also

Thermodynamic analysis of direct internal reforming of methane and butane in proton and oxygen conducting fuel cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biesheuvel, P.M.; Geerlings, J.J.C.

2008-01-01

We present results of a thermodynamic analysis of direct internal reforming fuel cells, based on either a proton conducting fuel cell (FC-H+) or an oxygen ion conducting fuel cell (FC-O2-). We analyze the option of methane as fuel as well as butane. The model self-consistently combines all chemical

Liquid fuels production from biomass. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levy, P. F.; Sanderson, J. E.; Ashare, E.; Wise, D. L.; Molyneaux, M. S.

1980-06-30

The current program to convert biomass into liquid hydrocarbon fuels is an extension of a previous program to ferment marine algae to acetic acid. In that study it was found that marine algae could be converted to higher aliphatic organic acids and that these acids could be readily removed from the fermentation broth by membrane or liquid-liquid extraction. It was then proposed to convert these higher organic acids via Kolbe electrolysis to aliphatic hydrocarbons, which may be used as a diesel fuel. The specific goals for the current porgram are: (1) establish conditions under which substrates other than marine algae may be converted in good yield to organic acids, here the primary task is methane suppression; (2) modify the current 300-liter fixed packed bed batch fermenter to operate in a continuous mode; (3) change from membrane extraction of organic acids to liquid-liquid extraction; (4) optimize the energy balance of the electrolytic oxidation process, the primary task is to reduce the working potential required for the electrolysis while maintaining an adequate current density; (5) scale the entire process up to match the output of the 300 liter fermenter; and (6) design pilot plant and commercial size plant (1000 tons/day) processes for converting biomass to liquid hydrocarbon fuels and perform an economic analysis for the 1000 ton/day design.

Hydrogen from biomass gas steam reforming for low temperature fuel cell: energy and exergy analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Sordi

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This work presents a method to analyze hydrogen production by biomass gasification, as well as electric power generation in small scale fuel cells. The proposed methodology is the thermodynamic modeling of a reaction system for the conversion of methane and carbon monoxide (steam reforming, as well as the energy balance of gaseous flow purification in PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption is used with eight types of gasification gases in this study. The electric power is generated by electrochemical hydrogen conversion in fuel cell type PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell. Energy and exergy analyses are applied to evaluate the performance of the system model. The simulation demonstrates that hydrogen production varies with the operation temperature of the reforming reactor and with the composition of the gas mixture. The maximum H2 mole fraction (0.6-0.64 mol.mol-1 and exergetic efficiency of 91- 92.5% for the reforming reactor are achieved when gas mixtures of higher quality such as: GGAS2, GGAS4 and GGAS5 are used. The use of those gas mixtures for electric power generation results in lower irreversibility and higher exergetic efficiency of 30-30.5%.

Reformate tolerant electrocatalysts in solid polymer fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cooper, S J; Gunner, A G; Thompsett, D; Hards, G A

1998-12-31

The aim of the project was to evaluate a series of platinum group metal catalysts which had previously been identified from a wide range of areas related to carbon monoxide (CO) activation, and to demonstrate superior intrinsic reformate tolerance to current platinum/ruthenium technology as anode catalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC). (author)

Operating a locomotive on liquid methane fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stolz, J.L.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that several years ago, Burlington Northern Railroad looked into the feasibility of operating a diesel railroad locomotive to also run on compressed natural gas in a dual-fuel mode. Recognizing the large volume of on-board storage required and other limitations of CNG in the application, a program was begun to fuel a locomotive with liquefied natural gas. Because natural gas composition can vary with source and processing, it was considered desirable to use essentially pure liquid methane as the engine fuel. Initial testing results show the locomotive system achieved full diesel-rated power when operating on liquid methane and with equivalent fuel efficiency. Extended testing, including an American Association of Railroad 500-hour durability test, was undertaken to obtain information on engine life, wear rate and lubrication oil life

Kinetic Studies on State of the Art Solid Oxide Cells – A Comparison between Hydrogen/Steam and Reformate Fuels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Njodzefon, Jean-Claude; Graves, Christopher R.; Mogensen, Mogens Bjerg

2015-01-01

Electrochemical reaction kinetics at the electrodes of Solid Oxide Cells (SOCs) were investigated at 700 °C for two cells with different fuel electrode microstructures as well as on a third cell with a reduced active electrode area. Three fuel mixtures were investigated – hydrogen/steam and refor......Electrochemical reaction kinetics at the electrodes of Solid Oxide Cells (SOCs) were investigated at 700 °C for two cells with different fuel electrode microstructures as well as on a third cell with a reduced active electrode area. Three fuel mixtures were investigated – hydrogen....../steam fuel split into two processes with opposing temperature behavior in the reformate fuels. An 87.5% reduction in active electrode area diminishes the gas conversion impedance in the hydrogen/steam fuel at high fuel flow rates. In both reformates, the second and third lowest frequency processes merged...

Fossil fuel reform in developing states: The case of Trinidad and Tobago, a petroleum producing small Island developing State

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scobie, Michelle

2017-01-01

Trinidad and Tobago is an oil exporting small island developing state (SIDS) with a 0.12% contribution to global emissions and with important socio-economic challenges. It has producer, electricity and transport fuel subsidies. It is at an interesting juncture in subsidy reform: the government faces the embeddedness of distributive justice norms that are contested by fiscal prudence and environmental stewardship norms. The value of the paper is twofold. First it develops a subsidy intractability framework to explain reform global narratives that highlights: the power of agents, the nature of contested economic, justice and environmental norms and the availability of mechanisms for reform. Second, this framework is used to explain reform narratives and trajectories in Trinidad and Tobago using data from public documents and from a unique elite survey of former and present heads of state, politicians, policy makers and stakeholders. Even in conditions of falling oil prices and national revenue and pressures to reduce emissions, where redistributive justice arguments are heavily embedded in public discourses, those aspects of the subsidy that have developmental or distributive justice goals are more intractable. The results of the study have implications for carbon emission reduction strategies in developing states with fossil fuel reserves. - Highlights: • A subsidy intractability framework is used to analyse fuel subsidy reform. • A sense of entitlement to resources contributes to subsidy intractability. • Global environmental stewardship norms matter less for fuel subsidy reform in SIDS. • Policy space is most determined by international economic conditions in SIDS.

Thermal bonding of light water reactor fuel using nonalkaline liquid-metal alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, R.F.; Tulenko, J.S.; Schoessow, G.J.; Connell, R.G. Jr.; Dubecky, M.A.; Adams, T.

1996-01-01

Light water reactor (LWR) fuel performance is limited by thermal and mechanical constraints associated with the design, fabrication, and operation of fuel in a nuclear reactor. A technique is explored that extends fuel performance by thermally bonding LWR fuel with a nonalkaline liquid-metal alloy. Current LWR fuel rod designs consist of enriched uranium oxide fuel pellets enclosed in a zirconium alloy cylindrical clad. The space between the pellets and the clad is filled by an inert gas. Because of the low thermal conductivity of the gas, the gas space thermally insulates the fuel pellets from the reactor coolant outside the fuel rod, elevating the fuel temperatures. Filling the gap between the fuel and clad with a high-conductivity liquid metal thermally bonds the fuel to the cladding and eliminates the large temperature change across the gap while preserving the expansion and pellet-loading capabilities. The application of liquid-bonding techniques to LWR fuel is explored to increase LWR fuel performance and safety. A modified version of the ESCORE fuel performance code (ESBOND) is developed to analyze the in-reactor performance of the liquid-metal-bonded fuel. An assessment of the technical feasibility of this concept for LWR fuel is presented, including the results of research into materials compatibility testing and the predicted lifetime performance of liquid-bonded LWR fuel. The results show that liquid-bonded boiling water reactor peak fuel temperatures are 400 F lower at beginning of life and 200 F lower at end of life compared with conventional fuel

High temperature nuclear heat for isothermal reformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Epstein, M.

2000-01-01

High temperature nuclear heat can be used to operate a reformer with various feedstock materials. The product synthesis gas can be used not only as a source for hydrogen and as a feedstock for many essential chemical industries, such as ammonia and other products, but also for methanol and synthetic fuels. It can also be burnt directly in a combustion chamber of a gas turbine in an efficient combined cycle and generate electricity. In addition, it can be used as fuel for fuel cells. The reforming reaction is endothermic and the contribution of the nuclear energy to the calorific value of the final product (synthesis gas) is about 25%, compared to the calorific value of the feedstock reactants. If the feedstock is from fossil origin, the nuclear energy contributes to a substantial reduction in CO 2 emission to the atmosphere. The catalytic steam reforming of natural gas is the most common process. However, other feedstock materials, such as biogas, landfill gas and CO 2 -contaminated natural gas, can be reformed as well, either directly or with the addition of steam. The industrial steam reformers are generally fixed bed reactors, and their performance is strongly affected by the heat transfer from the furnace to the catalyst tubes. In top-fired as well as side-fired industrial configurations of steam reformers, the radiation is the main mechanism of heat transfer and convection heat transfer is negligible. The flames and the furnace gas constitute the main sources of the heat. In the nuclear reformers developed primarily in Germany, in connection with the EVA-ADAM project (closed cycle), the nuclear heat is transferred from the nuclear reactor coolant gas by convection, using a heating jacket around the reformer tubes. In this presentation it is proposed that the helium in a secondary loop, used to cool the nuclear reactor, will be employed to evaporate intermediate medium, such as sodium, zinc and aluminum chloride. Then, the vapors of the medium material transfer

High energy-density liquid rocket fuel performance

Science.gov (United States)

Rapp, Douglas C.

1990-01-01

A fuel performance database of liquid hydrocarbons and aluminum-hydrocarbon fuels was compiled using engine parametrics from the Space Transportation Engine Program as a baseline. Propellant performance parameters are introduced. General hydrocarbon fuel performance trends are discussed with respect to hydrogen-to-carbon ratio and heat of formation. Aluminum-hydrocarbon fuel performance is discussed with respect to aluminum metal loading. Hydrocarbon and aluminum-hydrocarbon fuel performance is presented with respect to fuel density, specific impulse and propellant density specific impulse.

Methanol Reformer System Modeling and Control using an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Kristian Kjær; Ehmsen, Mikkel Præstholm; Andersen, John

2012-01-01

This work presents the experimental study and modelling of a methanol reformer system for a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (HTPEM) fuel cell stack. The analyzed system is a fully integrated HTPEM fuel cell system with a DC/DC control output able to be used as e.g. a mobile battery...... charger. The advantages of using a HTPEM methanol reformer is that the high quality waste heat can be used as a system heat input to heat and evaporate the input methanol/water mixture which afterwards is catalytically converted into a hydrogen rich gas usable in the high CO tolerant HTPEM fuel cells....... Creating a fuel cell system able to use a well known and easily distributable liquid fuel such as methanol is a good choice in some applications such as range extenders for electric vehicles as an alternative to compressed hydrogen. This work presents a control strategy called Current Correction...

Liquid-fueled SOFC power sources for transportation

Science.gov (United States)

Myles, K. M.; Doshi, R.; Kumar, R.; Krumpelt, M.

Traditionally, fuel cells have been developed for space or stationary terrestrial applications. As the first commercial 200-kW systems were being introduced by ONSI and Fuji Electric, the potentially much larger, but also more challenging, application in transportation was beginning to be addressed. As a result, fuel cell-powered buses have been designed and built, and R&D programs for fuel cell-powered passenger cars have been initiated. The engineering challenge of eventually replacing the internal combustion engine in buses, trucks, and passenger cars with fuel cell systems is to achieve much higher power densities and much lower costs than obtainable in systems designed for stationary applications. At present, the leading fuel cell candidate for transportation applications is, without question, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). Offering ambient temperature start-up and the potential for a relatively high power density, the polymer technology has attracted the interest of automotive manufacturers worldwide. But the difficulties of fuel handling for the PEFC have led to a growing interest in exploring the prospects for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating on liquid fuels for transportation applications. Solid oxide fuel cells are much more compatible with liquid fuels (methanol or other hydrocarbons) and are potentially capable of power densities high enough for vehicular use. Two SOFC options for such use are discussed in this report.

Assessment of the candidate markets for liquid boiler fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-12-01

Liquid fuels can be produced from coal in a number of indirect and direct liquefaction processes. While indirect coal liquefaction has been proved commercially outside the United States, most attention in this country has focused on the direct liquefaction processes, which include the processes under examination in this report; namely, the Exxon Donor Solvent (EDS), the H-Coal, and the Solvent Refined Coal (SRC) II processes. The objectives of the study were to: compare the boiler fuels of direct coal liquefaction with residual fuel oil (No. 6 fuel oil) including physical characteristics and environmental hazards, such as carcinogenic characteristics and toxic hazard characteristics; determine whether a boiler fuel market would exist for the coal liquefaction products given their physical characteristics and potential environmental hazards; determine the advantages of utilizing methanol as a boiler fuel on a continuous basis in commercial boilers utilizing existing technology; identify the potential regional candidate markets for direct coal liquefaction products as liquid boiler fuels; determine the distributing and handling costs associated with marketing coal liquefaction products as liquid boiler fuels; determine the current regulatory issues associated with the marketing of coal liquefaction products as boiler fuels; and determine and evaluate other institutional issues associated with the marketing of direct coal liquefaction products as boiler fuels.

Synthesis gas production via hybrid steam reforming of natural gas and bio-liquids

OpenAIRE

Balegedde Ramachandran, P.

2013-01-01

This thesis deals with (catalytic) steam reforming of bio-liquids for the production of synthesis gas. Glycerol, both crude from the biodiesel manufacturing and refined, and pyrolysis oil are tested as bio-based feedstocks. Liquid bio-based feeds could be preferred over inhomogeneous fibrous solid biomass because of their logistic advantages, better mineral balance, and better processability. Especially the ease of pressurization, which is required for large scale synthesis gas production, is...

Coke-free dry reforming of model diesel fuel by a pulsed spark plasma at low temperatures using an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekine, Yasushi; Furukawa, Naotsugu; Matsukata, Masahiko; Kikuchi, Eiichi, E-mail: ysekine@waseda.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, Waseda University, 65-301, Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan)

2011-07-13

Dry reforming of diesel fuel, an endothermic reaction, is an attractive process for on-board hydrogen/syngas production to increase energy efficiency. For operating this dry reforming process in a vehicle, we can use the exhaust gas from an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system as a source of carbon dioxide. Catalytic dry reforming of heavy hydrocarbon is a very difficult reaction due to the high accumulation of carbon on the catalyst. Therefore, we attempted to use a non-equilibrium pulsed plasma for the dry reforming of model diesel fuel without a catalyst. We investigated dry reforming of model diesel fuel (n-dodecane) with a low-energy pulsed spark plasma, which is a kind of non-equilibrium plasma at a low temperature of 523 K. Through the reaction, we were able to obtain syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) and a small amount of C{sub 2} hydrocarbon without coke formation at a ratio of CO{sub 2}/C{sub fuel} = 1.5 or higher. The reaction can be conducted at very low temperatures such as 523 K. Therefore, it is anticipated as a novel and effective process for on-board syngas production from diesel fuel using an EGR system.

Non-catalytic recuperative reformer

Science.gov (United States)

Khinkis, Mark J.; Kozlov, Aleksandr P.; Kurek, Harry

2015-12-22

A non-catalytic recuperative reformer has a flue gas flow path for conducting hot flue gas from a thermal process and a reforming mixture flow path for conducting a reforming mixture. At least a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is embedded in the flue gas flow path to permit heat transfer from the hot flue gas to the reforming mixture. The reforming mixture flow path contains substantially no material commonly used as a catalyst for reforming hydrocarbon fuel (e.g., nickel oxide, platinum group elements or rhenium), but instead the reforming mixture is reformed into a higher calorific fuel via reactions due to the heat transfer and residence time. In a preferred embodiment, extended surfaces of metal material such as stainless steel or metal alloy that are high in nickel content are included within at least a portion of the reforming mixture flow path.

Performance evaluation and comparison of fuel processors integrated with PEM fuel cell based on steam or autothermal reforming and on CO preferential oxidation or selective methanation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ercolino, Giuliana; Ashraf, Muhammad A.; Specchia, Vito; Specchia, Stefania

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Modeling of different fuel processors integrated with PEM fuel cell stack. • Steam or autothermal reforming + CO selective methanation or preferential oxidation. • Reforming of different hydrocarbons: gasoline, light diesel oil, natural gas. • 5 kW e net systems comparison via energy efficiency and primary fuel rate consumed. • Highest net efficiency: steam reformer + CO selective methanation based system. - Abstract: The performances of four different auxiliary power unit (APU) schemes, based on a 5 kW e net proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM-FC) stack, are evaluated and compared. The fuel processor section of each APU is characterized by a reformer (autothermal ATR or steam SR), a non-isothermal water gas shift (NI-WGS) reactor and a final syngas catalytic clean-up step: the CO preferential oxidation (PROX) reactor or the CO selective methanation (SMET) one. Furthermore, three hydrocarbon fuels, the most commonly found in service stations (gasoline, light diesel oil and natural gas) are considered as primary fuels. The comparison is carried out examining the results obtained by a series of steady-state system simulations in Aspen Plus® of the four different APU schemes by varying the fed fuel. From the calculated data, the performance of CO-PROX is not very different compared to that of the CO-SMET, but the performance of the SR based APUs is higher than the scheme of the ATR based APUs. The most promising APU scheme with respect to an overall performance target is the scheme fed with natural gas and characterized by a fuel processor chain consisting of SR, NI-WGS and CO-SMET reactors. This processing reactors scheme together with the fuel cell section, notwithstanding having practically the same energy efficiency of the scheme with SR, NI-WGS and CO-PROX reactors, ensures a less complex scheme, higher hydrogen concentration in the syngas, lower air mass rate consumption, the absence of nitrogen in the syngas and higher potential

Integrated fuel processor development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, S.; Pereira, C.; Lee, S. H. D.; Krumpelt, M.

2001-01-01

The Department of Energy's Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies has been supporting the development of fuel-flexible fuel processors at Argonne National Laboratory. These fuel processors will enable fuel cell vehicles to operate on fuels available through the existing infrastructure. The constraints of on-board space and weight require that these fuel processors be designed to be compact and lightweight, while meeting the performance targets for efficiency and gas quality needed for the fuel cell. This paper discusses the performance of a prototype fuel processor that has been designed and fabricated to operate with liquid fuels, such as gasoline, ethanol, methanol, etc. Rated for a capacity of 10 kWe (one-fifth of that needed for a car), the prototype fuel processor integrates the unit operations (vaporization, heat exchange, etc.) and processes (reforming, water-gas shift, preferential oxidation reactions, etc.) necessary to produce the hydrogen-rich gas (reformate) that will fuel the polymer electrolyte fuel cell stacks. The fuel processor work is being complemented by analytical and fundamental research. With the ultimate objective of meeting on-board fuel processor goals, these studies include: modeling fuel cell systems to identify design and operating features; evaluating alternative fuel processing options; and developing appropriate catalysts and materials. Issues and outstanding challenges that need to be overcome in order to develop practical, on-board devices are discussed

Thermodynamic performance analysis of a fuel cell trigeneration system integrated with solar-assisted methanol reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jiangjiang; Wu, Jing; Xu, Zilong; Li, Meng

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Propose a fuel cell trigeneration system integrated with solar-assisted methanol reforming. • Optimize the reaction parameters of methanol steam reforming. • Present the energy and exergy analysis under design and off-design work conditions. • Analyze the contributions of solar energy to the trigeneration system. - Abstract: A solar-assisted trigeneration system for producing electricity, cooling, and heating simultaneously is an alternative scheme to improve energy efficiency and boost renewable energy. This paper proposes a phosphoric acid fuel cell trigeneration system integrated with methanol and steam reforming assisted by solar thermal energy. The trigeneration system consists of a solar heat collection subsystem, methanol steam reforming subsystem, fuel cell power generation subsystem, and recovered heat utilization subsystem. Their respective thermodynamic models are constructed to simulate the system input/output characteristics, and energy and exergy efficiencies are employed to evaluate the system thermodynamic performances. The contribution of solar energy to the system is analyzed using solar energy/exergy share. Through the simulation and analysis of methanol and steam reforming reactions, the optimal reaction pressure, temperature, and methanol to water ratio are obtained to improve the flow rate and content of produced hydrogen. The thermodynamic simulations of the trigeneration system show that the system energy efficiencies at the summer and winter design work conditions are 73.7% and 51.7%, while its exergy efficiencies are 18.8% and 26.1%, respectively. When the solar radiation intensity is different from the design work condition, the total energy and exergy efficiencies in winter decrease approximately by 4.7% and 2.2%, respectively, due to the decrease in solar heat collection efficiency. This proposed novel trigeneration system complemented by solar heat energy and methanol chemical energy is favorable for improving the

Simulating Impacts of Disruptions to Liquid Fuels Infrastructure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, Michael [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Resilience and Regulatory Effects; Corbet, Thomas F. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Policy and Decision Analytics; Baker, Arnold B. [ABB Consulting, Albuquerque, NM (United States); O' Rourke, Julia M. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2015-04-01

This report presents a methodology for estimating the impacts of events that damage or disrupt liquid fuels infrastructure. The impact of a disruption depends on which components of the infrastructure are damaged, the time required for repairs, and the position of the disrupted components in the fuels supply network. Impacts are estimated for seven stressing events in regions of the United States, which were selected to represent a range of disruption types. For most of these events the analysis is carried out using the National Transportation Fuels Model (NTFM) to simulate the system-level liquid fuels sector response. Results are presented for each event, and a brief cross comparison of event simulation results is provided.

Liquid Bio fuels: Vegetable Oils and Bi oethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballesteros, M.; Ballesteros, I.; Oliva, J. M.; Navarro, A. A.

1998-01-01

The European energy policy has defined clear objectives to reduce the high dependency on fossil petroleum imports, and to increase the security of sustainable energy supply for the transport sector. Moreover, the European environmental policy is requesting clean fuels that reduce environmental risks. Liquid Bio fuels (vegetable oils and bio ethanol) appear to be in a good position to contribute to achieve these goals expressed by the established objective of European Union to reach for bio fuels a market share of 5% of motor vehicle consumption. This work presents the current state and perspectives of the production and utilisation of liquid fuels from agricultural sources by reviewing agricultural feedstocks for energy sector, conversion technologies and different ways to use bio fuels. Environmental and economical aspects are also briefly analysed. (Author) 10 refs

Intermediate Temperature Hybrid Fuel Cell System for the Conversion of Natural to Electricity and Liquid Fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krause, Theodore [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2017-11-22

This goal of this project was to develop a new hybrid fuel cell technology that operates directly on natural gas or biogas to generate electrical energy and to produce ethane or ethylene from methane, the main component of natural gas or biogas, which can be converted to a liquid fuel or high-value chemical using existing process technologies. By taking advantage of the modularity and scalability of fuel cell technology, this combined fuel cell/chemical process technology targets the recovery of stranded natural gas available at the well pad or biogas produced at waste water treatment plants and municipal landfills by converting it to a liquid fuel or chemical. By converting the stranded gas to a liquid fuel or chemical, it can be cost-effectively transported to market thus allowing the stranded natural gas or biogas to be monetized instead of flared, producing CO2, a greenhouse gas, because the volumes produced at these locations are too small to be economically recovered using current gas-to-liquids process technologies.

Electrochemical device for syngas and liquid fuels production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braun, Robert J.; Becker, William L.; Penev, Michael

2017-04-25

The invention relates to methods for creating high value liquid fuels such as gasoline, diesel, jet and alcohols using carbon dioxide and water as the starting raw materials and a system for using the same. These methods combine a novel solid oxide electrolytic cell (SOEC) for the efficient and clean conversion of carbon dioxide and water to hydrogen and carbon monoxide, uniquely integrated with a gas-to-liquid fuels producing method.

A Phenomenological Study on the Synergistic Role of Precious Metals in the Steam Reforming of Logistic Fuels on Bimetal-Supported Catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul-Majeed Azad

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Fuel processors are required to convert sulfur-laden logistic fuels into hydrogen-rich reformate and deliver to the fuel cell stack with little or no sulfur. Since sulfur poisons and deactivates the reforming catalyst, robust sulfur-tolerant catalysts ought to be developed. In this paper, the development, characterization and evaluation of a series of reforming catalysts containing two noble metals (with total metal loading not exceeding 1 weight percent supported on nanoscale ceria for the steam-reforming of kerosene is reported. Due to inherent synergy, a bimetallic catalyst is superior to its monometallic analog, for the same level of loading. The choice of noble metal combination in the bimetallic formulations plays a vital and meaningful role in their performance. Presence of ruthenium and/or rhodium in formulations containing palladium showed improved sulfur tolerance and significant enhancement in their catalytic activity and stability. Rhodium was responsible for higher hydrogen yields in the logistic fuel reformate. Duration of steady hydrogen production was higher in the case of RhPd (75 h than for RuPd (68 h; hydrogen generation was stable over the longest period (88 h with RuRh containing no Pd. A mechanistic correlation between the characteristic role of precious metals in the presence of each other is discussed.

System modeling of an air-independent solid oxide fuel cell system for unmanned undersea vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, A. Alan; Carreiro, Louis G.

To examine the feasibility of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)-powered unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV), a system level analysis is presented that projects a possible integration of the SOFC stack, fuel steam reformer, fuel/oxidant storage and balance of plant components into a 21-in. diameter UUV platform. Heavy hydrocarbon fuel (dodecane) and liquid oxygen (LOX) are chosen as the preferred reactants. A maximum efficiency of 45% based on the lower heating value of dodecane was calculated for a system that provides 2.5 kW for 40 h. Heat sources and sinks have been coupled to show viable means of thermal management. The critical design issues involve proper recycling of exhaust steam from the fuel cell back into the reformer and effective use of the SOFC stack radiant heat for steam reformation of the hydrocarbon fuel.

Economic Efficiency of Establishing Domestic Production of Synthetic Liquid Fuel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyzym Mykola O.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The article notes a stable tendency to increasing the oil dependence of Ukraine, which creates a threat to the national economic security, and proves an expediency of establishing domestic production of synthetic liquid fuel. The technical, organizational and economic features of establishing synthetic liquid fuel production in Ukraine are presented. There proved a hypothesis on the expediency of organizing the production of synthetic liquid fuels based on steam-plasma coal gasification technology. The forecast resource cycle of the country until 2020 under conditions of developing this technology is modeled.

Review of the direct thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass for liquid fuels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianchun JIANG,Junming XU,Zhanqian SONG

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Increased demand for liquid transportation fuels, environmental concerns and depletion of petroleum resources requires the development of efficient conversion technologies for production of second-generation biofuels from non-food resources. Thermochemical approaches hold great potential for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into liquid fuels. Direct thermochemical processes convert biomass into liquid fuels in one step using heat and catalysts and have many advantages over indirect and biological processes, such as greater feedstock flexibility, integrated conversion of whole biomass, and lower operation costs. Several direct thermochemical processes are employed in the production of liquid biofuels depending on the nature of the feedstock properties: such as fast pyrolysis/liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass for bio-oil, including upgrading methods, such as catalytic cracking and hydrogenation. Owing to the substantial amount of liquid fuels consumed by vehicular transport, converting biomass into drop-in liquid fuels may reduce the dependence of the fuel market on petroleum-based fuel products. In this review, we also summarize recent progress in technologies for large-scale equipment for direct thermochemical conversion. We focus on the technical aspects critical to commercialization of the technologies for production of liquid fuels from biomass, including feedstock type, cracking catalysts, catalytic cracking mechanisms, catalytic reactors, and biofuel properties. We also discuss future prospects for direct thermochemical conversion in biorefineries for the production of high grade biofuels.

Production costs of liquid fuels from biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bridgwater, A.V.; Double, J.M.

1994-01-01

This project was undertaken to provide a consistent and thorough review of the full range of processes for producing liquid fuels from biomass to compare both alternative technologies and processes within those technologies in order to identify the most promising opportunities that deserve closer attention. Thermochemical conversion includes both indirect liquefaction through gasification, and direct liquefaction through pyrolysis and liquefaction in pressurized solvents. Biochemical conversion is based on a different set of feedstocks. Both acid and enzyme hydrolysis are included followed by fermentation. The liquid products considered include gasoline and diesel hydrocarbons and conventional alcohol fuels of methanol and ethanol. Results are given both as absolute fuel costs and as a comparison of estimated cost to market price. In terms of absolute fuel costs, thermochemical conversion offers the lowest cost products, with the least complex processes generally having an advantage. Biochemical routes are the least attractive. The most attractive processes from comparing production costs to product values are generally the alcohol fuels which enjoy a higher market value. (author)

Performance and economic assessments of a solid oxide fuel cell system with a two-step ethanol-steam-reforming process using CaO sorbent

Science.gov (United States)

Tippawan, Phanicha; Arpornwichanop, Amornchai

2016-02-01

The hydrogen production process is known to be important to a fuel cell system. In this study, a carbon-free hydrogen production process is proposed by using a two-step ethanol-steam-reforming procedure, which consists of ethanol dehydrogenation and steam reforming, as a fuel processor in the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. An addition of CaO in the reformer for CO2 capture is also considered to enhance the hydrogen production. The performance of the SOFC system is analyzed under thermally self-sufficient conditions in terms of the technical and economic aspects. The simulation results show that the two-step reforming process can be run in the operating window without carbon formation. The addition of CaO in the steam reformer, which runs at a steam-to-ethanol ratio of 5, temperature of 900 K and atmospheric pressure, minimizes the presence of CO2; 93% CO2 is removed from the steam-reforming environment. This factor causes an increase in the SOFC power density of 6.62%. Although the economic analysis shows that the proposed fuel processor provides a higher capital cost, it offers a reducing active area of the SOFC stack and the most favorable process economics in term of net cost saving.

The JPL Direct Methanol Liquid-feed PEM Fuel Cell

Science.gov (United States)

Halpert, G.; Surampudi, S.

1994-01-01

Recently, there has been a breakthrough in fuel cell technology in the Energy Storage Systems Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory with the develpment of a direct methanol, liquid-feed, solid polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell... The methanol liquid-feed, solid polymer electrolyte (PEM) design has numerous system level advantages over the gas-feed design. These include:...

Internal steam reforming in solid oxide fuel cells: Status and opportunities of kinetic studies and their impact on modelling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mogensen, David; Grunwaldt, J.-D.; Hendriksen, Peter Vang

2011-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) systems with internal steam reforming have the potential to become an economically competitive technology for cogeneration power plants, exploiting its significantly higher electrical efficiency compared to existing technologies. Optimal design and operation of such ......Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) systems with internal steam reforming have the potential to become an economically competitive technology for cogeneration power plants, exploiting its significantly higher electrical efficiency compared to existing technologies. Optimal design and operation...

Drying grain using a hydrothermally treated liquid lignite fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bukurov, Z.; Cvijanovic, P.; Bukurov, M. [Univ. of Novi Sad (Yugoslavia); Ljubicic, B.R. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)

1995-12-01

A shortage of domestic oil and natural gas resources in Yugoslavia, particularly for agricultural and industrial purposes, has motivated the authors to explore the possibility of using liquid lignite as an alternate fuel for drying grain. This paper presents a technical and economic assessment of the possibility of retrofitting grain-drying plants currently fueled by oil or natural gas to liquid lignite fuel. All estimates are based on lignite taken from the Kovin deposit. Proposed technology includes underwater mining techniques, aqueous ash removal, hydrothermal processing, solids concentration, pipeline transport up to 120 km, and liquid lignite direct combustion. For the characterization of Kovin lignite, standard ASTM procedures were used: proximate, ultimate, ash, heating value, and Theological analyses were performed. Results from an extensive economic analysis indicate a delivered cost of US$20/ton for the liquid lignite. For the 70 of the grain-drying plants in the province of Vojvodina, this would mean a total yearly saving of about US $2,500,000. The advantages of this concept are obvious: easy to transport and store, nonflammable, nonexplosive, nontoxic, 30%-40% cheaper than imported oil and gas, domestic fuel is at hand. The authors believe that liquid lignite, rather than an alternative, is becoming more and more an imperative.

Nontoxic Ionic Liquid Fuels for Exploration Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Coil, Millicent

2015-01-01

The toxicity of propellants used in conventional propulsion systems increases not only safety risks to personnel but also costs, due to special handling required during the entire lifetime of the propellants. Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) has developed and tested novel nontoxic ionic liquid fuels for propulsion applications. In Phase I of the project, the company demonstrated the feasibility of several ionic liquid formulations that equaled the performance of conventional rocket propellant monomethylhydrazine (MMH) and also provided low volatility and low toxicity. In Phase II, ORBITEC refined the formulations, conducted material property tests, and investigated combustion behavior in droplet and microreactor experiments. The company also explored the effect of injector design on performance and demonstrated the fuels in a small-scale thruster. The ultimate goal is to replace propellants such as MMH with fuels that are simultaneously high-performance and nontoxic. The fuels will have uses in NASA's propulsion applications and also in a range of military and commercial functions.

Radiant non-catalytic recuperative reformer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khinkis, Mark J.; Kozlov, Aleksandr P.

2017-10-31

A radiant, non-catalytic recuperative reformer has a flue gas flow path for conducting hot exhaust gas from a thermal process and a reforming mixture flow path for conducting a reforming mixture. At least a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is positioned adjacent to the flue gas flow path to permit heat transfer from the hot exhaust gas to the reforming mixture. The reforming mixture flow path contains substantially no material commonly used as a catalyst for reforming hydrocarbon fuel (e.g., nickel oxide, platinum group elements or rhenium), but instead the reforming mixture is reformed into a higher calorific fuel via reactions due to the heat transfer and residence time. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is positioned outside of flue gas flow path for a relatively large residence time.

Predicting the Liquid Lengths of Heavy Hydrogen Fuels

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hoogterp, Laura L

2003-01-01

.... Using models formulated by previous researchers as well as the thermodynamic properties for three fuel surrogates the liquid length can be determined for diesel fuel, JP8 as well as provide a model...

CHARM COST-EFFECTIVE HIGH-EFFICIENCY ADVANCED REFORMING MODULE FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pollica, Darryl; Cross, James C; Sharma, Atul; Shi, Yanlong; Clawson, Lawrence; O' Brien, Chris; Gilhooly, Kara; Kim, Changsik; Quet, Pierre-Francois

2009-09-02

Background Creation of a hydrogen infrastructure is an important prerequisite of widespread fuel cell commercialization, especially for the automotive market. Hydrogen is an attractive fuel since it offers an opportunity to replace petroleum-based fuels, but hydrogen occurs naturally only in chemical compounds like water or hydrocarbons that must be chemically converted to produce it. While an ultimate goal is to produce hydrogen through renewable energy sources, steam methane reforming (SMR) of natural gas is currently the most economical solution to initiate the transition to a hydrogen economy. Centralized hydrogen generation using large industrial SMR plants is already in place to serve customers. Yet, because of the weight and size of cylinders needed to contain hydrogen gas or liquid, transportation of hydrogen may only be economical for short distances. Consequently, distributed natural gas reforming, which trades off the economies of scale of large plants for simplified delivery logistics, is an attractive alternative that could address immediate problems with the lack of hydrogen infrastructure.

Advancing liquid metal reactor technology with nitride fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, W.F.; Baker, R.B.; Leggett, R.D.; Matthews, R.B.

1991-08-01

A review of the use of nitride fuels in liquid metal fast reactors is presented. Past studies indicate that both uranium nitride and uranium/plutonium nitride possess characteristics that may offer enhanced performance, particularly in the area of passive safety. To further quantify these effects, the analysis of a mixed-nitride fuel system utilizing the geometry and power level of the US Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor as a reference is described. 18 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Thermal Modeling and Management of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Operating with Internally Reformed Methane

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yiyang; Shi, Yixiang; Cai, Ningsheng; Ni, Meng

2018-06-01

A detailed three-dimensional mechanistic model of a large-scale solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) unit running on partially pre-reformed methane is developed. The model considers the coupling effects of chemical and electrochemical reactions, mass transport, momentum and heat transfer in the SOFC unit. After model validation, parametric simulations are conducted to investigate how the methane pre-reforming ratio affects the transport and electrochemistry of the SOFC unit. It is found that the methane steam reforming reaction has a "smoothing effect", which can achieve more uniform distributions of gas compositions, current density and temperature among the cell plane. In the case of 1500 W/m2 power density output, adding 20% methane absorbs 50% of internal heat production inside the cell, reduces the maximum temperature difference inside the cell from 70 K to 22 K and reduces the cathode air supply by 75%, compared to the condition of completely pre-reforming of methane. Under specific operating conditions, the pre-reforming ratio of methane has an optimal range for obtaining a good temperature distribution and good cell performance.

Thermodynamic analysis of ethanol/water system in a fuel cell reformer with the Gibbs energy minimization method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lima da Silva, Aline; De Fraga Malfatti, Celia; Heck, Nestor Cesar

2003-01-01

The use of fuel cells is a promising technology in the conversion of chemical to electrical energy. Due to environmental concerns related to the reduction of atmospheric pollution and greenhouse gases emissions such as CO 2 , NO x and hydrocarbons, there have been many researches about fuel cells using hydrogen as fuel. Hydrogen gas can be produced by several routes; a promising one is the steam reforming of ethanol. This route may become an important industrial process, especially for sugarcane producing countries. Ethanol is renewable energy and presents several advantages over other sources related to natural availability, storage and handling safety. In order to contribute to the understanding of the steam reforming of ethanol inside the reformer, this work displays a detailed thermodynamic analysis of the ethanol/water system, in the temperature range of 500-1200K, considering different H 2 O/ethanol reforming ratios. The equilibrium determinations were done with the help of the Gibbs energy minimization method using the Generalized Reduced Gradient algorithm (GRG). Based on literature data, the species considered in calculations were: H 2 , H 2 O, CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , C 2 H 4 , CH 3 CHO, C 2 H 5 OH (gas phase) and C gr . (graphite phase). The thermodynamic conditions for carbon deposition (probably soot) on catalyst during gas reforming were analyzed, in order to establish temperature ranges and H 2 O/ethanol ratios where carbon precipitation is not thermodynamically feasible. Experimental results from literature show that carbon deposition causes catalyst deactivation during reforming. This deactivation is due to encapsulating carbon that covers active phases on a catalyst substrate, e.g. Ni over Al 2 O 3 . In the present study, a mathematical relationship between Lagrange multipliers and the carbon activity (with reference to the graphite phase) was deduced, unveiling the carbon activity in the reformer atmosphere. From this, it is possible to foreseen if soot

High thermal efficiency and low emission performance of a methanol reformed gas fueled engine for hybrid electric vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamane, K.; Nakajima, Y.; Shudo, T.; Hiruma, M. [Musahi Inst. of Tech., Tokyo (Japan); Komatsu, H.; Takagi, Y. [Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokosuka (Japan)

2000-07-01

An internal combustion engine (ICE) operation was carried out experimentally by using the mixture of air and fuel simulating the reformed gas as the fuel. It has been found that the engine can expectedly attain ultra-low emission and high thermal efficiency, namely 35% brake thermal efficiency in the basis of the low heat value of the theoretically reformed gas or 42% in the basis of the low heat value of methanol. By using the result for the estimation of the total thermal efficiency at the end of the motor output shaft of a hybrid electric vehicle, it has been found that the total thermal efficiency of the reformed gas engine system is 34% in case of a 120% energy increment and 33% in case of a 116% energy increment with a little higher NOx emission of 60 ppm while the counterpart of the fuel cell system is 34%. When the emission level for EZEV is required, the total thermal efficiency falls to 32% in case of a 120% energy increment and 31% in case of a 116% energy increment. From the points of the reliability proved by the long history, higher specific power and low cost, the internal combustion engine system with the thermal efficiency almost equal to that of the fuel cell (FC) system is further more practical when methanol is used as the fuel. (orig.)

Modeling and parametric simulations of solid oxide fuel cells with methane carbon dioxide reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ni, Meng

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A 2D model is developed for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). ► CH 4 reforming by CO 2 (MCDR) is included. ► SOFC with MCDR shows comparable performance with methane steam reforming SOFC. ► Increasing CO electrochemical oxidation greatly enhances the SOFC performance. ► Effects of potential and temperature on SOFC performance are also discussed. - Abstract: A two-dimensional model is developed to simulate the performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) fed with CO 2 and CH 4 mixture. The electrochemical oxidations of both CO and H 2 are included. Important chemical reactions are considered in the model, including methane carbon dioxide reforming (MCDR), reversible water gas shift reaction (WGSR), and methane steam reforming (MSR). It’s found that at a CH 4 /CO 2 molar ratio of 50/50, MCDR and reversible WGSR significantly influence the cell performance while MSR is negligibly small. The performance of SOFC fed with CO 2 /CH 4 mixture is comparable to SOFC running on CH 4 /H 2 O mixtures. The electric output of SOFC can be enhanced by operating the cell at a low operating potential or at a high temperature. In addition, the development of anode catalyst with high activity towards CO electrochemical oxidation is important for SOFC performance enhancement. The model can serve as a useful tool for optimization of the SOFC system running on CH 4 /CO 2 mixtures

Electrolyte creepage barrier for liquid electrolyte fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jian [Alberta, CA; Farooque, Mohammad [Danbury, CT; Yuh, Chao-Yi [New Milford, CT

2008-01-22

A dielectric assembly for electrically insulating a manifold or other component from a liquid electrolyte fuel cell stack wherein the dielectric assembly includes a substantially impermeable dielectric member over which electrolyte is able to flow and a barrier adjacent the dielectric member and having a porosity of less than 50% and greater than 10% so that the barrier is able to measurably absorb and chemically react with the liquid electrolyte flowing on the dielectric member to form solid products which are stable in the liquid electrolyte. In this way, the barrier inhibits flow or creepage of electrolyte from the dielectric member to the manifold or component to be electrically insulated from the fuel cell stack by the dielectric assembly.

26 CFR 48.4041-7 - Dual use of taxable liquid fuel.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... taxable liquid fuel. Tax applies to all taxable liquid fuel sold for use or used as a fuel in the motor which is used to propel a diesel-powered vehicle or in the motor used to propel a motor vehicle... vehicle, motorboat, or aircraft. Thus, if the motor of a diesel-powered highway vehicle or a motorboat...

Fuel gas production by microwave plasma in liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomura, Shinfuku; Toyota, Hiromichi; Tawara, Michinaga; Yamashita, Hiroshi; Matsumoto, Kenya

2006-01-01

We propose to apply plasma in liquid to replace gas-phase plasma because we expect much higher reaction rates for the chemical deposition of plasma in liquid than for chemical vapor deposition. A reactor for producing microwave plasma in a liquid could produce plasma in hydrocarbon liquids and waste oils. Generated gases consist of up to 81% hydrogen by volume. We confirmed that fuel gases such as methane and ethylene can be produced by microwave plasma in liquid

Sulphur in liquid fuels 2002

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guthrie, J. [Environment Canada, Gatineau, PQ (Canada). Fuels Div., Oil, Gas and Energy Branch ; Sabourin, R. [Carleton Univ., Ottawa, ON (Canada)

2003-08-01

Environment Canada has developed new regulations for sulphur content in fuels in an effort to align with requirements recently passed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This report summarizes data regarding sulphur content in liquid fuels for the year 2002. The requirements of the Sulphur in Gasoline Regulation came into effect in 2002, limiting the average sulphur content of gasoline to 150 mg/kg. In January 2005, a 30 mg/kg average limit will come into effect. Also, in July 2002, the Sulphur in Diesel Fuel Regulation stipulated a maximum limit of 500 mg/kg for on-road diesel fuel. The new regulation continues this limit until mid-2006 at which time a 15 mg/kg limit will come into effect for on-road diesel fuel. Nationally, the average sulphur content in gasoline in 2002 was 246 mg/kg, which was 14.3 per cent lower than in 2001. The data covers the period from January 1 to December 31, 2002 and was obtained from petroleum refineries and importing companies that are required to submit quarterly information to the regional office of Environment Canada. Failure to comply results in penalties. The report includes data for aviation turbo fuel, motor gasoline, aviation gasoline, kerosene oil, low-sulphur diesel fuel, diesel fuel, light fuel oil, and heavy fuel oil. 16 tabs., 17 figs., 7 appendices.

Deep desulfurization of jet fuel for applications in mobile fuel cell systems; Tiefentschwefelung von Flugturbinenkraftstoffen fuer die Anwendung in mobilen Brennstoffzellensystemen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yong

2012-07-01

Fuel cell powered APUs are promising for the on-board electricity supply in heavy vehicles, aircraft and ships because of their high efficiency and low emission of pollutants. The catalytical reforming with subsequent gas processing units is applied to operate the fuel cell system with onboard available fuels. Within the reformer the liquid fuel is converted into a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas in the presence of metal catalysts. However, an on-board desulfurization of fuels is required to avoid the deactivation of catalysts in the fuel processing unit as well as in the fuel cell. The present work aims at developing a technically feasible deep desulfurization process for fuel cell powered APUs with theoretical and experimental study as well as procedural analysis. The focus of the work is on the desulfurization of jet fuels in liquid phase, since the reformer currently developed in IEK-3 is designed for aviation applications of fuel cell APUs and it can only be operated by liquid jet fuels. In addition, the desulfurization of marine gas oil was investigated to fulfill the sulfur requirement of the fuels for the application of fuel cell A PUs for inland navigation. In the petroleum industry, low-sulfur fuels are often obtained by hydrodesulfurization and the S-Zorb Process. However, these conventional methods are highly inconvenient for reducing sulfur compounds to the desired level in a mobile fuel cell system, since improvements of the desulfurization efficiency are limited by increasingly severe operating conditions and escalating costs. Moreover, the hydrodesulfurization and the S-Zorb Process are not suitable for mobile applications, since hydrogen recycling is required, which is not possible with H{sub 2} syngas. To this end, a large number of processes discussed in the literature were assessed with regard to their application in fuel cell APUs. Three potentially suitable processes were selected: pervaporation, adsorption, and hydrodesulfurization with pre

Liquid fuels from biomass in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coombs, J.

1984-03-01

The incorporation of solar energy into plant material through photosynthesis has the advantage that the energy is stored in a fixed form which is relatively stable, but the disadvantage is that plant biomass is not immediately compatible with the use in internal combustion engines to provide motive power. However, by choice of suitable crops, conversion technologies and engine modification it is possible to produce biomassderived liquid transport fuels; either substitutes for petroleum in the form of alcohols or replacements for diesel fuel in the form of vegetable oils or their esters. Using more complex conversion technologies it is also possible to produce hydrocarbon mixtures similar to petroleum. Some of these methodologies are available on a farm or commercial scale now; some are still at the research and development or demonstration stage, whereas others remain speculative. The purpose of this paper is to consider the present state of the art in respect of the production of liquid transport fuels from biomass and to indicate how the various possibilities might fit with present and future energy needs in the European Community.

Development of ATSR (Auto Thermal Steam Reformer)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, J.; Yoshino, Y.; Kuwabara, T.; Fujisima, S.; Kobayashi, S.; Maruko, S.

2004-01-01

'Full text:' Auto-thermal reformers are used popularly for fuel cell vehicle because they are compact and can start up quickly. On the other hand, steam reformers are used for stationary fuel cell power plant because they are good thermal efficiency. While, there are many cases using the auto- thermal reformer for stationary use with expectation of cost reduction in USA, as well. However, they are still insufficient for its durability, compactness and cost. We have been developing the new type of fuel processing system that is auto-thermal steam reformer (ATSR), which is hybrid of a conventional steam reformer (STR) and a conventional auto-thermal reformer (ATR). In this study, some proto-type of ATSR for field test were designed, tried manufacturing and tested performance and durability. And we have tried to operate with fuel cell stack to evaluate the system interface performance, that is, operability and controllability. (author)

High Temperature PEM Fuel Cells - Degradation and Durability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Araya, Samuel Simon

for storage and distribution of hydrogen, it is more practical to use liquid alcohols as energy carriers for fuel cells. Among these, methanol is very attractive, as it can be obtained from a variety of renewable sources and has a relatively low reforming temperature for the production of hydrogen rich...... be stored in liquid alcohols such as methanol, which can be sources of hydrogen for fuel cell applications. In addition, fuel cells unlike other technologies can use a variety of other fuels that can provide a source of hydrogen, such as biogas, methane, butane, etc. More fuel flexibility combined....... On the other hand, CO and methanol-water vapor mixture degrade the fuel cell proportionally to the amounts in which they are tested. In this dissertation some of the mechanisms with which the impurities affect the fuel cell are discussed and interdependence among the effects is also studied. This showed...

Performance analysis of a SOFC under direct internal reforming conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janardhanan, Vinod M.; Deutschmann, Olaf [Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry, Engesserstr 20, D-76131 Karlsruhe, University of Karlsruhe (Germany); Heuveline, Vincent [Institute for Applied and Numerical Mathematics, Kaiserstr. 12, D-76128 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2007-10-11

This paper presents the performance analysis of a planar solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) under direct internal reforming conditions. A detailed solid-oxide fuel cell model is used to study the influences of various operating parameters on cell performance. Significant differences in efficiency and power density are observed for isothermal and adiabatic operational regimes. The influence of air number, specific catalyst area, anode thickness, steam to carbon (s/c) ratio of the inlet fuel, and extend of pre-reforming on cell performance is analyzed. In all cases except for the case of pre-reformed fuel, adiabatic operation results in lower performance compared to isothermal operation. It is further discussed that, though direct internal reforming may lead to cost reduction and increased efficiency by effective utilization of waste heat, the efficiency of the fuel cell itself is higher for pre-reformed fuel compared to non-reformed fuel. Furthermore, criteria for the choice of optimal operating conditions for cell stacks operating under direct internal reforming conditions are discussed. (author)

Performance analysis of a SOFC under direct internal reforming conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Janardhanan, Vinod M.; Heuveline, Vincent; Deutschmann, Olaf

This paper presents the performance analysis of a planar solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) under direct internal reforming conditions. A detailed solid-oxide fuel cell model is used to study the influences of various operating parameters on cell performance. Significant differences in efficiency and power density are observed for isothermal and adiabatic operational regimes. The influence of air number, specific catalyst area, anode thickness, steam to carbon (s/c) ratio of the inlet fuel, and extend of pre-reforming on cell performance is analyzed. In all cases except for the case of pre-reformed fuel, adiabatic operation results in lower performance compared to isothermal operation. It is further discussed that, though direct internal reforming may lead to cost reduction and increased efficiency by effective utilization of waste heat, the efficiency of the fuel cell itself is higher for pre-reformed fuel compared to non-reformed fuel. Furthermore, criteria for the choice of optimal operating conditions for cell stacks operating under direct internal reforming conditions are discussed.

Fuel processor and method for generating hydrogen for fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Shabbir [Naperville, IL; Lee, Sheldon H. D. [Willowbrook, IL; Carter, John David [Bolingbrook, IL; Krumpelt, Michael [Naperville, IL; Myers, Deborah J [Lisle, IL

2009-07-21

A method of producing a H.sub.2 rich gas stream includes supplying an O.sub.2 rich gas, steam, and fuel to an inner reforming zone of a fuel processor that includes a partial oxidation catalyst and a steam reforming catalyst or a combined partial oxidation and stream reforming catalyst. The method also includes contacting the O.sub.2 rich gas, steam, and fuel with the partial oxidation catalyst and the steam reforming catalyst or the combined partial oxidation and stream reforming catalyst in the inner reforming zone to generate a hot reformate stream. The method still further includes cooling the hot reformate stream in a cooling zone to produce a cooled reformate stream. Additionally, the method includes removing sulfur-containing compounds from the cooled reformate stream by contacting the cooled reformate stream with a sulfur removal agent. The method still further includes contacting the cooled reformate stream with a catalyst that converts water and carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and H.sub.2 in a water-gas-shift zone to produce a final reformate stream in the fuel processor.

A case study of different configurations for the performance analysis of solid oxide fuel cells with external reformers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kang Hun; Woo, Hyun Tak; Yu, Sang Seok; Lee, Sang Min; Lee, Young Duk; Kang, Sang Gyu; Ahn, Kook Young

2012-01-01

A planar solid oxide fuel cell (PSOFC) is studied in its application in a high temperature stationary power plant. Even though PSOFCs with external reformers are designed for application from the distributed power source to the central power plant, such PSOFCs may sacrifice more system efficiency than internally reformed SOFCs. In this study, modeling of the PSOFC with an external reformer was developed to analyze the feasibility of thermal energy utilization for the external reformer. The PSOFC system model includes the stack, reformer, burner, heat exchanger, blower, pump, PID controller, 3-way valve, reactor, mixer, and steam separator. The model was developed under the Matlab/Simulink environment with Thermolib'R'modules. The model was used to study the system performance according to its configuration. Three configurations of the SOFC system were selected for the comparison of the system performance. The system configuration considered the cathode recirculation, thermal sources for the external reformer, heat up of operating gases, and condensate anode off gas for the enhancement of the fuel concentration. The simulation results show that the magnitude of the electric efficiency of the PSOFC system for Case 2 is 12.13% higher than that for Case 1 (reference case), and the thermal efficiency of the PSOFC system for Case 3 is 76.12%, which is the highest of all the cases investigated

Investigation of methane steam reforming in planar porous support of solid oxide fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Yongping; Du Xiaoze; Yang Lijun; Huang Yuan; Xian Haizhen

2009-01-01

Adopting the porous support in integrated-planar solid oxide fuel cell (IP-SOFC) can reduce the operating temperature by reducing thickness of electrolyte layer, and also, provide internal reforming environment for hydrogen-rich fuel gas. The distributions of reactant and product components, and temperature of methane steam reforming for IP-SOFC were investigated by the developed physical and mathematical model with thermodynamic analysis, in which eleven possible reaction mechanisms were considered by the source terms and Arrhenius relationship. Numerical simulation of the model revealed that the progress of reforming reaction and the distribution of the product, H 2 , were influenced by the operating conditions, included that of temperature, ratio of H 2 O and CH 4 , as well as by the porosity of the supporting material. The simulating results indicate that the methane conversion rate can reach its maximum value under the operating temperature of 800 deg. C and porosity of ε = 0.4, which rather approximate to the practical operating conditions of IP-SOFC. In addition, characteristics of carbon deposition on surface of catalyst were discussed under various operating conditions and configuration parameters of the porous support. The present works provided some theoretical explanations to the numerous experimental observations and engineered practices

A technical review of liquid/liquid and solid/liquid separation equipment in the field of nuclear-fuel reprocessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vassallo, G.

1981-01-01

Liquid/liquid extraction is generally accepted as the preferred method in nuclear-fuel reprocessing. However, although many types of liquid/liquid contactors are available, only a few meet the stringent specifications set by the nuclear industry. This report discusses the criteria for contactor selection and then reviews the most important types, namely packed columns, pulsed columns, mixer-setters and centrifugal contactors. Finally, a short section concerned with solid/liquid separations is included because of the possible deleterious effects caused by solids in liquid/liquid contactors

Solar hydrogen production: renewable hydrogen production by dry fuel reforming

Science.gov (United States)

Bakos, Jamie; Miyamoto, Henry K.

2006-09-01

SHEC LABS - Solar Hydrogen Energy Corporation constructed a pilot-plant to demonstrate a Dry Fuel Reforming (DFR) system that is heated primarily by sunlight focusing-mirrors. The pilot-plant consists of: 1) a solar mirror array and solar concentrator and shutter system; and 2) two thermo-catalytic reactors to convert Methane, Carbon Dioxide, and Water into Hydrogen. Results from the pilot study show that solar Hydrogen generation is feasible and cost-competitive with traditional Hydrogen production. More than 95% of Hydrogen commercially produced today is by the Steam Methane Reformation (SMR) of natural gas, a process that liberates Carbon Dioxide to the atmosphere. The SMR process provides a net energy loss of 30 to 35% when converting from Methane to Hydrogen. Solar Hydrogen production provides a 14% net energy gain when converting Methane into Hydrogen since the energy used to drive the process is from the sun. The environmental benefits of generating Hydrogen using renewable energy include significant greenhouse gas and criteria air contaminant reductions.

Development of sustainable coal to liquid processes: Minimising process CO2 emissions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Kauchali

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Traditional coal-to-liquid (CTL plants are synonymous with the production of carbon dioxide. Coal may be gasified in the presence of steam and oxygen to produce gas comprising carbon dioxide (CO2, carbon monoxide (CO, methane (CH4, hydrogen (H2 and steam (H2O. The gases can be reacted to a myriad of chemicals and fuels via the Fischer-Tropsch (FT reaction. However, excess carbon dioxide is generated via the Water-Gas-Shift reaction during preparation of CO:H2 ratios for FT. Here, a process development is represented on a CHO phase diagram, where unique regions are identified for autothermal operations for coal conversion. Considerations are given to develop idealised processes for the production of liquid chemicals from coal which emit minimal process CO2, require minimal energy input and do not require steam. This is achieved by co-feeding coal with methane and identifying endothermic-exothermic process pairs for methane-coal dry reforming. Furthermore, it is shown that a preferred method to produce liquid fuels from coal is by first creating dimethyl ether (DME as an intermediate, followed by the dehydration of DME to liquid fuels (gasoline range. For this route, via DME, the CO2 emission was found to be four times less than idealised CTL processes. Keywords: Gasification, Reforming, Coal to liquid, Carbon dioxide, Autothermal, Fischer tropsch

Mixture preparation by cool flames for diesel-reforming technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, L.; Lucka, K.; Köhne, H.

The separation of the evaporation from the high-temperature reaction zone is crucial for the reforming process. Unfavorable mixtures of liquid fuels, water and air lead to degradation by local hot spots in the sensitive catalysts and formation of unwanted by-products in the reformer. Furthermore, the evaporator has to work with dynamic changes in the heat transfer, residence times and educt compositions. By using exothermal pre-reactions in the form of cool flames it is possible to realize a complete and residue-free evaporation of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures. The conditions whether cool flames can be stabilised or not is related to the heat release of the pre-reactions in comparison to the heat losses of the system. Examinations were conducted in a flow reactor at atmospheric pressure and changing residence times to investigate the conditions under which stable cool flame operation is possible and auto-ignition or quenching occurs. An energy balance of the evaporator should deliver the values of heat release by cool flames in comparison to the heat losses of the system. The cool flame evaporation is applied in the design of several diesel-reforming processes (thermal and catalytic partial oxidation, autothermal reforming) with different demands in the heat management and operation range (air ratio λ, steam-to-carbon ratio, SCR). The results are discussed at the end of this paper.

Hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tasnadi-Asztalos, Zs., E-mail: tazsolt@chem.ubbcluj.ro; Cormos, C. C., E-mail: cormos@chem.ubbcluj.ro; Agachi, P. S. [Babes-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos, Postal code: 400028, Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

2015-12-23

This paper is evaluating two power generation concepts based on hydrogen produced from bioethanol steam reforming at industrial scale without and with carbon capture. The power generation from bioethanol conversion is based on two important steps: hydrogen production from bioethanol catalytic steam reforming and electricity generation using a hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine. As carbon capture method to be assessed in hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming, the gas-liquid absorption using methyl-di-ethanol-amine (MDEA) was used. Bioethanol is a renewable energy carrier mainly produced from biomass fermentation. Steam reforming of bioethanol (SRE) provides a promising method for hydrogen and power production from renewable resources. SRE is performed at high temperatures (e.g. 800-900°C) to reduce the reforming by-products (e.g. ethane, ethene). The power generation from hydrogen was done with M701G2 gas turbine (334 MW net power output). Hydrogen was obtained through catalytic steam reforming of bioethanol without and with carbon capture. For the evaluated plant concepts the following key performance indicators were assessed: fuel consumption, gross and net power outputs, net electrical efficiency, ancillary consumptions, carbon capture rate, specific CO{sub 2} emission etc. As the results show, the power generation based on bioethanol conversion has high energy efficiency and low carbon footprint.

Hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tasnadi-Asztalos, Zs.; Cormos, C. C.; Agachi, P. S.

2015-01-01

This paper is evaluating two power generation concepts based on hydrogen produced from bioethanol steam reforming at industrial scale without and with carbon capture. The power generation from bioethanol conversion is based on two important steps: hydrogen production from bioethanol catalytic steam reforming and electricity generation using a hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine. As carbon capture method to be assessed in hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming, the gas-liquid absorption using methyl-di-ethanol-amine (MDEA) was used. Bioethanol is a renewable energy carrier mainly produced from biomass fermentation. Steam reforming of bioethanol (SRE) provides a promising method for hydrogen and power production from renewable resources. SRE is performed at high temperatures (e.g. 800-900°C) to reduce the reforming by-products (e.g. ethane, ethene). The power generation from hydrogen was done with M701G2 gas turbine (334 MW net power output). Hydrogen was obtained through catalytic steam reforming of bioethanol without and with carbon capture. For the evaluated plant concepts the following key performance indicators were assessed: fuel consumption, gross and net power outputs, net electrical efficiency, ancillary consumptions, carbon capture rate, specific CO 2 emission etc. As the results show, the power generation based on bioethanol conversion has high energy efficiency and low carbon footprint

Hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming

Science.gov (United States)

Tasnadi-Asztalos, Zs.; Cormos, C. C.; Agachi, P. S.

2015-12-01

This paper is evaluating two power generation concepts based on hydrogen produced from bioethanol steam reforming at industrial scale without and with carbon capture. The power generation from bioethanol conversion is based on two important steps: hydrogen production from bioethanol catalytic steam reforming and electricity generation using a hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine. As carbon capture method to be assessed in hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming, the gas-liquid absorption using methyl-di-ethanol-amine (MDEA) was used. Bioethanol is a renewable energy carrier mainly produced from biomass fermentation. Steam reforming of bioethanol (SRE) provides a promising method for hydrogen and power production from renewable resources. SRE is performed at high temperatures (e.g. 800-900°C) to reduce the reforming by-products (e.g. ethane, ethene). The power generation from hydrogen was done with M701G2 gas turbine (334 MW net power output). Hydrogen was obtained through catalytic steam reforming of bioethanol without and with carbon capture. For the evaluated plant concepts the following key performance indicators were assessed: fuel consumption, gross and net power outputs, net electrical efficiency, ancillary consumptions, carbon capture rate, specific CO2 emission etc. As the results show, the power generation based on bioethanol conversion has high energy efficiency and low carbon footprint.

Development of fuel cell systems for aircraft applications based on synthetic fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pasel, J.; Samsun, R.C.; Doell, C.; Peters, R.; Stolten, D. [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany)

2010-07-01

At present, in the aviation sector considerable scientific project work deals with the development of fuel cell systems based on synthetic fuels to be integrated in future aircraft. The benefits of fuel cell systems in aircraft are various. They offer the possibility to simplify the aircraft layout. Important systems, i.e. the gas turbine powered auxiliary power unit (APU) for electricity supply, the fuel tank inserting system and the water tank, can be substituted by one single system, the fuel cell system. Additionally, the energy demand for ice protection can be covered assisted by fuel cell systems. These measures reduce the consumption of jet fuel, increase aircraft efficiency and allow the operation at low emissions. Additionally, the costs for aircraft related investments, for aircraft maintenance and operation can be reduced. On the background of regular discussions about environmental concerns (global warming) of kerosene Jet A-1 and its availability, which might be restricted in a few years, the aircraft industry is keen to employ synthetic, sulfur-free fuels such as Fischer-Tropsch fuels. These comprise Bio-To-Liquid and Gas-To-Liquid fuels. Within this field of research the Institute of Energy Research (IEF-3) in Juelich develops complete and compact fuel cell systems based on the autothermal reforming of these kinds of fuels in cooperation with industry. This paper reports about this work. (orig.)

Valorization of Waste Lipids through Hydrothermal Catalytic Conversion to Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels with in Situ Hydrogen Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Dongwook; Vardon, Derek R.; Murali, Dheeptha; Sharma, Brajendra K.; Strathmann, Timothy J.

2016-03-07

We demonstrate hydrothermal (300 degrees C, 10 MPa) catalytic conversion of real waste lipids (e.g., waste vegetable oil, sewer trap grease) to liquid hydrocarbon fuels without net need for external chemical inputs (e.g., H2 gas, methanol). A supported bimetallic catalyst (Pt-Re/C; 5 wt % of each metal) previously shown to catalyze both aqueous phase reforming of glycerol (a triacylglyceride lipid hydrolysis coproduct) to H2 gas and conversion of oleic and stearic acid, model unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, to linear alkanes was applied to process real waste lipid feedstocks in water. For reactions conducted with an initially inert headspace gas (N2), waste vegetable oil (WVO) was fully converted into linear hydrocarbons (C15-C17) and other hydrolyzed byproducts within 4.5 h, and H2 gas production was observed. Addition of H2 to the initial reactor headspace accelerated conversion, but net H2 production was still observed, in agreement with results obtained for aqueous mixtures containing model fatty acids and glycerol. Conversion to liquid hydrocarbons with net H2 production was also observed for a range of other waste lipid feedstocks (animal fat residuals, sewer trap grease, dry distiller's grain oil, coffee oil residual). These findings demonstrate potential for valorization of waste lipids through conversion to hydrocarbons that are more compatible with current petroleum-based liquid fuels than the biodiesel and biogas products of conventional waste lipid processing technologies.

Assessment of bio-fuel options for solid oxide fuel cell applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jiefeng

Rising concerns of inadequate petroleum supply, volatile crude oil price, and adverse environmental impacts from using fossil fuels have spurred the United States to promote bio-fuel domestic production and develop advanced energy systems such as fuel cells. The present dissertation analyzed the bio-fuel applications in a solid oxide fuel cell-based auxiliary power unit from environmental, economic, and technological perspectives. Life cycle assessment integrated with thermodynamics was applied to evaluate the environmental impacts (e.g., greenhouse gas emission, fossil energy consumption) of producing bio-fuels from waste biomass. Landfill gas from municipal solid wastes and biodiesel from waste cooking oil are both suggested as the promising bio-fuel options. A nonlinear optimization model was developed with a multi-objective optimization technique to analyze the economic aspect of biodiesel-ethanol-diesel ternary blends used in transportation sectors and capture the dynamic variables affecting bio-fuel productions and applications (e.g., market disturbances, bio-fuel tax credit, policy changes, fuel specification, and technological innovation). A single-tube catalytic reformer with rhodium/ceria-zirconia catalyst was used for autothermal reformation of various heavy hydrocarbon fuels (e.g., diesel, biodiesel, biodiesel-diesel, and biodiesel-ethanol-diesel) to produce a hydrogen-rich stream reformates suitable for use in solid oxide fuel cell systems. A customized mixing chamber was designed and integrated with the reformer to overcome the technical challenges of heavy hydrocarbon reformation. A thermodynamic analysis, based on total Gibbs free energy minimization, was implemented to optimize the operating environment for the reformations of various fuels. This was complimented by experimental investigations of fuel autothermal reformation. 25% biodiesel blended with 10% ethanol and 65% diesel was determined to be viable fuel for use on a truck travelling with

Liquid fuel from biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breinholt, T.; Gylling, M.; Parsby, M.; Meyer Henius, U.; Sander Nielsen, B.

1992-09-01

Various options for Danish production of liquid motor fuels from biomass have been studied in the context of the impact of EEC new common agricultural policy on prices and production quantities of crops, processes and production economy, restraints concerning present and future markets in Denmark, environmental aspects, in particular substitution of fossil fuels in the overall production and end-use, revenue loss required to assure competition with fossil fuels and national competence in business, industry and research. The options studied are rapeseed oil and derivates, ethanol, methanol and other thermo-chemical conversion products. The study shows that the combination of fuel production and co-generation of heat and electricity carried out with energy efficiency and utilization of surplus electricity is important for the economics under Danish conditions. Considering all aspects, ethanol production seems most favorable but in the long term, pyrolyses with catalytic cracking could be an interesting option. The cheapest source of biomass in Denmark is straw, where a considerable amount of the surplus could be used. Whole crop harvested wheat on land otherwise set aside to be fallow could also be an important source for ethanol production. Most of the options contribute favorably to reductions of fossil fuel consumption, but variations are large and the substitution factor is to a great extent dependent on the individual case. (AB) (32 refs.)

Hydrogen Generation from Sugars via Aqueous-Phase Reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randy D Cortright

2006-01-01

Virent Energy Systems, Inc. is commercializing the Aqueous Phase Reforming (APR) process that allows the generation of hydrogen-rich gas streams from biomass-derived compounds such as glycerol, sugars, and sugar alcohols. The APR process is a unique method that generates hydrogen from aqueous solutions of these oxygenated compounds in a single step reactor process compared to the three or more reaction steps required for hydrogen generation via conventional processes that utilize non-renewable fossil fuels. The key breakthrough of the APR process is that the reforming of these aqueous solutions is done in the liquid phase. The patented APR process occurs at temperatures (150 C to 270 C) where the water-gas shift reaction is favorable, making it possible to generate hydrogen with low amounts of CO in a single chemical reactor. Furthermore, the APR process occurs at pressures (typically 15 to 50 bar) where the hydrogen-rich effluent can be effectively purified using either membrane technology or pressure swing adsorption technology. The utilization of biomass-based compounds allows the APR process to be a carbon neutral method to generate hydrogen. In the near term, the feed-stock of interest is waste glycerol that is being generated in large quantities as a byproduct in the production of bio-diesel. Virent has developed the APR system for on-demand generation of hydrogen-rich fuel gas from either glycerol or sorbitol (the sugar alcohol formed by hydrogenation of glucose) to fuel a stationary internal combustion engine driven generator (10 kW). Under a USDOE funded project, Virent is currently developing the APR process to generate high yields of hydrogen from corn-derived glucose. This project objective is to achieve the DOE 2010 cost target for distributed production from renewable liquid fuels of 3.60 dollars/gge (gasoline gallon equivalent) delivered. (authors)

Structural analysis of nickel doped cerium oxide catalysts for fuel reforming in solid oxide fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Cavendish, Rio

As world energy demands increase, research into more efficient energy production methods has become imperative. Heterogeneous catalysis and nanoscience are used to promote chemical transformations important for energy production. These concepts are important in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) which have attracted attention because of their potential to provide an efficient and environmentally favorable power generation system. The SOFC is also fuel-flexible with the ability to run directly on many fuels other than hydrogen. Internal fuel reforming directly in the anode of the SOFC would greatly reduce the cost and complexity of the device. Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon and a main component in natural gas, making it useful when testing catalysts on the laboratory scale. Nickel (Ni) and gadolinium (Gd) doped ceria (CeO 2) catalysts for potential use in the SOFC anode were synthesized with a spray drying method and tested for catalytic performance using partial oxidation of methane and steam reforming. The relationships between catalytic performance and structure were then investigated using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and environmental transmission electron microscopy. The possibility of solid solutions, segregated phases, and surface layers of Ni were explored. Results for a 10 at.% Ni in CeO2 catalyst reveal a poor catalytic behavior while a 20 at.% Ni in CeO2 catalyst is shown to have superior activity. The inclusion of both 10 at.% Gd and 10 at.% Ni in CeO2 enhances the catalytic performance. Analysis of the presence of Ni in all 3 samples reveals Ni heterogeneity and little evidence for extensive solid solution doping. Ni is found in small domains throughout CeO2 particles. In the 20 at.% Ni sample a segregated, catalytically active NiO phase is observed. Overall, it is found that significant interaction between Ni and CeO2 occurs that could affect the synthesis and functionality of the SOFC anode.

Feasability of the direct generation of hydrogen for fuel-cell-powered vehicles by on-board steam reforming of naphta

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Darwish, Naif A.; Hilal, Nidal; Versteeg, Geert; Heesink, Albertus B.M.

2004-01-01

A process flow sheet for the production of hydrogen to run a 50 kW fuel-cell-powered-vehicle by steam reforming of naphtha is presented. The major units in the flow sheet involve a desulfurization unit, a steam reformer, a low temperature (LT) shift reactor, a methanation reactor, and a membrane

Feasibility of the direct generation of hydrogen for fuel-cell-powered vehicles by on-board steam reforming of naphtha

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Darwish, Naif A.; Hilal, Nidal; Versteeg, Geert; Heesink, Bert

2004-01-01

A process flow sheet for the production of hydrogen to run a 50 kW fuel-cell-powered-vehicle by steam reforming of naphtha is presented. The major units in the flow sheet involve a desulfurization unit, a steam reformer, a low temperature (LT) shift reactor, a methanation reactor, and a membrane

High temperature PEM fuel cells - Degradation and durability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araya, S.S.

2012-12-15

This work analyses the degradation issues of a High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (HT-PEMFC). It is based on the assumption that given the current challenges for storage and distribution of hydrogen, it is more practical to use liquid alcohols as energy carriers for fuel cells. Among these, methanol is very attractive, as it can be obtained from a variety of renewable sources and has a relatively low reforming temperature for the production of hydrogen rich gaseous mixture. The effects on HT-PEMFC of the different constituents of this gaseous mixture, known as a reformate gas, are investigated in the current work. For this, an experimental set up, in which all these constituents can be fed to the anode side of a fuel cell for testing, is put in place. It includes mass flow controllers for the gaseous species, and a vapor delivery system for the vapor mixture of the unconverted reforming reactants. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is used to characterize the effects of these impurities. The effects of CO were tested up to 2% by volume along with other impurities. All the reformate impurities, including ethanol-water vapor mixture, cause loss in the performance of the fuel cell. In general, CO{sub 2} dilutes the reactants, if tested alone at high operating temperatures (180 C), but tends to exacerbate the effects of CO if they are tested together. On the other hand, CO and methanol-water vapor mixture degrade the fuel cell proportionally to the amounts in which they are tested. In this dissertation some of the mechanisms with which the impurities affect the fuel cell are discussed and interdependence among the effects is also studied. This showed that the combined effect of reformate impurities is more than the arithmetic sum of the individual effects of reformate constituents. The results of the thesis help to understand better the issues of degradation and durability in fuel cells, which can help to make them more durable and

System requirements of diesel reforming for the SOFC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harasti, P.T.; Amphlett, J.C.; Mann, R.F.; Peppley, B.A.; Thurgood, C.P.

2003-01-01

Diesel fuels are currently a very attractive source of hydrogen due to the global infrastructure for production and distribution that exists today. In order to extract the hydrogen, the hydrocarbon molecules must be chemically reformed into manageable, hydrogen-rich product gases that can be directly used in electrochemical energy conversion devices such as fuel cells. High temperature fuel cells are particularly attractive for diesel-fuelled systems due to the possibility of thermal integration with the high temperature reformer. The methods available for diesel fuel processing are: Steam Reforming, Partial Oxidation, and Auto-Thermal Reforming. The latter two methods introduce air into the process in order to cause exothermic oxidation reactions, which complement the endothermic heating requirement of the reforming reactions. This helps to achieve the high temperature required, but also introduces nitrogen, which can yield unwanted NO x emissions. The components of the reformer should include: an injection system to mix and vaporize the diesel fuel and steam while avoiding the formation of carbon deposits inside the reactor; a temperature and heat management system; and a method of sulphur removal. This presentation will discuss the operating conditions and design requirements of a diesel fuel processor for a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. (author)

High pressure combustion of liquid fuels. [alcohol and n-paraffin fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Canada, G. S.

1974-01-01

Measurements were made of the burning rates and liquid surface temperatures for a number of alcohol and n-paraffin fuels under natural and forced convection conditions. Porous spheres ranging in size from 0.64-1.9 cm O.D. were emloyed to simulate the fuel droplets. The natural convection cold gas tests considered the combustion in air of methanol, ethanol, propanol-1, n-pentane, n-heptane, and n-decane droplets at pressures up to 78 atmospheres. The pressure levels of the natural convection tests were high enough so that near critical combustion was observed for methanol and ethanol vaporization rates and liquid surface temperature measurements were made of droplets burning in a simulated combustion chamber environment. Ambient oxygen molar concentrations included 13%, 9.5% and pure evaporation. Fuels used in the forced convection atmospheric tests included those listed above for the natural convection tests. The ambient gas temperature ranged from 600 to 1500 K and the Reynolds number varied from 30 to 300. The high pressure forced convection tests employed ethanol and n-heptane as fuels over a pressure range of one to 40 atmospheres. The ambient gas temperature was 1145 K for the two combustion cases and 1255 K for the evaporation case.

One-Step Reforming of CO2 and CH4 into High-Value Liquid Chemicals and Fuels at Room Temperature by Plasma-Driven Catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li; Yi, Yanhui; Wu, Chunfei; Guo, Hongchen; Tu, Xin

2017-10-23

The conversion of CO 2 with CH 4 into liquid fuels and chemicals in a single-step catalytic process that bypasses the production of syngas remains a challenge. In this study, liquid fuels and chemicals (e.g., acetic acid, methanol, ethanol, and formaldehyde) were synthesized in a one-step process from CO 2 and CH 4 at room temperature (30 °C) and atmospheric pressure for the first time by using a novel plasma reactor with a water electrode. The total selectivity to oxygenates was approximately 50-60 %, with acetic acid being the major component at 40.2 % selectivity, the highest value reported for acetic acid thus far. Interestingly, the direct plasma synthesis of acetic acid from CH 4 and CO 2 is an ideal reaction with 100 % atom economy, but it is almost impossible by thermal catalysis owing to the significant thermodynamic barrier. The combination of plasma and catalyst in this process shows great potential for manipulating the distribution of liquid chemical products in a given process. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Investigation of a methanol reformer concept considering the particular impact of dynamics and long-term stability for use in a fuel-cell-powered passenger car

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, R.; Düsterwald, H. G.; Höhlein, B.

A methanol reformer concept including a reformer, a catalytic burner, a gas cleaning unit, a PEMFC and an electric motor for use in fuel-cell-powered passenger cars was investigated. Special emphasis was placed on the dynamics and the long-term stability of the reformer. Experiments on a laboratory scale were performed in a methanol steam reformer consisting of four different reactor tubes, which were separately balanced. Due to the endothermy of the steam reforming reaction of methanol, a sharp drop in the reaction temperature of about 50 K occurs at the beginning of the catalyst bed. This agrees well with the high catalytic activity at the entrance of the catalyst bed. Forty-five percent of the methanol was converted within the first 10 cm of the catalyst bed where 12.6 g of the CuO/ZnO catalyst was located. Furthermore, CO formation during methanol steam reforming strongly depends on methanol conversion. Long-term measurements for more than 700 h show that the active reaction zone moved through the catalyst bed. Calculations, on the basis of these experiments, revealed that 63 g of reforming catalyst was necessary for mobile PEMFC applications, in this case for 400 W el at a system efficiency of 42% and a theoretical specific hydrogen production of 5.2 m 3n/(h kg Cat). This amount of catalyst was assumed to maintain a hydrogen production of at least 80% of the original amount over an operating range of 3864 h. Cycled start-up and shut-down processes of the methanol steam reformer under nitrogen and hydrogen atmospheres did not harm the catalytic activity. The simulation of the breakdown of the heating system, in which a liquid water/methanol mixture was in close contact with the catalyst, did not reveal any deactivation of the catalytic activity.

Fuels processing for transportation fuel cell systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, R.; Ahmed, S.

Fuel cells primarily use hydrogen as the fuel. This hydrogen must be produced from other fuels such as natural gas or methanol. The fuel processor requirements are affected by the fuel to be converted, the type of fuel cell to be supplied, and the fuel cell application. The conventional fuel processing technology has been reexamined to determine how it must be adapted for use in demanding applications such as transportation. The two major fuel conversion processes are steam reforming and partial oxidation reforming. The former is established practice for stationary applications; the latter offers certain advantages for mobile systems and is presently in various stages of development. This paper discusses these fuel processing technologies and the more recent developments for fuel cell systems used in transportation. The need for new materials in fuels processing, particularly in the area of reforming catalysis and hydrogen purification, is discussed.

Wetted foam liquid fuel ICF target experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, R E; Leeper, R J; Yi, S A; Kline, J L; Zylstra, A B; Peterson, R R; Shah, R; Braun, T; Biener, J; Kozioziemski, B J; Sater, J D; Biener, M M; Hamza, A V; Nikroo, A; Hopkins, L Berzak; Ho, D; LePape, S; Meezan, N B

2016-01-01

We are developing a new NIF experimental platform that employs wetted foam liquid fuel layer ICF capsules. We will use the liquid fuel layer capsules in a NIF sub-scale experimental campaign to explore the relationship between hot spot convergence ratio (CR) and the predictability of hot spot formation. DT liquid layer ICF capsules allow for flexibility in hot spot CR via the adjustment of the initial cryogenic capsule temperature and, hence, DT vapor density. Our hypothesis is that the predictive capability of hot spot formation is robust and 1D-like for a relatively low CR hot spot (CR∼15), but will become less reliable as hot spot CR is increased to CR>20. Simulations indicate that backing off on hot spot CR is an excellent way to reduce capsule instability growth and to improve robustness to low-mode x-ray flux asymmetries. In the initial experiments, we will test our hypothesis by measuring hot spot size, neutron yield, ion temperature, and burn width to infer hot spot pressure and compare to predictions for implosions with hot spot CR's in the range of 12 to 25. Larger scale experiments are also being designed, and we will advance from sub-scale to full-scale NIF experiments to determine if 1D-like behavior at low CR is retained as the scale-size is increased. The long-term objective is to develop a liquid fuel layer ICF capsule platform with robust thermonuclear burn, modest CR, and significant α-heating with burn propagation. (paper)

Conversion of Mixed Plastic Wastes (High Density Polyethylene and Polypropylene) into Liquid Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaw Su Su Hmwe; Tint Tint Kywe; Moe Moe Kyaw

2010-12-01

In this study, mixed plastic wastes were converted into liquid fuels. Mixed plastic wastes used were high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP). The pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste to liquid fuel was carried out with and without prepared zeolite catalyst.The catalyst was characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). This catalyst was pre-treated for activation. The experiments were carried out at temperature range of 350-410C.Physical properties (density, kinematic, viscosity,refractive index)of prepared liquid fuel samples were measured. From this study, yields of liquid fuel and gas fuel were found to be 41-64% and 15-35% respectively. As for by products, char was obtained as the yield percentages from 9 to 14% and wax (yield% - 1 to 14) was formed during pyrolysis.

Design and development of a diesel and JP-8 logistic fuel processor

Science.gov (United States)

Roychoudhury, Subir; Lyubovsky, Maxim; Walsh, D.; Chu, Deryn; Kallio, Erik

The paper describes the design and performance of a breadboard prototype for a 5 kW fuel-processor for powering a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack. The system was based on a small, modular catalytic Microlith auto-thermal (ATR) reactor with the versatility of operating on diesel, Jet-A or JP-8 fuels. The reforming reactor utilized Microlith substrates and catalyst technology (patented and trademarked). These reactors have demonstrated the capability of efficiently reforming liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels at exceptionally high power densities. The performance characteristics of the auto-thermal reactor (ATR) have been presented along with durability data. The fuel processor integrates fuel preparation, steam generation, sulfur removal, pumps, blowers and controls. The system design was developed via ASPEN ® Engineering Suite process simulation software and was analyzed with reference to system balance requirements. Since the fuel processor has not been integrated with a fuel cell, aspects of thermal integration with the stack have not been specifically addressed.

Two-stroke engine with gaseous and liquid fuel injection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laursen, Rene Sejer [MAN Diesel and Turbo SE, Copenhagen (Denmark)

2012-08-15

The need to lower emissions of CO{sub 2}, NO{sub x}, SO{sub x} and particulates as well as rising oil prices have increased engine operators' interest in alternative fuels and fuel flexibility. The low speed two-stroke ME-GI and ME-LGI dual-fuel engines with diesel pilot injection from MAN Diesel and Turbo offer the opportunity of utilising fuels such as LNG, LPG, and methanol in a wide range of liquid to gaseous fuel ratios. (orig.)

Metal-deactivating additives for liquid fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boneva, M.I. [Institute of Organic Chemistry, Sofia (Bulgaria); Ivanov, S.K.; Kalitchin, Z.D. [SciBulCom, Ltd., Sofia (Bulgaria); Tanielyan, S.K. [Seton Hall Univ., South Orange, NJ (United States); Terebenina, A.; Todorova, O.I. [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Sofia (Bulgaria)

1995-05-01

The metal-deactivating and the antioxidant properties of 1-phenyl-3-methylpyrazolone-5 derivatives have been investigated both in the model reaction of low temperature oxidation of ethylbenzene and in gasoline oxidation. The study of the ability of these derivatives to reduce the catalytic effect of copper naphthenate demonstrates that they are promising as metal deactivating additives for light fuels. Some of the pyrazolone compounds appear to be of special interest for the long-term storage of liquid fuels due to their action as multifunctional inhibitors.

Steam reformer with catalytic combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Voecks, Gerald E. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A steam reformer is disclosed having an annular steam reforming catalyst bed formed by concentric cylinders and having a catalytic combustor located at the center of the innermost cylinder. Fuel is fed into the interior of the catalytic combustor and air is directed at the top of the combustor, creating a catalytic reaction which provides sufficient heat so as to maintain the catalytic reaction in the steam reforming catalyst bed. Alternatively, air is fed into the interior of the catalytic combustor and a fuel mixture is directed at the top. The catalytic combustor provides enhanced radiant and convective heat transfer to the reformer catalyst bed.

H2 as source of renewable energy: production through catalytic methods by means of the reforming of methanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez H, R.; Lopez, P.; Gutierrez M, A.; Gutierrez W, C.; Mondragon G, G.; Mendoza A, D.; Angeles Ch, C.; Arenas A, J.

2010-01-01

The fuel cells transform the chemical energy stored in the connection H-H of the H 2 molecule in electric energy and water vapor when is combines with the oxygen. Even when the hydrogen has a high potential as energy source, its handling is difficult (storage and transport). This has motivated the search of hydrogen production methods in situ starting from liquid fuels like the methanol or ethanol through the reaction of reforming. The methanol is a fuel of easy availability for fuel cells with electronic applications and of transport. Although the methanol energy density is approximately half of the gasoline and diesel, it is more reagent and can be used directly in fuel cells or can also be reformed to low temperatures for the hydrogen obtaining to be used in fuel cells of proton exchange. In this article the results obtained of the systems, Cu-Ni/ZrO 2 and Ag-Au(1-D)-CeO 2 are presented and can be competitive to generate H 2 and being used in the fuel cells to generate energy. (Author)

JP8 Reformation for Combat Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

2007-08-07

phase (fuel), and a gas phase (hydrogen) at elevated pressures. • Trickle - bed configuration is difficult to model and scale down—not practical for...gases output from HDS reactor are used to fuel the reformer. Current Technology Status: •Integrated desulfurization/reforming system successfully

Liquid-phase reforming and hydrodeoxygenation as a two-step route to aromatics from lignin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jongerius, A.L.; Bruijnincx, P.C.A.; Weckhuysen, B.M.

2013-01-01

A two-step approach to the conversion of organosolv, kraft and sugarcane bagasse lignin to monoaromatic compounds of low oxygen content is presented. The first step consists of lignin depolymerization in a liquid phase reforming (LPR) reaction over a 1 wt% Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalyst at 225 °C in alkaline

Application of flexible micro temperature sensor in oxidative steam reforming by a methanol micro reformer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chi-Yuan; Lee, Shuo-Jen; Shen, Chia-Chieh; Yeh, Chuin-Tih; Chang, Chi-Chung; Lo, Yi-Man

2011-01-01

Advances in fuel cell applications reflect the ability of reformers to produce hydrogen. This work presents a flexible micro temperature sensor that is fabricated based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology and integrated into a flat micro methanol reformer to observe the conditions inside that reformer. The micro temperature sensor has higher accuracy and sensitivity than a conventionally adopted thermocouple. Despite various micro temperature sensor applications, integrated micro reformers are still relatively new. This work proposes a novel method for integrating micro methanol reformers and micro temperature sensors, subsequently increasing the methanol conversion rate and the hydrogen production rate by varying the fuel supply rate and the water/methanol ratio. Importantly, the proposed micro temperature sensor adequately controls the interior temperature during oxidative steam reforming of methanol (OSRM), with the relevant parameters optimized as well.

Application of Flexible Micro Temperature Sensor in Oxidative Steam Reforming by a Methanol Micro Reformer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Man Lo

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Advances in fuel cell applications reflect the ability of reformers to produce hydrogen. This work presents a flexible micro temperature sensor that is fabricated based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS technology and integrated into a flat micro methanol reformer to observe the conditions inside that reformer. The micro temperature sensor has higher accuracy and sensitivity than a conventionally adopted thermocouple. Despite various micro temperature sensor applications, integrated micro reformers are still relatively new. This work proposes a novel method for integrating micro methanol reformers and micro temperature sensors, subsequently increasing the methanol conversion rate and the hydrogen production rate by varying the fuel supply rate and the water/methanol ratio. Importantly, the proposed micro temperature sensor adequately controls the interior temperature during oxidative steam reforming of methanol (OSRM, with the relevant parameters optimized as well.

Fuel processing requirements and techniques for fuel cell propulsion power

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, R.; Ahmed, S.; Yu, M.

Fuels for fuel cells in transportation systems are likely to be methanol, natural gas, hydrogen, propane, or ethanol. Fuels other than hydrogen will need to be reformed to hydrogen on-board the vehicle. The fuel reformer must meet stringent requirements for weight and volume, product quality, and transient operation. It must be compact and lightweight, must produce low levels of CO and other byproducts, and must have rapid start-up and good dynamic response. Catalytic steam reforming, catalytic or noncatalytic partial oxidation reforming, or some combination of these processes may be used. This paper discusses salient features of the different kinds of reformers and describes the catalysts and processes being examined for the oxidation reforming of methanol and the steam reforming of ethanol. Effective catalysts and reaction conditions for the former have been identified; promising catalysts and reaction conditions for the latter are being investigated.

Fuel economy and range estimates for fuel cell powered automobiles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steinbugler, M.; Ogden, J. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

1996-12-31

While a number of automotive fuel cell applications have been demonstrated, including a golf cart, buses, and a van, these systems and others that have been proposed have utilized differing configurations ranging from direct hydrogen fuel cell-only power plants to fuel cell/battery hybrids operating on reformed methanol. To date there is no clear consensus on which configuration, from among the possible combinations of fuel cell, peaking device, and fuel type, is the most likely to be successfully commercialized. System simplicity favors direct hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, but infrastructure is lacking. Infrastructure favors a system using a liquid fuel with a fuel processor, but system integration and performance issues remain. A number of studies have analyzed particular configurations on either a system or vehicle scale. The objective of this work is to estimate, within a consistent framework, fuel economies and ranges for a variety of configurations using flexible models with the goal of identifying the most promising configurations and the most important areas for further research and development.

High Temperature PEM Fuel Cells and Organic Fuels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vassiliev, Anton

of the products. The observation of internal reforming was indirectly confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, where the best fits were obtained when a Gerischer element describing preceding chemical reaction and diffusion was included in the equivalent circuit of a methanol/air operated cell...... evaporated liquid stream supply to either of the electrodes. A large number of MEAs with different component compositions have been prepared and tested in different conditions using the constructed setups to obtain a basic understanding of the nature of direct DME HT-PEM FC, to map the processes occurring...... inside the cells and to determine the lifetime. Additionally, comparison was made with methanol as fuel, which is the main competitor to DME in direct oxidation of organic fuels in fuel cells. For the reference, measurements have also been done with conventional hydrogen/air operation. All...

Liquid-Feed Methanol Fuel Cell With Membrane Electrolyte

Science.gov (United States)

Surampudi, Subbarao; Narayanan, S. R.; Halpert, Gerald; Frank, Harvey; Vamos, Eugene

1995-01-01

Fuel cell generates electricity from direct liquid feed stream of methanol/water solution circulated in contact with anode, plus direct gaseous feed stream of air or oxygen in contact with cathode. Advantages include relative simplicity and elimination of corrosive electrolytic solutions. Offers potential for reductions in size, weight, and complexity, and for increases in safety of fuel-cell systems.

Fiscal reform of fuel regulation in Brazil: recent developments and environmental implications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinostroza, Miriam; Sauer, Ildo Luis; Guerra, Sinclair M.-G.

2005-11-15

Internationally the fossil fuel-based energy sector now faces increasing uncertainties due to changes in its fiscal regulation, prompted by pressure for environmental regulation. These changes typically eliminate some taxes at the beginning of the oil production chain, but compensate for these by increasing taxation on consumption. In Brazil, fiscal reform proposals focus not on environmental arguments but on the elimination of excess levies and red tape and on increasing equity across income classes. However, liberalization process of oil and gas industries in Brazil has led to modifications in fuels taxation. This article discusses current Brazilian fiscal policy as related to fossil fuels, explaining the nature of recently introduced contribution for economic regulation (Contribuicao de Intervencao ao Dominio Economico, CIDE) and the impacts on price formation. It also shows how those modifications tend to include external costs from activities in the fuel sector; through revenues from a levy earmarked for two purposes: i) funding investments in projects deemed to be environmentally beneficial, and, ii) improvements in road infrastructure aimed at reducing emissions from transportation. Some ideas on how to improve use of the levy to perk up fuel alcohol competitiveness are also discussed. (Author)

Concept of a subcritical transmutation system with fast neutron spectrum and liquid fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tittelbach, S.

2002-11-01

The annual amount of nearly 9500 t of spent fuel from worldwide industrial nuclear energy utilization has to be disposed as high level waste. The retention of nuclear waste from the biosphere has to be assured until the radiological risk decreases to tolerable levels. The long-term radiological risk of spent fuel is dominated by actinide elements, i.e. plutonium, americium and curium. It is intended to reduce this amount of high level waste by Partitioning and Transmutation, so that the radiotoxicity of the disposed waste falls short of the reference value of fresh fuel decaying naturally after about thousand years. For this time period the retention of high level waste can be assured by technical means. The scope of this work is the design of a subcritical fast transmutation system with liquid metal cooling and liquid metal fuel. The lead bismuth eutectic has been choosen as the liquid metal coolant and fuel carrier. To dissolve at least 3 at% of transuran elements, a minimum fuel temperature of 600 C is required. The calculations were carried out with a fuel composition, which results from two plutonium recycling steps in a thorium fuel cycle. Two homogeneous and two heterogeneous blankets have been designed and evaluated leading to one preferred heterogeneous blanket design, which has been investigated in more detail. This blanket design merges the positive properties of a solid fuel system (better control of fuel and reactivity because of smaller and closed fuel volumina) and a liquid fuel system (continous charge and discharge or extraction of fission products). The blanket design is based on the core design of fast breeder liquid metal reactors. It consists of hexagonal fuel elements housing up to six annular shaped fuel cylinders. The hexagonal shape of the fuel elements leads to three fuel zones positioned concentrically around the central spallation target. There is a strong heterogeneous distribution of power and heat flux in this blanket design. Besides

Upgrading versus reforming: an energy and exergy analysis of two Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-based systems for a convenient biogas-to-electricity conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldinelli, A.; Barelli, L.; Bidini, G.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Biogas-to-electricity conversion through Solid Oxide Fuel Cell is investigated. • Two solutions are compared for biogas-to-electricity conversion. • Direct feeding by partially upgraded biogas meets with fuel cell long operation. • Best energy and exergy performances are obtained with an innovative system-design. • A sensitivity analysis on the process parameters determines its convenience margin. - Abstract: Aiming at designing biogas-to-electricity advanced systems, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells are promising candidates. They benefit from scalability on plant sizes that suit anaerobic digesters potentialities. For biogas-Solid Oxide Fuel Cells applications, the implementation of an external pre-reformer is usually considered. However, the possibility to perform direct fuel feeding to the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell offers new opportunities towards the realization of lean systems, which are competitive especially on small-scale installations (i.e. on-farm biogas-to-electricity conversion). In this frame, scientific literature is rather poor and, to cover this gap, system simulations are called for two reasons: first, to demonstrate the potential efficiency gain of new concepts; second, to provide a meaningful support for long-term experimental investigation on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells operated upon direct feeding of unreformed biogas. For that, the current study compares two system designs for biogas utilization into Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. The conventional one realizes biogas steam reforming prior the fuel cell, while the novel concept is based on direct feeding of partially upgraded biogas by means of carbon dioxide-separation membranes. As main outcome of the study, the system equipped with carbon dioxide-separation membranes achieves better performances than its conventional competitor does, scoring 51.1% energy efficiency and 52.3% exergy efficiency (compared to 37.2% and 38.6% respectively exhibited by the reformer-based system). Because of the lack

Unsupervised Anomaly Detection for Liquid-Fueled Rocket Prop...

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Title: Unsupervised Anomaly Detection for Liquid-Fueled Rocket Propulsion Health Monitoring. Abstract: This article describes the results of applying four...

Exergetic analysis and optimization of a solar-powered reformed methanol fuel cell micro-powerplant

Science.gov (United States)

Hotz, Nico; Zimmerman, Raúl; Weinmueller, Christian; Lee, Ming-Tsang; Grigoropoulos, Costas P.; Rosengarten, Gary; Poulikakos, Dimos

The present study proposes a combination of solar-powered components (two heaters, an evaporator, and a steam reformer) with a proton exchange membrane fuel cell to form a powerplant that converts methanol to electricity. The solar radiation heats up the mass flows of methanol-water mixture and air and sustains the endothermic methanol steam reformer at a sufficient reaction temperature (typically between 220 and 300 °C). In order to compare the different types of energy (thermal, chemical, and electrical), an exergetic analysis is applied to the entire system, considering only the useful part of energy that can be converted to work. The effect of the solar radiation intensity and of different operational and geometrical parameters like the total inlet flow rate of methanol-water mixture, the size of the fuel cell, and the cell voltage on the performance of the entire system is investigated. The total exergetic efficiency comparing the electrical power output with the exergy input in form of chemical and solar exergy reaches values of up to 35%, while the exergetic efficiency only accounting for the conversion of chemical fuel to electricity (and neglecting the 'cost-free' solar input) is increased up to 59%. At the same time, an electrical power density per irradiated area of more than 920 W m -2 is obtained for a solar heat flux of 1000 W m -2.

Methane Steam Reforming over an Ni-YSZ Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anode in Stack Configuration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mogensen, David; Grunwaldt, Jan-Dierk; Hendriksen, Peter Vang

2014-01-01

The kinetics of catalytic steam reforming of methane over an Ni-YSZ anode of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) have been investigated with the cell placed in a stack configuration. In order to decrease the degree of conversion, a single cell stack with reduced area was used. Measurements were...

A thermally self-sustained micro-power plant with integrated micro-solid oxide fuel cells, micro-reformer and functional micro-fluidic carrier

Science.gov (United States)

Scherrer, Barbara; Evans, Anna; Santis-Alvarez, Alejandro J.; Jiang, Bo; Martynczuk, Julia; Galinski, Henning; Nabavi, Majid; Prestat, Michel; Tölke, René; Bieberle-Hütter, Anja; Poulikakos, Dimos; Muralt, Paul; Niedermann, Philippe; Dommann, Alex; Maeder, Thomas; Heeb, Peter; Straessle, Valentin; Muller, Claude; Gauckler, Ludwig J.

2014-07-01

Low temperature micro-solid oxide fuel cell (micro-SOFC) systems are an attractive alternative power source for small-size portable electronic devices due to their high energy efficiency and density. Here, we report on a thermally self-sustainable reformer-micro-SOFC assembly. The device consists of a micro-reformer bonded to a silicon chip containing 30 micro-SOFC membranes and a functional glass carrier with gas channels and screen-printed heaters for start-up. Thermal independence of the device from the externally powered heater is achieved by exothermic reforming reactions above 470 °C. The reforming reaction and the fuel gas flow rate of the n-butane/air gas mixture controls the operation temperature and gas composition on the micro-SOFC membrane. In the temperature range between 505 °C and 570 °C, the gas composition after the micro-reformer consists of 12 vol.% to 28 vol.% H2. An open-circuit voltage of 1.0 V and maximum power density of 47 mW cm-2 at 565 °C is achieved with the on-chip produced hydrogen at the micro-SOFC membranes.

A low-temperature partial-oxidation-methanol micro reformer with high fuel conversion rate and hydrogen production yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Hsueh-Sheng; Huang, Kuo-Yang; Huang, Yuh-Jeen; Su, Yu-Chuan; Tseng, Fan-Gang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A low-operating temperature of the POM-mode micro methanol reformer is obtained. • The effect of channel design on the performance is studied. • The effect of solid content and binder’ ratio on the performance is studied. • The centrifugal process is benefit for the modification of performance. • 98% of methanol conversion rate of the micro reformer can be obtained at 180 °C. - Abstract: A partial oxidation methanol micro reformer (POM-μReformer) with finger-shaped channels for low operating temperature and high conversing efficiency is proposed in this study. The micro reformer employs POM reaction for low temperature operation (less than 200 °C), exothermic reaction, and quick start-up, as well as air feeding capability; and the finger type reaction chambers for increasing catalyst loading as well as reaction area for performance enhancement. In this study, centrifugal technique was introduced to assist on the catalyst loading with high amount and uniform distribution. The solid content (S), binder’s ratio (B), and channel design (the ratio between channel’s length and width, R) were investigated in detail to optimize the design parameters. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gas chromatography (GC), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) were employed to analyze the performance of the POM-μReformer. The result depicted that the catalyst content and reactive area could be much improved at the optimized condition, and the conversion rate and hydrogen selectivity approached 97.9% and 97.4%, respectively, at a very low operating temperature of 180 °C with scarce or no binder in catalyst. The POM-μReformer can supply hydrogen to fuel cells by generating 2.23 J/min for 80% H 2 utilization and 60% fuel cell efficiency at 2 ml/min of supplied reactant gas, including methanol, oxygen and argon at a mixing ratio of 12.2%, 6.1% and 81.7%, respectively

The Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR) for Producing Hydrogen to Manufacture Liquid Fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsberg, C.W.; Peterson, P.F.; Ott, L.

2004-01-01

Conventional world oil production is expected to peak within a decade. Shortfalls in production of liquid fuels (gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel) from conventional oil sources are expected to be offset by increased production of fuels from heavy oils and tar sands that are primarily located in the Western Hemisphere (Canada, Venezuela, the United States, and Mexico). Simultaneously, there is a renewed interest in liquid fuels from biomass, such as alcohol; but, biomass production requires fertilizer. Massive quantities of hydrogen (H2) are required (1) to convert heavy oils and tar sands to liquid fuels and (2) to produce fertilizer for production of biomass that can be converted to liquid fuels. If these liquid fuels are to be used while simultaneously minimizing greenhouse emissions, nonfossil methods for the production of H2 are required. Nuclear energy can be used to produce H2. The most efficient methods to produce H2 from nuclear energy involve thermochemical cycles in which high-temperature heat (700 to 850 C) and water are converted to H2 and oxygen. The peak nuclear reactor fuel and coolant temperatures must be significantly higher than the chemical process temperatures to transport heat from the reactor core to an intermediate heat transfer loop and from the intermediate heat transfer loop to the chemical plant. The reactor temperatures required for H2 production are at the limits of practical engineering materials. A new high-temperature reactor concept is being developed for H2 and electricity production: the Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR). The fuel is a graphite-matrix, coated-particle fuel, the same type that is used in modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (MHTGRs). The coolant is a clean molten fluoride salt with a boiling point near 1400 C. The use of a liquid coolant, rather than helium, reduces peak reactor fuel and coolant temperatures 100 to 200 C relative to those of a MHTGR. Liquids are better heat transfer fluids than gases

Control and Experimental Characterization of a Methanol Reformer for a 350 W High Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Kær, Søren Knudsen; Jensen, Hans-Christian Becker

, i.e. cathode and anode gas flows and temperature by using mass flow controllers and controlled heaters. Using this system the methanol reformer is characterized in its different operating points, both steady-state but also dynamically. Methanol steam reforming is a well known process, and provides...... and burner and the behaviour of the CO concentration of the reformate gas....... the high temperature waste gas from a cathode air cooled 45 cell HTPEM fuel cell stack. The MEAs used are BASF P2100 which use phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole type membranes; an MEA with high CO tolerance and no complex humidity requirements. The methanol reformer used is integrated into a compact...

Development, investigation and modelling of a micro reformer as part of a system for off-grid power supply with PEM fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rochlitz, Lisbeth

2008-11-18

In this thesis a micro reformer fuel cell system ({mu}RFCS) for 300 Wel off-grid power supply, fuelled with bioethanol, was simulated, designed, developed and investigated in a test-rig. First a literature study was carried through to point out the specific characteristics of micro reforming, the most important being heat transfer, and present the systems currently under research and already on the market. As a next step, the processes of the RFCS were simulated with the commercial simulation tool CHEMCAD. This comprised thermodynamic equilibrium simulations for the separate reactions of steam reforming, water gas shift and selective methanation. It also included a simulation of the complete {mu}RFCS with thermodynamic equilibrium for all reactors and assumed values for heat loss and fuel cell efficiency. The resulting net electrical efficiency was 24%. As a third step, a reaction pathway scheme with parallel and serial reactions for the steam reforming reaction of ethanol was simulated, developed, evaluated and proven plausible by matching the simulation to experimental results obtained in the {mu}RFCS test rig. The equilibrium simulations were used to evaluate the catalyst screening carried through for reformer, water gas shift and selective methanation catalysts. The catalysts for the {mu}RFCS were chosen and the optimum operating conditions determined by the screening tests. Having accomplished the simulation and design of the system, the largest proportion of this work was spent on the construction, set-up, testing and evaluation of the complete {mu}RFCS. The focus for the evaluations lay on the reformer side of the system. The technical feasibility was demonstrated for an ethanol/water mix of 3 ml/min at S/C 3. The first tests without optimized heat and water management between the reformer system and the fuel cell system resulted in power output of around 115 W{sub el}, at a total electrical efficiency of 31%. (orig.)

Liquid Fuels from Lignins: Annual Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chum, H. L.; Johnson, D. K.

1986-01-01

This task was initiated to assess the conversion of lignins into liquid fuels, primarily of lignins relevant to biomass-to-ethanol conversion processes. The task was composed of a literature review of this area and an experimental part to obtain pertinent data on the conversion of lignins germane to biomass-to-ethanol conversion processes.

C1 CHEMISTRY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ULTRA-CLEAN LIQUID TRANSPORTATION FUELS AND HYDROGEN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerald P. Huffman

2003-09-30

The Consortium for Fossil Fuel Science (CFFS) is a research consortium with participants from the University of Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, University of Utah, West Virginia University, and Auburn University. The CFFS is conducting a research program to develop C1 chemistry technology for the production of clean transportation fuel from resources such as coal and natural gas, which are more plentiful domestically than petroleum. The processes under development will convert feedstocks containing one carbon atom per molecular unit into ultra clean liquid transportation fuels (gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel) and hydrogen, which many believe will be the transportation fuel of the future. These feedstocks include synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced by coal gasification or reforming of natural gas, methane, methanol, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Some highlights of the results obtained during the first year of the current research contract are summarized as: (1) Terminal alkynes are an effective chain initiator for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactions, producing normal paraffins with C numbers {ge} to that of the added alkyne. (2) Significant improvement in the product distribution towards heavier hydrocarbons (C{sub 5} to C{sub 19}) was achieved in supercritical fluid (SCF) FT reactions compared to that of gas-phase reactions. (3) Xerogel and aerogel silica supported cobalt catalysts were successfully employed for FT synthesis. Selectivity for diesel range products increased with increasing Co content. (4) Silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) molecular sieve catalysts have been developed for methanol to olefin conversion, producing value-added products such as ethylene and propylene. (5) Hybrid Pt-promoted tungstated and sulfated zirconia catalysts are very effective in cracking n-C{sub 36} to jet and diesel fuel; these catalysts will be tested for cracking of FT wax. (6) Methane, ethane, and propane are readily decomposed to pure

Session 4: The influence of elementary heterogeneous reforming chemistry within solid-oxide fuel cell anodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, H.; Kee, R.J. [Engineering Division, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Janardhanan, V.M.; Deutschmann, O. [Karlsruhe Univ., Institute for Chemical Technology (Germany); Goodwin, D.G. [Engineering and Applied Science., California Inst. of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States); Sullivan, N.P. [ITN Energy Systems, Littleton, CO (United States)

2004-07-01

In the work presented a computational model is developed that represents the coupled effects of fluid flow in fuel channels, porous media transport and chemistry in the anode, and electrochemistry associated with the membrane-electrode assembly. An important objective is to explore the role of heterogeneous chemistry within the anode. In addition to cell electrical performance the chemistry model predicts important behaviors like catalyst-fouling deposit formation (i.e., coking). The model is applied to investigate alternative fuel-cell operating conditions, including varying fuel flow rates, adding air to the fuel stream, and recirculating exhaust gases. Results include assessments of performance metrics like fuel utilization, cell efficiency, power density, and catalyst coking. The model shows that 'direct electrochemical oxidation' of hydrocarbon fuels in solid-oxide fuel cells can be explained by a process that involves reforming the fuel to H{sub 2}, with hydrogen being the only species responsible for charge exchange. The model can be applied to investigate alternative design and operating conditions, seeking to improve the overall performance. (O.M.)

Fuel transfer manipulator for liquid metal nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sturges, R.H.

1983-01-01

A manipulator for transferring fuel assemblies between inclined fuel chutes of a liquid metal nuclear reactor installation. Hoisting means are mounted on a mount supported by beams pivotably attached by pins to the mount and to the floor in such a manner that pivoting of the beams causes movement and tilting of a hoist tube between positions of alignment with the inclined chutes. (author)

High-temperature reactors for underground liquid-fuels production with direct carbon sequestration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsberg, C. W.

2008-01-01

The world faces two major challenges: (1) reducing dependence on oil from unstable parts of the world and (2) minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. Oil provides 39% of the energy needs of the United States, and oil refineries consume over 7% of the total energy. The world is running out of light crude oil and is increasingly using heavier fossil feedstocks such as heavy oils, tar sands, oil shale, and coal for the production of liquid fuels (gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel). With heavier feedstocks, more energy is needed to convert the feedstocks into liquid fuels. In the extreme case of coal liquefaction, the energy consumed in the liquefaction process is almost twice the energy value of the liquid fuel. This trend implies large increases in carbon dioxide releases per liter of liquid transport fuel that is produced. It is proposed that high-temperature nuclear heat be used to refine hydrocarbon feedstocks (heavy oil, tar sands, oil shale, and coal) 'in situ ', i.e., underground. Using these resources for liquid fuel production would potentially enable the United States to become an exporter of oil while sequestering carbon from the refining process underground as carbon. This option has become potentially viable because of three technical developments: precision drilling, underground isolation of geological formations with freeze walls, and the understanding that the slow heating of heavy hydrocarbons (versus fast heating) increases the yield of light oils while producing a high-carbon solid residue. Required peak reactor temperatures are near 700 deg. C-temperatures within the current capabilities of high-temperature reactors. (authors)

Numerical Investigation on Sensitivity of Liquid Jet Breakup to Physical Fuel Properties with Experimental Comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dokyun; Bravo, Luis; Matusik, Katarzyna; Duke, Daniel; Kastengren, Alan; Swantek, Andy; Powell, Christopher; Ham, Frank

2016-11-01

One of the major concerns in modern direct injection engines is the sensitivity of engine performance to fuel characteristics. Recent works have shown that even slight differences in fuel properties can cause significant changes in efficiency and emission of an engine. Since the combustion process is very sensitive to the fuel/air mixture formation resulting from disintegration of liquid jet, the precise assessment of fuel sensitivity on liquid jet atomization process is required first to study the impact of different fuels on the combustion. In the present study, the breaking process of a liquid jet from a diesel injector injecting into a quiescent gas chamber is investigated numerically and experimentally for different liquid fuels (n-dodecane, iso-octane, CAT A2 and C3). The unsplit geometric Volume-of-Fluid method is employed to capture the phase interface in Large-eddy simulations and results are compared against the radiography measurement from Argonne National Lab including jet penetration, liquid mass distribution and volume fraction. The breakup characteristics will be shown for different fuels as well as droplet PDF statistics to demonstrate the influences of the physical properties on the primary atomization of liquid jet. Supported by HPCMP FRONTIER award, US DOD, Office of the Army.

Liquid alternative diesel fuels with high hydrogen content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hancsok, Jenoe; Varga, Zoltan; Eller, Zoltan; Poelczmann, Gyoergy [Pannonia Univ., Veszprem (Hungary). MOL Dept. of Hydrocarbon Processing; Kasza, Tamas [MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Plc., Szazhalombatta (Hungary)

2013-06-01

Mobility is a keystone of the sustainable development. In the operation of the vehicles as the tools of mobility internal combustion engines, so thus Diesel engines will play a remarkable role in the next decades. Beside fossil fuels - used for power these engines - liquid alternative fuels have higher and higher importance, because of their known advantages. During the presentation the categorization possibilities based on the chronology of their development and application will be presented. The importance of fuels with high hydrogen content will be reviewed. Research and development activity in the field of such kind of fuels will be presented. During this developed catalytic systems and main performance properties of the product will be presented which were obtained in case of biogasoils produced by special hydrocracking of natural triglycerides and in case of necessity followed by isomerization; furthermore in case of synthetic biogasoils obtained by the isomerization hydrocracking of Fischer-Tropsch paraffins produced from biomass based synthesis gas. Excellent combustion properties (cetane number > 65-75), good cold flow properties and reduced harmful material emission due to the high hydrogen content (C{sub n}H{sub 2n+2}) are highlighted. Finally production possibilities of linear and branched paraffins based on lignocelluloses are briefly reviewed. Summarizing it was concluded that liquid hydrocarbons with high isoparaffin content are the most suitable fuels regarding availability, economical and environmental aspects, namely the sustainable development. (orig.)

Reimagining liquid transportation fuels : sunshine to petrol.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Terry Alan (Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA); Hogan, Roy E., Jr.; McDaniel, Anthony H. (Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA); Siegel, Nathan Phillip; Dedrick, Daniel E. (Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA); Stechel, Ellen Beth; Diver, Richard B., Jr.; Miller, James Edward; Allendorf, Mark D. (Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA); Ambrosini, Andrea; Coker, Eric Nicholas; Staiger, Chad Lynn; Chen, Ken Shuang; Ermanoski, Ivan; Kellog, Gary L.

2012-01-01

Two of the most daunting problems facing humankind in the twenty-first century are energy security and climate change. This report summarizes work accomplished towards addressing these problems through the execution of a Grand Challenge LDRD project (FY09-11). The vision of Sunshine to Petrol is captured in one deceptively simple chemical equation: Solar Energy + xCO{sub 2} + (x+1)H{sub 2}O {yields} C{sub x}H{sub 2x+2}(liquid fuel) + (1.5x+.5)O{sub 2} Practical implementation of this equation may seem far-fetched, since it effectively describes the use of solar energy to reverse combustion. However, it is also representative of the photosynthetic processes responsible for much of life on earth and, as such, summarizes the biomass approach to fuels production. It is our contention that an alternative approach, one that is not limited by efficiency of photosynthesis and more directly leads to a liquid fuel, is desirable. The development of a process that efficiently, cost effectively, and sustainably reenergizes thermodynamically spent feedstocks to create reactive fuel intermediates would be an unparalleled achievement and is the key challenge that must be surmounted to solve the intertwined problems of accelerating energy demand and climate change. We proposed that the direct thermochemical conversion of CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O to CO and H{sub 2}, which are the universal building blocks for synthetic fuels, serve as the basis for this revolutionary process. To realize this concept, we addressed complex chemical, materials science, and engineering problems associated with thermochemical heat engines and the crucial metal-oxide working-materials deployed therein. By project's end, we had demonstrated solar-driven conversion of CO{sub 2} to CO, a key energetic synthetic fuel intermediate, at 1.7% efficiency.

Modeling and control of the output current of a Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Kristian Kjær; Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Pasupathi, Sivakumar

2015-01-01

In this work, a dynamic Matlab SIMULINK model of the relationship between the fuel cell current set point of a Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell system and the output current of the system is developed. The model contains an estimated fuel cell model, based on a polarization curve and assumed first order...... dynamics, as well as a battery model based on an equivalent circuit model and a balance of plant power consumption model. The models are tuned with experimental data and verified using a verification data set. The model is used to develop an output current controller which can control the charge current...... of the battery. The controller is a PI controller with feedforward and anti-windup. The performance of the controller is tested and verified on the physical system....

Thermodynamic analysis of carbon formation in solid oxide fuel cells with a direct internal reformer fueled by ethanol, methanol, and methane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laosiripojana, N.; Assabumrungrat, S.; Pavarajarn, V.; Sangtongkitcharoen, W.; Tangjitmatee, A.; Praserthdam, P.

2004-01-01

'Full text:' This paper concerns a detailed thermodynamic analysis of carbon formation for a Direct Internal Reformer (DIR) Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). The modeling of DIR-SOFC fueled by ethanol, methanol, and methane were compared. Two types of fuel cell electrolytes, i.e. oxygen-conducting and hydrogen-conducting, are considered. Equilibrium calculations were performed to find the ranges of inlet steam/fuel ratio where carbon formation is thermodynamically unfavorable in the temperature range of 500-1200 K. It was found that the key parameters determining the boundary of carbon formation are temperature, type of solid electrolyte and extent of the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen. The minimum requirements of H2O/fuel ratio for each type of fuel in which the carbon formation is thermodynamically unfavored were compared. At the same operating conditions, DIR-SOFC fueled by ethanol required the lowest inlet H2O/fuel ratio in which the carbon formation is thermodynamically unfavored. The requirement decreased with increasing temperature for all three fuels. Comparison between two types of the electrolytes reveals that the hydrogen-conducting electrolyte is impractical for use, regarding to the tendency of carbon formation. This is due mainly to the water formed by the electrochemical reaction at the electrodes. (author)

Biogas Catalytic Reforming Studies on Nickel-Based Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johnson, Gregory B.; Hjalmarsson, Per; Norrman, Kion

2016-01-01

Heterogeneous catalysis studies were conducted on two crushed solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anodes in fixed-bed reactors. The baseline anode was Ni/ScYSZ (Ni/scandia and yttria stabilized zirconia), the other was Ni/ScYSZ modified with Pd/doped ceria (Ni/ScYSZ/Pd-CGO). Three main types......-programmed oxidation and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Results showed thatNi/ScYSZ/Pd-CGO was more active for catalytic dissociation of CH4 at 750°C and subsequent reactivity of deposited carbonaceous species. Sulfur deactivated most catalytic reactions except CO2 dissociation at 750°C. The presence...... of Pd-CGO helped to mitigate sulfur deactivation effect; e.g. lowering the onset temperature (up to 190°C) for CH4 conversion during temperature-programmed reactions. Both Ni/ScYSZ and Ni/ScYSZ/Pd-CGO anode catalysts were more active for dry reforming of biogas than they were for steam reforming...

Study on Calculation of Liquid Level And Storage of Tanks for LNG-fueled Vessels

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kun; Wang, Guoqing; Liu, Chang

2018-01-01

As the ongoing development of the application of LNG as a clean energy in waterborne transport industry, the fleet scale of LNG-fueled vessels enlarged and the safety operation has attracted more attention in the industry. Especially the accurate detection of liquid level of LNG tanks is regarded as an important issue to ensure a safe and stable operation of LNG-fueled ships and a key parameter to keep the proper functioning of marine fuel storage system, supply system and safety control system. At present, detection of LNG tank liquid level mainly adopts differential pressure detection method. Liquid level condition could be found from the liquid level reference tables. However in practice, since LNG-fueled vessels are generally not in a stationary state, liquid state within the LNG tanks will constantly change, the detection of storage of tanks only by reference to the tables will cause deviation to some extent. By analyzing the temperature under different pressure, the effects of temperature change on density and volume integration calculation, a method of calculating the liquid level and storage of LNG tanks is put forward making the calculation of liquid level and actual storage of LNG tanks more accurately and providing a more reliable basis for the calculation of energy consumption level and operation economy for LNG-fueled vessels.

H_2 production by the steam reforming of excess boil off gas on LNG vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernández, Ignacio Arias; Gómez, Manuel Romero; Gómez, Javier Romero; López-González, Luis M.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • BOG excess in LNG vessels is burned in the GCU without energy use. • The gas management plants need to be improved to increase efficiency. • BOG excess in LNG vessels is used for H_2 production by steam reforming. • The availability of different fuels increases the versatility of the ship. - Abstract: The gas management system onboard LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) vessels is crucial, since the exploitation of the BOG (Boil Off Gas) produced is of utmost importance for the overall efficiency of the plant. At present, LNG ships with no reliquefaction plant consume the BOG generated in the engines, and the excess is burned in the GCU (Gas Combustion Unit) without any energy use. The need to improve the gas management system, therefore, is evident. This paper proposes hydrogen production through a steam reforming plant, using the excess BOG as raw material and thus avoiding it being burned in the GCU. To test the feasibility of integrating the plant, an actual study of the gas management process on an LNG vessel with 4SDF (4 Stroke Dual Fuel) propulsion and with no reliquefaction plant was conducted, along with a thermodynamic simulation of the reforming plant. With the proposed gas management system, the vessel disposes of different fuels, including H_2, a clean fuel with zero ozone-depleting emissions. The availability of H_2 on board in areas with strict anti-pollution regulations, such as ECAs (Emission Control Area), means that the vessel may be navigated without using fossil fuels which generate CO_2 and SO_X emissions. Moreover, while at port, Cold Ironing is avoided, which entails high costs. Thus it is demonstrated that the installation of a reforming plant is both energetically viable and provides greater versatility to the ship.

Reforming of Liquid Hydrocarbons in a Novel Hydrogen-Selective Membrane-Based Fuel Processor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shamsuddin Ilias

2006-03-10

In this work, asymmetric dense Pd/porous stainless steel composite membranes were fabricated by depositing palladium on the outer surface of the tubular support. The electroless plating method combined with an osmotic pressure field was used to deposit the palladium film. Surface morphology and microstructure of the composite membranes were characterized by SEM and EDX. The SEM and EDX analyses revealed strong adhesion of the plated pure palladium film on the substrate and dense coalescence of the Pd film. Membranes were further characterized by conducting permeability experiments with pure hydrogen, nitrogen, and helium gases at temperatures from 325 to 450 C and transmembrane pressure differences from 5 to 45 psi. The permeation results showed that the fabricated membranes have both high hydrogen permeability and selectivity. For example, the hydrogen permeability for a composite membrane with a 20 {micro}m Pd film was 3.02 x 10{sup -5} moles/m{sup 2}.s.Pa{sup 0.765} at 450 C. Hydrogen/nitrogen selectivity for this composite membrane was 1000 at 450 C with a transmembrane pressure difference of 14.7 psi. Steam reforming of methane is one of the most important chemical processes in hydrogen and syngas production. To investigate the usefulness of palladium-based composite membranes in membrane-reactor configuration for simultaneous production and separation of hydrogen, steam reforming of methane by equilibrium shift was studied. The steam reforming of methane using a packed-bed inert membrane tubular reactor (PBIMTR) was simulated. A two-dimensional pseudo-homogeneous reactor model with parallel flow configuration was developed for steam reforming of methane. The shell volume was taken as the feed and sweep gas was fed to the inside of the membrane tube. Radial diffusion was taken into account for concentration gradient in the radial direction due to hydrogen permeation through the membrane. With appropriate reaction rate expressions, a set of partial differential

Plasma devices for hydrocarbon reformation

KAUST Repository

Cha, Min

2017-01-01

Plasma devices for hydrocarbon reformation are provided. Methods of using the devices for hydrocarbon reformation are also provided. The devices can include a liquid container to receive a hydrocarbon source, and a plasma torch configured

Coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics and safety characteristics of liquid-fueled molten salt reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, Suizheng; Zhang, Dalin; Liu, Minghao; Liu, Limin; Xu, Rongshuan; Gong, Cheng; Su, Guanghui

2016-01-01

Molten salt reactor (MSR) as one candidate of the Generation IV advanced nuclear power systems is attracted more attention in China due to its top ranked fuel cycle and thorium utilization. The MSRs are characterized by using liquid-fuel, which offers complicated coupling problem of neutronics and thermal hydraulics. In this paper, the fundamental model and numerical method are established to calculate and analyze the safety characteristics for liquid-fuel MSRs. The theories and methodologies are applied to the MOSART concept. The liquid-fuel flow effects on neutronics, reactivity coefficients and three operation parameters' influences at steady state are obtained, which provide the basic information for safety analysis. The unprotected loss of flow transient is calculated, the results of which shows the inherent safety characteristics of MOSART due to its strong negative reactivity feedbacks.

Coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics and safety characteristics of liquid-fueled molten salt reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, Suizheng; Zhang, Dalin; Liu, Minghao; Liu, Limin; Xu, Rongshuan; Gong, Cheng; Su, Guanghui [Xi' an Jiaotong Univ. (China). State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering

2016-05-15

Molten salt reactor (MSR) as one candidate of the Generation IV advanced nuclear power systems is attracted more attention in China due to its top ranked fuel cycle and thorium utilization. The MSRs are characterized by using liquid-fuel, which offers complicated coupling problem of neutronics and thermal hydraulics. In this paper, the fundamental model and numerical method are established to calculate and analyze the safety characteristics for liquid-fuel MSRs. The theories and methodologies are applied to the MOSART concept. The liquid-fuel flow effects on neutronics, reactivity coefficients and three operation parameters' influences at steady state are obtained, which provide the basic information for safety analysis. The unprotected loss of flow transient is calculated, the results of which shows the inherent safety characteristics of MOSART due to its strong negative reactivity feedbacks.

Water storage of liquid-metal fast-breeder-reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meacham, S.A.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a general overview of a concept proposed for receiving and storing liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) spent fuel. This work was done as part of the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The CFRP has as its major objective the development of technology for reprocessing advanced nuclear reactor fuels. The program plans that research and development will be carried through to a sufficient scale, using irradiated spent fuel under plant operating conditions, to establish a basis for confident projection of reprocessing capability to support a breeder industry

Simulation study of a PEM fuel cell system fed by hydrogen produced by partial oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozdogan, S [Marmara University, Faculty of Engineering, Istanbul (Turkey); Ersoz, A; Olgun, H [TUBITAK Marmara Research Center, Energy Systems and Environmental Research Institute, Kocaeli (Turkey)

2003-09-01

Within the frame of sustainable development, efficient and clean, if possible zero emission energy production technologies are of utmost importance in various sectors such as utilities, industry, households and transportation. Low-temperature fuel cell systems are suitable for powering transportation systems such as automobiles and trucks in an efficient and low-emitting manner. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems constitute the most promising low temperature fuel cell option being developed globally. PEM fuel cells generate electric power from air and hydrogen or from a hydrogen rich gas via electrochemical reactions. Water and waste heat are the only by-products of PEM fuel cells. There is great interest in converting current hydrocarbon based common transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel into hydrogen rich gases acceptable by PEM fuel cells. Hydrogen rich gases can be produced from conventional transportation fuels via various reforming technologies. Steam reforming, partial oxidation and auto-thermal reforming are the three major reforming technologies. In this paper, we discuss the results of a simulation study for a PEM fuel cell with partial oxidation. The Aspen HYSYS 3.1 code has been used for simulation purposes. Two liquid hydrocarbon fuels have been selected to investigate the effect of average molecular weights of hydrocarbons, on the fuel processing efficiency. The overall system efficiency depends on the fuel preparation and fuel cell efficiencies as well as on the heat integration within the system. It is desired to investigate the overall system efficiencies for net electrical power production at 100 kW considering bigger scale transport applications. Results indicate that fuel properties, fuel preparation system operating parameters and PEM fuel cell polarization curve characteristics all affect the overall system efficiency. (authors)

Performance of metallic fuels in liquid-metal fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, B.R.; Walters, L.C.; Kittel, J.H.

1984-01-01

Interest in metallic fuels for liquid-metal fast reactors has come full circle. Metallic fuels are once again a viable alternative for fast reactors because reactor outlet temperature of interest to industry are well within the range where metallic fuels have demonstrated high burnup and reliable performance. In addition, metallic fuel is very tolerant of off-normal events of its high thermal conductivity and fuel behavior. Futhermore, metallic fuels lend themselves to compact and simplified reprocessing and refabrication technologies, a key feature in a new concept for deployment of fast reactors called the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). The IFR concept is a metallic-fueled pool reactor(s) coupled to an integral-remote reprocessing and fabrication facility. The purpose of this paper is to review recent metallic fuel performance, much of which was tested and proven during the twenty years of EBR-II operation

Electrochemical applications of room temperature ionic liquids in nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkatesan, K.A.; Srinivasan, T.G.; Vasudeva Rao, P.R.

2008-01-01

Applications of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have invaded all branches of science. They are also receiving an upsurge, in recent years, for possible applications in various stages of nuclear fuel cycle. Ionic liquids are compounds composed entirely of ions existing in liquid state and RTILs are ionic liquids molten at temperatures lower than 373 K. RTILs are generally made up of an organic cation and an inorganic or an organic anion. Room temperature ionic liquids have several fascinating properties, which are unique to a particular combination of cation and anion. The properties such as insignificant vapor pressure, amazing ability to dissolve organic and inorganic compounds, wide electrochemical window are the specific advantages when dealing with application of RTILs for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. The ionic liquids are regarded as designer or tailor-made solvents as their properties can be tuned for desired application by appropriate cation-anion combinations. An excellent review by Wilkes describes about the historical perspectives of room temperature ionic liquids, pioneers in that area, events and the products delivered till 2001. Furthermore, several comprehensive reviews have been made on room temperature ionic liquids by various authors

Alternative Liquid Fuels Simulation Model (AltSim).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Ryan; Baker, Arnold Barry; Drennen, Thomas E.

2009-12-01

The Alternative Liquid Fuels Simulation Model (AltSim) is a high-level dynamic simulation model which calculates and compares the production and end use costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy balances of several alternative liquid transportation fuels. These fuels include: corn ethanol, cellulosic ethanol from various feedstocks (switchgrass, corn stover, forest residue, and farmed trees), biodiesel, and diesels derived from natural gas (gas to liquid, or GTL), coal (coal to liquid, or CTL), and coal with biomass (CBTL). AltSim allows for comprehensive sensitivity analyses on capital costs, operation and maintenance costs, renewable and fossil fuel feedstock costs, feedstock conversion ratio, financial assumptions, tax credits, CO{sub 2} taxes, and plant capacity factor. This paper summarizes the structure and methodology of AltSim, presents results, and provides a detailed sensitivity analysis. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 sets a goal for the increased use of biofuels in the U.S., ultimately reaching 36 billion gallons by 2022. AltSim's base case assumes EPA projected feedstock costs in 2022 (EPA, 2009). For the base case assumptions, AltSim estimates per gallon production costs for the five ethanol feedstocks (corn, switchgrass, corn stover, forest residue, and farmed trees) of $1.86, $2.32, $2.45, $1.52, and $1.91, respectively. The projected production cost of biodiesel is $1.81/gallon. The estimates for CTL without biomass range from $1.36 to $2.22. With biomass, the estimated costs increase, ranging from $2.19 per gallon for the CTL option with 8% biomass to $2.79 per gallon for the CTL option with 30% biomass and carbon capture and sequestration. AltSim compares the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with both the production and consumption of the various fuels. EISA allows fuels emitting 20% less greenhouse gases (GHG) than conventional gasoline and diesels to qualify as renewable fuels. This allows several of the

Fossil fuel subsidy reform in the WTO : Options for constraining dual pricing in the multilateral trading system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marhold, Anna

2017-01-01

Fossil fuel subsidies harm the environment, add to health hazards caused by air pollution, and delay the energy transition. Scholars and practitioners have therefore been exploring ways to reform and eliminate them. This paper discusses the practice of energy dual pricing in the broader context of

Reduced Gravity Studies of Soret Transport Effects in Liquid Fuel Combustion

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Benjamin D.

2004-01-01

Soret transport, which is mass transport driven by thermal gradients, can be important in practical flames as well as laboratory flames by influencing transport of low molecular weight species (e.g., monatomic and diatomic hydrogen). In addition, gas-phase Soret transport of high molecular weight fuel species that are present in practical liquid fuels (e.g., octane or methanol) can be significant in practical flames (Rosner et al., 2000; Dakhlia et al., 2002) and in high pressure droplet evaporation (Curtis and Farrell, 1992), and it has also been shown that Soret transport effects can be important in determining oxygen diffusion rates in certain classes of microgravity droplet combustion experiments (Aharon and Shaw, 1998). It is thus useful to obtain information on flames under conditions where Soret effects can be clearly observed. This research is concerned with investigating effects of Soret transport on combustion of liquid fuels, in particular liquid fuel droplets. Reduced-gravity is employed to provide an ideal (spherically-symmetrical) experimental model with which to investigate effects of Soret transport on combustion. The research will involve performing reduced-gravity experiments on combustion of liquid fuel droplets in environments where Soret effects significantly influence transport of fuel and oxygen to flame zones. Experiments will also be performed where Soret effects are not expected to be important. Droplets initially in the 0.5 to 1 mm size range will be burned. Data will be obtained on influences of Soret transport on combustion characteristics (e.g., droplet burning rates, droplet lifetimes, gas-phase extinction, and transient flame behaviors) under simplified geometrical conditions that are most amenable to theoretical modeling (i.e., spherical symmetry). The experiments will be compared with existing theoretical models as well as new models that will be developed. Normal gravity experiments will also be performed.

Catalytic pyrolysis of microalgae to high-quality liquid bio-fuels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Babych, Igor V.; van der Hulst, M.; Lefferts, Leonardus; Moulijn, J.A.; Seshan, Kulathuiyer; O'Connor, P.

2011-01-01

The pyrolytic conversion of chlorella algae to liquid fuel precursor in presence of a catalyst (Na2CO3) has been studied. Thermal decomposition studies of the algae samples were performed using TGA coupled with MS. Liquid oil samples were collected from pyrolysis experiments in a fixed-bed reactor

Ignition capsules with aerogel-supported liquid DT fuel for the National Ignition Facility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ho D.D.-M.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available For high repetition-rate fusion power plant applications, capsules with aerogel-supported liquid DT fuel can have much reduced fill time compared to β-layering a solid DT fuel layer. The melting point of liquid DT can be lowered once liquid DT is embedded in an aerogel matrix, and the DT vapor density is consequently closer to the desired density for optimal capsule design requirement. We present design for NIF-scale aerogel-filled capsules based on 1-D and 2-D simulations. An optimal configuration is obtained when the outer radius is increased until the clean fuel fraction is within 65 – 75% at peak velocity. A scan (in ablator and fuel thickness parameter space is used to optimize the capsule configurations. The optimized aerogel-filled capsule has good low-mode robustness and acceptable high-mode mix.

Energy Analysis in Combined Reforming of Propane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Moon

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Combined (steam and CO2 reforming is one of the methods to produce syngas for different applications. An energy requirement analysis of steam reforming to dry reforming with intermediate steps of steam reduction and equivalent CO2 addition to the feed fuel for syngas generation has been done to identify condition for optimum process operation. Thermodynamic equilibrium data for combined reforming was generated for temperature range of 400–1000°C at 1 bar pressure and combined oxidant (CO2 + H2O stream to propane (fuel ratio of 3, 6, and 9 by employing the Gibbs free energy minimization algorithm of HSC Chemistry software 5.1. Total energy requirement including preheating and reaction enthalpy calculations were done using the equilibrium product composition. Carbon and methane formation was significantly reduced in combined reforming than pure dry reforming, while the energy requirements were lower than pure steam reforming. Temperatures of minimum energy requirement were found in the data analysis of combined reforming which were optimum for the process.

Modeling of electrochemistry and steam-methane reforming performance for simulating pressurized solid oxide fuel cell stacks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recknagle, Kurtis P.; Ryan, Emily M.; Koeppel, Brian J.; Mahoney, Lenna A.; Khaleel, Moe A. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (United States)

2010-10-01

This paper examines the electrochemical and direct internal steam-methane reforming performance of the solid oxide fuel cell when subjected to pressurization. Pressurized operation boosts the Nernst potential and decreases the activation polarization, both of which serve to increase cell voltage and power while lowering the heat load and operating temperature. A model considering the activation polarization in both the fuel and the air electrodes was adopted to address this effect on the electrochemical performance. The pressurized methane conversion kinetics and the increase in equilibrium methane concentration are considered in a new rate expression. The models were then applied in simulations to predict how the distributions of direct internal reforming rate, temperature, and current density are effected within stacks operating at elevated pressure. A generic 10 cm counter-flow stack model was created and used for the simulations of pressurized operation. The predictions showed improved thermal and electrical performance with increased operating pressure. The average and maximum cell temperatures decreased by 3% (20 C) while the cell voltage increased by 9% as the operating pressure was increased from 1 to 10 atm. (author)

Determination of proton conductivity of ionic liquids for fuel cell applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallnofer, E.; Baumgartner, W.R.; Hacker, V. [Graz Univ. of Technology, Graz (Austria). Inst. for Chemistry and Technology of Inorganic Material

2006-07-01

Hydrogen fuel cells operating at temperatures of between 100 and 200 degrees C allow the catalyst to tolerate higher levels of carbon monoxide (CO) impurities. However, the number of possible materials for high temperature fuel cell electrolytes or membranes is limited. This study examined the relevant electrochemical properties of different ion liquids with specific reference to neutralized imidazole derivates with a dominant Grotthuss mechanism of proton conduction. The electrochemical stability of the ionic liquids was measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV) under nitrogen. Proton conductivity was measured under hydrogen by CV within the electrochemical limits. Hydrogen was dissolved at the anode, transported through the ionic liquid, and recombined at the cathode, so that the detected current could indicate the amount of transported hydrogen. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to measure the frequency dependent behaviour of the ionic liquids. All measurements were conducted at 50, 100, and 150 degrees C. Results of the study showed that proton conductivity increased with higher temperatures. It was concluded that neutralized imidazole derivates with optimized side chains of the cation may prove to be a viable alternative to conventional fuel cell electrolytes. 4 refs., 2 figs.

Design, fabrication and performance evaluation of an integrated reformed methanol fuel cell for portable use

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shubin; Zhang, Yufeng; Chen, Junyu; Yin, Congwen; Liu, Xiaowei

2018-06-01

In this paper, an integrated reformed methanol fuel cell (RMFC) as a portable power source is designed, fabricated and tested. The RMFC consists of a methanol steam reformer (MSR), a high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) stack, a microcontroller unit (MCU) and other auxiliaries. First, a system model based on Matlab/Simulink is established to investigate the mass and energy transport characteristics within the whole system. The simulation results suggest a hydrogen flow rate of at least 670 sccm is needed for the system to output 30 W and simultaneously maintain thermal equilibrium. Second, a metallic MSR and an HT-PEMFC stack with 12 cells are fabricated and tested. The tests show that the RMFC system is able to function normally when the performances of all the components meet the minimum requirements. At last, in the experiment of successfully powering a laptop, the RMFC system exhibits a stable performance during the complete work flow of all the phases, namely start-up, output and shutdown. Moreover, with a conservative design of 20 W power rating, maximum energy conversion efficiency of the RMFC system can be achieved (36%), and good stability in long-term operation is shown.

Liquid films and droplet deposition in a BWR fuel element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damsohn, M.

2011-01-01

In the upper part of boiling water reactors (BWR) the flow regime is dominated by a steam-water droplet flow with liquid films on the nuclear fuel rod, the so called (wispy) annular flow regime. The film thickness and liquid flow rate distribution around the fuel rod play an important role especially in regard to so called dryout, which is the main phenomenon limiting the thermal power of a fuel assembly. The deposition of droplets in the liquid film is important, because this process sustains the liquid film and delays dryout. Functional spacers with different vane shapes have been used in recent decades to enhance droplet deposition and thus create more favorable conditions for heat removal. In this thesis the behavior of liquid films and droplet deposition in the annular flow regime in BWR bundles is addressed by experiments in an adiabatic flow at nearly ambient pressure. The experimental setup consists of a vertical channel with the cross-section resembling a pair of neighboring subchannels of a fuel rod bundle. Within this double subchannel an annular flow is established with a gas-water mixture. The impact of functional spacers on the annular flow behavior is studied closely. Parameter variations comprise gas and liquid flow rates, gas density and spacer shape. The setup is instrumented with a newly developed liquid film sensor that measures the electrical conductance between electrodes flush to the wall with high temporal and spatial resolution. Advanced post-processing methods are used to investigate the dynamic behavior of liquid films and droplet deposition. The topic is also assessed numerically by means of single-phase Reynolds-Averaged-Navier-Stokes CFD simulations of the flow in the gas core. For this the commercial code STAR-CCM+ is used coupled with additional models for the liquid film distribution and droplet motion. The results of the experiments show that the liquid film is quite evenly distributed around the circumference of the fuel rods. The

Liquid Missile Fuels as Means of Chemical Terrorist Attack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Superina, V.; Orehovec, Z.

2007-01-01

Modern world is faced with numerous terrorist attacks whose goals, methods and means of the conduct are various. It seems that we have entered the era when terrorism, one's own little terrorism, is the easiest and the most painless way of achieving a goal. That is why that such a situation has contributed to the necessity for strengthening individual and collective protection and safety, import and export control, control of the production and illegal sale of the potential means for delivering terrorist act. It has also contributed to the necessity for devising means of the delivery. For more than 10 years, a series of congresses on CB MTS Industry has pointed at chemicals and chemical industry as potential means and targets of terrorism. The specialization and experience of different authors in the field of the missile technology and missile fuels, especially those of Eastern origin, and the threat that was the reality of the war conflicts in 1990s was the reason for making a scientific and expert analysis of the liquid missile fuels as means of terrorism. There are not many experts in the field of NBC protection who are familiar with the toxicity and reaction of liquid missile fuels still lying discarded and unprotected in abandoned barracks all over Europe and Asia. The purpose of this paper is to draw public attention to possible different abuses of liquid missile fuels for a terrorist purpose, as well as to possible consequences and prevention measures against such abuses. (author)

Status and future opportunities for conversion of synthesis gas to liquid energy fuels: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mills, G. (Delaware Univ., Newark, DE (United States). Center for Catalytic Science and Technology)

1993-05-01

The manufacture of liquid energy fuels from syngas (a mixture of H[sub 2] and CO, usually containing CO[sub 2]) is of growing importance and enormous potential because: (1) Abundant US supplies of coal, gas, and biomass can be used to provide the needed syngas. (2) The liquid fuels produced, oxygenates or hydrocarbons, can help lessen environmental pollution. Indeed, oxygenates are required to a significant extent by the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) of 1990. (3) Such liquid synfuels make possible high engine efficiencies because they have high octane or cetane ratings. (4) There is new, significantly improved technology for converting syngas to liquid fuels and promising opportunities for further improvements. This is the subject of this report. The purpose of this report is to provide an account and evaluative assessment of advances in the technology for producing liquid energy fuels from syngas and to suggest opportunities for future research deemed promising for practical processes. Much of the improved technology for selective synthesis of desired fuels from syngas has resulted from advances in catalytic chemistry. However, novel process engineering has been particularly important recently, utilizing known catalysts in new configurations to create new catalytic processes. This report is an update of the 1988 study Catalysts for Fuels from Syngas: New Directions for Research (Mills 1988), which is included as Appendix A. Technology for manufacture of syngas is not part of this study. The manufacture of liquid synfuels is capital intensive. Thus, in evaluating advances in fuels technology, focus is on the potential for improved economics, particularly on lowering plant investment costs. A second important criteria is the potential for environmental benefits. The discussion is concerned with two types of hydrocarbon fuels and three types of oxygenate fuels that can be synthesized from syngas. Seven alternative reaction pathways are involved.

Power generation in fuel cells using liquid methanol and hydrogen peroxide

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor); Valdez, Thomas I. (Inventor); Chun, William (Inventor)

2002-01-01

The invention is directed to an encapsulated fuel cell including a methanol source that feeds liquid methanol (CH.sub.3 OH) to an anode. The anode is electrical communication with a load that provides electrical power. The fuel cell also includes a hydrogen peroxide source that feeds liquid hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) to the cathode. The cathode is also in communication with the electrical load. The anode and cathode are in contact with and separated by a proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane.

Novel method for the measurement of liquid film thickness during fuel spray impingement on surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Henkel, S; Beyrau, F; Hardalupas, Y; Taylor, A M K P

2016-02-08

This paper describes the development and application of a novel optical technique for the measurement of liquid film thickness formed on surfaces during the impingement of automotive fuel sprays. The technique makes use of the change of the light scattering characteristics of a metal surface with known roughness, when liquid is deposited. Important advantages of the technique over previously established methods are the ability to measure the time-dependent spatial distribution of the liquid film without a need to add a fluorescent tracer to the liquid, while the measurement principle is not influenced by changes of the pressure and temperature of the liquid or the surrounding gas phase. Also, there is no need for non-fluorescing surrogate fuels. However, an in situ calibration of the dependence of signal intensity on liquid film thickness is required. The developed method can be applied to measure the time-dependent and two-dimensional distribution of the liquid fuel film thickness on the piston or the liner of gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines. The applicability of this technique was evaluated with impinging sprays of several linear alkanes and alcohols with different thermo-physical properties. The surface temperature of the impingement plate was controlled to simulate the range of piston surface temperatures inside a GDI engine. Two sets of liquid film thickness measurements were obtained. During the first set, the surface temperature of the plate was kept constant, while the spray of different fuels interacted with the surface. In the second set, the plate temperature was adjusted to match the boiling temperature of each fuel. In this way, the influence of the surface temperature on the liquid film created by the spray of different fuels and their evaporation characteristics could be demonstrated.

Gas-to-liquid technologies: India's perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy Keshav, Tirupati; Basu, S.

2007-01-01

Gas-to-liquid (GTL) technologies are capable of converting gas to clean, useful liquid hydrocarbons and thus suitable for addressing problems of remote gas utilization, increase in crude oil price, depletion of fossil fuel and environmental pollution. The Indian state of Tripura is considered to be the richest province with 26 billion cubic meters of gas reserves. Neighboring country Myanmar has huge gas reserves but these reserves remain unutilized mainly because of land-locked situation. GTL is a well developed and proven technology and it is an important option for moving natural gas to the market place. GTL options include not only the well-known production of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis liquids but also the production of oxygen containing fuels, fuel additives and chemicals, such as methanol and DME. An alternative, promising option to convert surplus gas is the direct route of methane conversion, which is more energy efficient than the indirect route since it bypasses the energy intensive endothermic steam reforming step of syngas formation. On-site conversion to liquid products of commercial importance using direct route would make transportation of these natural deposits much more economical and practical. In this paper an attempt has been made to review recent developments in syngas technologies, direct routes of methane conversion into useful liquids, and status of both existing and future developments in GTL industry around the world. Finally challenges in GTL technology are discussed. (author)

Military Solid Waste Reformer: A Pilot Study to Convert Military Waste to Logistics Fuel in the Field

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Myers, Duane

2004-01-01

.... Our approach to solve the military waste disposal and fuel supply problems was to convert the waste to a liquid fuel that can be used in place of or blended with conventional logistic fuels, particularly JP-8...

The Influence Of Mass Fraction Of Dressed Coal On Ignition Conditions Of Composite Liquid Fuel Droplet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shlegel Nikita E.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The laws of condition modification of inert heat and ignition in an oxidant flow of composite liquid fuel droplet were studied by the developed experimental setup. Investigations were for composite liquid fuel composition based on the waste of bituminous and nonbaking coal processing, appropriate carbon dust, water, used motor oil. The characteristics of boundary layer inertia heat of composite liquid fuel droplet, thermal decomposition of coal organic part, the yield of volatiles and evaporation of liquid combustion component, ignition of the gas mixture and coke residue were defined.

Method for generating hydrogen for fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Shabbir; Lee, Sheldon H. D.; Carter, John David; Krumpelt, Michael

2004-03-30

A method of producing a H.sub.2 rich gas stream includes supplying an O.sub.2 rich gas, steam, and fuel to an inner reforming zone of a fuel processor that includes a partial oxidation catalyst and a steam reforming catalyst or a combined partial oxidation and stream reforming catalyst. The method also includes contacting the O.sub.2 rich gas, steam, and fuel with the partial oxidation catalyst and the steam reforming catalyst or the combined partial oxidation and stream reforming catalyst in the inner reforming zone to generate a hot reformate stream. The method still further includes cooling the hot reformate stream in a cooling zone to produce a cooled reformate stream. Additionally, the method includes removing sulfur-containing compounds from the cooled reformate stream by contacting the cooled reformate stream with a sulfur removal agent. The method still further includes contacting the cooled reformate stream with a catalyst that converts water and carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and H.sub.2 in a water-gas-shift zone to produce a final reformate stream in the fuel processor.

Investigations on autothermal reforming of kerosene Jet A-1 for supplying solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC); Untersuchungen zur autothermen Reformierung von Kerosin Jet A-1 zur Versorgung oxidkeramischer Festelektrolyt-Brennstoffzellen (SOFC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lenz, B.

2007-01-25

The auxiliary power unit of commercial aircraft is a gas turbine producing electric power with an efficiency of 18 %. This APU can be replaced by a fuel cell system, consisting of an autothermal kerosene reformer and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The fuel is kerosene Jet A-1. The autothermal reforming of Jet A-1 is practically investigated under variation of steam-to-carbon-ratio, air ratio, space velocity, time in operation and reactor pressure on commercial catalysts. Using stationary system simulation the thermodynamic processes of the device is investigated. Finally, the autothermal reformer and the SOFC consisting of 14 cells are coupled. During this test series, I-V-characteristics are measured, fuel utilisation is calculated and the self-sufficient system operation is shown. (orig.)

Performance analysis of a mixed nitride fuel system for an advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, W.F.; Baker, R.B.; Leggett, R.D.

1991-01-01

In this paper, the conceptual development and analysis of a proposed mixed nitride driver and blanket fuel system for a prototypic advanced liquid metal reactor design is performed. As a first step, an intensive literature survey is completed on the development and testing of nitride fuel systems. Based on the results of this survey, prototypic mixed nitride fuel and blanket pins is designed and analyzed using the SIEX computer code. The analysis predicts that the nitride fuel consistently operated at peak temperatures and cladding strain levels that compared quite favorably with competing fuel designs. These results, along with data available in the literature on nitride fuel performance, indicate that a nitride fuel system should offer enhanced capabilities for advanced liquid metal reactors

Performance analysis of a mixed nitride fuel system for an advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, W.F.; Baker, R.B.; Leggett, R.D.

1990-11-01

The conceptual development and analysis of a proposed mixed nitride driver and blanket fuel system for a prototypic advanced liquid metal reactor design has been performed. As a first step, an intensive literature survey was completed on the development and testing of nitride fuel systems. Based on the results of this survey, prototypic mixed nitride fuel and blanket pins were designed and analyzed using the SIEX computer code. The analysis predicted that the nitride fuel consistently operated at peak temperatures and cladding strain levels that compared quite favorably with competing fuel designs. These results, along with data available in the literature on nitride fuel performance, indicate that a nitride fuel system should offer enhanced capabilities for advanced liquid metal reactors. 13 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs

Steam reforming of commercial ultra-low sulphur diesel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boon, J.; Van Dijk, E.; De Munck, S.; Van den Brink, R. [Energy research Centre of The Netherlands, ECN Hydrogen and Clean Fossil Fuels, P.O. Box 1, NL1755ZG Petten (Netherlands)

2011-03-11

Two main routes for small-scale diesel steam reforming exist: low-temperature pre-reforming followed by well-established methane steam reforming on the one hand and direct steam reforming on the other hand. Tests with commercial catalysts and commercially obtained diesel fuels are presented for both processes. The fuels contained up to 6.5 ppmw sulphur and up to 4.5 vol.% of biomass-derived fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). Pre-reforming sulphur-free diesel at around 475C has been tested with a commercial nickel catalyst for 118 h without observing catalyst deactivation, at steam-to-carbon ratios as low as 2.6. Direct steam reforming at temperatures up to 800C has been tested with a commercial precious metal catalyst for a total of 1190 h with two catalyst batches at steam-to-carbon ratios as low as 2.5. Deactivation was neither observed with lower steam-to-carbon ratios nor for increasing sulphur concentration. The importance of good fuel evaporation and mixing for correct testing of catalysts is illustrated. Diesel containing biodiesel components resulted in poor spray quality, hence poor mixing and evaporation upstream, eventually causing decreasing catalyst performance. The feasibility of direct high temperature steam reforming of commercial low-sulphur diesel has been demonstrated.

Steam reforming of commercial ultra-low sulphur diesel

Science.gov (United States)

Boon, Jurriaan; van Dijk, Eric; de Munck, Sander; van den Brink, Ruud

Two main routes for small-scale diesel steam reforming exist: low-temperature pre-reforming followed by well-established methane steam reforming on the one hand and direct steam reforming on the other hand. Tests with commercial catalysts and commercially obtained diesel fuels are presented for both processes. The fuels contained up to 6.5 ppmw sulphur and up to 4.5 vol.% of biomass-derived fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). Pre-reforming sulphur-free diesel at around 475 °C has been tested with a commercial nickel catalyst for 118 h without observing catalyst deactivation, at steam-to-carbon ratios as low as 2.6. Direct steam reforming at temperatures up to 800 °C has been tested with a commercial precious metal catalyst for a total of 1190 h with two catalyst batches at steam-to-carbon ratios as low as 2.5. Deactivation was neither observed with lower steam-to-carbon ratios nor for increasing sulphur concentration. The importance of good fuel evaporation and mixing for correct testing of catalysts is illustrated. Diesel containing biodiesel components resulted in poor spray quality, hence poor mixing and evaporation upstream, eventually causing decreasing catalyst performance. The feasibility of direct high temperature steam reforming of commercial low-sulphur diesel has been demonstrated.

Diesel autothermal reforming with hydrogen peroxide for low-oxygen environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Gwangwoo; Lee, Sangho; Bae, Joongmyeon

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The concept of diesel reforming using hydrogen peroxide was newly proposed. • Characteristics of hydrogen peroxide was experimentally investigated. • Thermodynamically possible operating conditions were analyzed. • Catalytic performance of Ni–Ru/CGO for various diesel compounds was evaluated. • Long-term testing was successfully conducted using Korean commercial diesel. - Abstract: To operate fuel cells effectively in low-oxygen environments, such as in submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles, a hydrogen source with high hydrogen storage density is required. In this paper, diesel autothermal reforming (ATR) with hydrogen peroxide as an alternative oxidant is proposed as a hydrogen production method. Diesel fuel has higher hydrogen density than metal hydrides or other hydrocarbons. In addition, hydrogen peroxide can decompose into steam and oxygen, which are required for diesel ATR. Moreover, both diesel fuel and hydrogen peroxide are liquid states, enabling easy storage for submarine applications. Hydrogen peroxide exhibited the same characteristics as steam and oxygen when used as an oxidant in diesel reforming when pre-decomposition method was used. The thermodynamically calculated operating conditions were a steam-to-carbon ratio (SCR) of 3.0, an oxygen-to-carbon ratio (OCR) of 0.5, and temperatures below 700 °C to account for safety issues associated with hydrogen peroxide use and exothermic reactions. Catalytic activity and stability tests over Ni–Ru (19.5–0.5 wt.%)/Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 2−x were conducted using various diesel compounds. Furthermore, long-term diesel ATR tests were conducted for 200 h using Korean commercial diesel. The degradation rate was 3.67%/100 h without the production of ethylene

Hydrocarbon fuel processing of micro solid oxide fuel cell systems[Dissertation 17455

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stutz, M. J.

2007-07-01

The scope of this thesis is the numerical and experimental investigation of the fuel processing of a micro solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) running on hydrocarbon fuel. The goal is to enhance the overall system efficiency by optimization of the reforming process in the steady state and the improvement of the start-up process. Micro SOFC are a potential alternative to the currently used batteries in portable devices. Liquid butane in a cartridge could be the energy source. This dissertation is focused on the fuel processing of the system, namely the reforming and post-combusting processes. The reformer converts the hydrocarbon fuel to a hydrogen rich gas that can be utilized by the SOFC. The post-combustor depletes the toxic and/or explosive gases before leaving the exhaust. Chapter One presents a short introduction to the field of hydrocarbon fuel processing in micro solid oxide fuel cell systems, the next three chapters deal with computational modeling of the transport phenomena inside a micro-reformer, which leads to a better understanding of the chemistry and the physics therein, hence progress in the design and operation parameters. The experimental part (i.e. Chapter Five) of this thesis focuses on the feasibility of a novel hybrid start-up method of a fuel cell system that employs existing components as an additional heat source. In Chapter Two the effect of wall heat conduction on the syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) production of a micro-reformer, representing micro-fabricated channels or monoliths, is investigated. Methane is used as a model hydrocarbon fuel since its heterogeneous reaction path on rhodium is known and validated. The simulations demonstrate that the axial wall conduction strongly influences the performance of the micro-reformer and should not be neglected without a careful a priori investigation of its impact. Methane conversion and hydrogen yield are strongly dependent of the wall inner surface temperature, which is influenced by the

Characterization and Performance of a Liquid Hydrocarbon-Fueled Pulse Detonation Rocket Engine

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Damphousse, Paul

2001-01-01

.... The first time use of a new electro-hydraulic liquid fuel injector was demonstrated to produce consistent atomization properties while allowing for varying fuel injection durations at frequencies up to 50 Hz...

Renewable liquid transport fuels from microbes and waste resources

OpenAIRE

Jenkins, Rhodri

2014-01-01

In order to satisfy the global requirement for transport fuel sustainably, renewable liquid biofuels must be developed. Currently, two biofuels dominate the market; bioethanol for spark ignition and biodiesel for compression ignition engines. However, both fuels exhibit technical issues such as low energy density, poor low temperature performance and poor stability. In addition, bioethanol and biodiesel sourced from first generation feedstocks use arable land in competition with food producti...

Method and system for purification of gas/liquid streams for fuel cells or electrolysis cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2013-01-01

at least one scrubber in the gas/liquid stream at the inlet side of the first electrode of the fuel cell or electrolysis cell; and/or providing at least one scrubber in the gas/liquid stream at the inlet side of the second electrode of the fuel cell or electrolysis cell; and - purifying the gas....../liquid streams towards the first and second electrode; wherein the at least one scrubber in the gas/liquid stream at the inlet side of the first electrode and/or the at least one scrubber in the gas/liquid stream at the inlet side of the second electrode comprises a material suitable as an electrolyte material...... with the at least one scrubber, with the proviso that the fuel cell or electrolysis cell is not a solid oxide cell....

Stationary liquid fuel fast reactor SLFFR – Part I: Core design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jing, T.; Yang, G.; Jung, Y.S.; Yang, W.S., E-mail: yang494@purdue.edu

2016-12-15

Highlights: • An innovative fast reactor concept SLFFR based on liquid metal fuel is proposed for TRU burning. • A compact core design of 1000 MWt SLFFR is developed to achieve a zero conversion ratio and passive safety. • The core size and the control requirement are significantly reduced compared to the conventional solid fuel reactor with same conversion ratio. - Abstract: For effective burning of hazardous transuranic (TRU) elements of used nuclear fuel, a transformational advanced reactor concept named the stationary liquid fuel fast reactor (SLFFR) has been proposed based on a stationary molten metallic fuel. A compact core design of a 1000 MWt SLFFR has been developed using TRU-Ce-Co fuel, Ta-10W fuel container, and sodium coolant. Conservative design approaches have been adopted to stay within the current material performance database. Detailed neutronics and thermal-fluidic analyses have been performed to evaluate the steady-state performance characteristics. The analysis results indicate that the SLFFR of a zero TRU conversion ratio is feasible while satisfying the conservatively imposed thermal design constraints. A theoretical maximum TRU consumption rate of 1.01 kg/day is achieved with uranium-free fuel. Compared to the solid fuel reactors with the same TRU conversion ratio, the core size and the reactivity control requirement are reduced significantly. The primary and secondary control systems provide sufficient shutdown margins, and the calculated reactivity feedback coefficients show that the prompt fuel expansion coefficient is sufficiently negative.

Consequences of metallic fuel-cladding liquid phase attack during over-temperature transient on fuel element lifetime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lahm, C.E.; Koenig, J.F.; Seidel, B.R.

1990-01-01

Metallic fuel elements irradiated in EBR-II at temperatures significantly higher than design, causing liquid phase attack of the cladding, were subsequently irradiated at normal operating temperatures to first breach. The fuel element lifetime was compared to that for elements not subjected to the over-temperature transient and found to be equivalent. 1 ref., 3 figs

Universal electrode interface for electrocatalytic oxidation of liquid fuels.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Hualing; Qiu, Zhipeng; Wan, Qijin; Wang, Zhijie; Liu, Yi; Yang, Nianjun

2014-10-22

Electrocatalytic oxidations of liquid fuels from alcohols, carboxylic acids, and aldehydes were realized on a universal electrode interface. Such an interface was fabricated using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the catalyst support and palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) as the electrocatalysts. The Pd NPs/CNTs nanocomposite was synthesized using the ethylene glycol reduction method. It was characterized using transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, voltammetry, and impedance. On the Pd NPs/CNTs nanocomposite coated electrode, the oxidations of those liquid fuels occur similarly in two steps: the oxidations of freshly chemisorbed species in the forward (positive-potential) scan and then, in the reverse scan (negative-potential), the oxidations of the incompletely oxidized carbonaceous species formed during the forward scan. The oxidation charges were adopted to study their oxidation mechanisms and oxidation efficiencies. The oxidation efficiency follows the order of aldehyde (formaldehyde) > carboxylic acid (formic acid) > alcohols (ethanol > methanol > glycol > propanol). Such a Pd NPs/CNTs nanocomposite coated electrode is thus promising to be applied as the anode for the facilitation of direct fuel cells.

A natural-gas fuel processor for a residential fuel cell system

Science.gov (United States)

Adachi, H.; Ahmed, S.; Lee, S. H. D.; Papadias, D.; Ahluwalia, R. K.; Bendert, J. C.; Kanner, S. A.; Yamazaki, Y.

A system model was used to develop an autothermal reforming fuel processor to meet the targets of 80% efficiency (higher heating value) and start-up energy consumption of less than 500 kJ when operated as part of a 1-kWe natural-gas fueled fuel cell system for cogeneration of heat and power. The key catalytic reactors of the fuel processor - namely the autothermal reformer, a two-stage water gas shift reactor and a preferential oxidation reactor - were configured and tested in a breadboard apparatus. Experimental results demonstrated a reformate containing ∼48% hydrogen (on a dry basis and with pure methane as fuel) and less than 5 ppm CO. The effects of steam-to-carbon and part load operations were explored.

Quantifying liquid boundary and vapor distributions in a fuel spray by rainbow schlieren deflectometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Taber Wanstall, C; Agrawal, Ajay K; Bittle, Joshua A

2017-10-20

The rainbow schlieren deflectometry (RSD) technique is used to determine the liquid boundary and the fuel volume fraction distributions in the vapor region of a high-pressure fuel spray. Experiments were conducted in a constant pressure flow vessel, whereby a customized single-hole common-rail diesel injector is used to introduce n-heptane fuel into a coflow of low-speed ambient air at two different test conditions. Only the quasi-steady period of the fuel spray is considered, and multiple injections are performed to acquire statistically significant data at an image acquisition rate of 20 kHz. An algorithm to identify the liquid boundary using intensity recorded by the RSD images is presented. The results are compared against measurements obtained by the Mie scattering technique. Results demonstrate that the RSD can be a powerful optical diagnostics technique to simultaneously quantify both the vapor and liquid regions in the high-pressure fuel sprays.

Technoeconomic analysis of jet fuel production from hydrolysis, decarboxylation, and reforming of camelina oil

KAUST Repository

Natelson, Robert H.; Wang, Weicheng; Roberts, William L.; Zering, Kelly D.

2015-01-01

The commercial production of jet fuel from camelina oil via hydrolysis, decarboxylation, and reforming was simulated. The refinery was modeled as being close to the farms for reduced camelina transport cost. A refinery with annual nameplate capacity of 76,000 cubic meters hydrocarbons was modeled. Assuming average camelina production conditions and oil extraction modeling from the literature, the cost of oil was 0.31$kg-1. To accommodate one harvest per year, a refinery with 1 year oil storage capacity was designed, with the total refinery costing 283 million dollars in 2014 USD. Assuming co-products are sold at predicted values, the jet fuel break-even selling price was 0.80$kg-1. The model presents baseline technoeconomic data that can be used for more comprehensive financial and risk modeling of camelina jet fuel production. Decarboxylation was compared to the commercially proven hydrotreating process. The model illustrated the importance of refinery location relative to farms and hydrogen production site.

Technoeconomic analysis of jet fuel production from hydrolysis, decarboxylation, and reforming of camelina oil

KAUST Repository

Natelson, Robert H.

2015-04-01

The commercial production of jet fuel from camelina oil via hydrolysis, decarboxylation, and reforming was simulated. The refinery was modeled as being close to the farms for reduced camelina transport cost. A refinery with annual nameplate capacity of 76,000 cubic meters hydrocarbons was modeled. Assuming average camelina production conditions and oil extraction modeling from the literature, the cost of oil was 0.31$kg-1. To accommodate one harvest per year, a refinery with 1 year oil storage capacity was designed, with the total refinery costing 283 million dollars in 2014 USD. Assuming co-products are sold at predicted values, the jet fuel break-even selling price was 0.80$kg-1. The model presents baseline technoeconomic data that can be used for more comprehensive financial and risk modeling of camelina jet fuel production. Decarboxylation was compared to the commercially proven hydrotreating process. The model illustrated the importance of refinery location relative to farms and hydrogen production site.

Plant for producing an oxygen-containing additive as an ecologically beneficial component for liquid motor fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Siryk, Yury Paul; Balytski, Ivan Peter; Korolyov, Volodymyr George; Klishyn, Olexiy Nick; Lnianiy, Vitaly Nick; Lyakh, Yury Alex; Rogulin, Victor Valery

2013-04-30

A plant for producing an oxygen-containing additive for liquid motor fuels comprises an anaerobic fermentation vessel, a gasholder, a system for removal of sulphuretted hydrogen, and a hotwell. The plant further comprises an aerobic fermentation vessel, a device for liquid substance pumping, a device for liquid aeration with an oxygen-containing gas, a removal system of solid mass residue after fermentation, a gas distribution device; a device for heavy gases utilization; a device for ammonia adsorption by water; a liquid-gas mixer; a cavity mixer, a system that serves superficial active and dispersant matters and a cooler; all of these being connected to each other by pipelines. The technical result being the implementation of a process for producing an oxygen containing additive, which after being added to liquid motor fuels, provides an ecologically beneficial component for motor fuels by ensuring the stability of composition fuel properties during long-term storage.

Cheese whey valorisation: Production of valuable gaseous and liquid chemicals from lactose by aqueous phase reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remón, J.; Ruiz, J.; Oliva, M.; García, L.; Arauzo, J.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Aqueous phase reforming: a promising strategy for cheese whey valorisation. • In-depth understanding of the effect of the operating conditions on the process. • Process optimisation for the selective production of valuable gas and liquid products. • High P, T, lactose concentration and spatial time favour gas production. • High T, low spatial time and the use of diluted solutions maximise liquids production. - Abstract: Cheese effluent management has become an important issue owing to its high biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand values. Given this scenario, this work addresses the valorisation of lactose (the largest organic constituent of this waste) by aqueous phase reforming, analysing the influence of the most important operating variables (temperature, pressure, lactose concentration and mass of catalyst/lactose mass flow rate ratio) as well as optimising the process for the production of either gaseous or liquid value-added chemicals. The carbon converted into gas, liquid and solid products varied as follows: 5–41%, 33–97% and 0–59%, respectively. The gas phase was made up of a mixture of H_2 (8–58 vol.%), CO_2 (33–85 vol.%), CO (0–15 vol.%) and CH_4 (0–14 vol.%). The liquid phase consisted of a mixture of aldehydes: 0–11%, carboxylic acids: 0–22%, monohydric alcohols: 0–23%, polyhydric-alcohols: 0–48%, C3-ketones: 4–100%, C4-ketones: 0–18%, cyclic-ketones: 0–15% and furans: 0–85%. H_2 production is favoured at high pressure, elevated temperature, employing a high amount of catalyst and a concentrated lactose solution. Liquid production is preferential using diluted lactose solutions. At high pressure, the production of C3-ketones is preferential using a high temperature and a low amount of catalyst, while a medium temperature and a high amount of catalyst favours the production of furans. The production of alcohols is preferential using medium temperature and pressure and a low amount of

In-situ study of the gas-phase composition and temperature of an intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell anode surface fed by reformate natural gas

Science.gov (United States)

Santoni, F.; Silva Mosqueda, D. M.; Pumiglia, D.; Viceconti, E.; Conti, B.; Boigues Muñoz, C.; Bosio, B.; Ulgiati, S.; McPhail, S. J.

2017-12-01

An innovative experimental setup is used for in-depth and in-operando characterization of solid oxide fuel cell anodic processes. This work focuses on the heterogeneous reactions taking place on a 121 cm2 anode-supported cell (ASC) running with a H2, CH4, CO2, CO and steam gas mixture as a fuel, using an operating temperature of 923 K. The results have been obtained by analyzing the gas composition and temperature profiles along the anode surface in different conditions: open circuit voltage (OCV) and under two different current densities, 165 mA cm-2 and 330 mA cm-2, corresponding to 27% and 54% of fuel utilization, respectively. The gas composition and temperature analysis results are consistent, allowing to monitor the evolution of the principal chemical and electrochemical reactions along the anode surface. A possible competition between CO2 and H2O in methane internal reforming is shown under OCV condition and low current density values, leading to two different types of methane reforming: Steam Reforming and Dry Reforming. Under a current load of 40 A, the dominance of exothermic reactions leads to a more marked increase of temperature in the portion of the cell close to the inlet revealing that current density is not uniform along the anode surface.

Comparison of high-temperature and low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell systems with glycerol reforming process for stationary applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Authayanun, Suthida; Mamlouk, Mohamed; Scott, Keith; Arpornwichanop, Amornchai

2013-01-01

Highlights: • PEMFC systems with a glycerol steam reformer for stationary application are studied. • Performance of HT-PEMFC and LT-PEMFC systems is compared. • HT-PEMFC system shows good performance over LT-PEMFC system at a high current density. • HT-PEMFC system with water gas shift reactor shows the highest system efficiency. • Heat integration can improve the efficiency of HT-PEMFC system. - Abstract: A high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) has a major advantage over a low-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell (LT-PEMFC) demonstrated by a tolerance to a higher CO content in the hydrogen feed and thus a simpler fuel processing. In this study, a direct comparison between the performance of HT-PEMFC and LT-PEMFC systems integrated with a glycerol steam reformer with and without a water gas shift reactor is shown. Under pure hydrogen operation, the LT-PEMFC performance is superior to the HT-PEMFC. However, the HT-PEMFC system shows good performance over the LT-PEMFC system when operated under high current density and high pressure (3 atm) and using the reformate gas derived from the glycerol processor as fuel. At high current density, the high concentration of CO is the major limitation for the operation of HT-PEMFC system without water gas shift reactor, whereas the LT-PEMFC suffers from CO poisoning and restricted oxygen mass transport. Considering the system efficiency with co-heat and power generation, the HT-PEMFC system with water gas shift reactor shows the highest overall system efficiency (approximately 60%) and therefore one of the most suitable technologies for stationary applications

Physical characterization of biomass-based pyrolysis liquids. Application of standard fuel oil analyses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oasmaa, A; Leppaemaeki, E; Koponen, P; Levander, J; Tapola, E [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland). Energy Production Technologies

1998-12-31

The main purpose of the study was to test the applicability of standard fuel oil methods developed for petroleum-based fuels to pyrolysis liquids. In addition, research on sampling, homogeneity, stability, miscibility and corrosivity was carried out. The standard methods have been tested for several different pyrolysis liquids. Recommendations on sampling, sample size and small modifications of standard methods are presented. In general, most of the methods can be used as such but the accuracy of the analysis can be improved by minor modifications. Fuel oil analyses not suitable for pyrolysis liquids have been identified. Homogeneity of the liquids is the most critical factor in accurate analysis. The presence of air bubbles may disturb in several analyses. Sample preheating and prefiltration should be avoided when possible. The former may cause changes in the composition and structure of the pyrolysis liquid. The latter may remove part of organic material with particles. The size of the sample should be determined on the basis of the homogeneity and the water content of the liquid. The basic analyses of the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) include water, pH, solids, ash, Conradson carbon residue, heating value, CHN, density, viscosity, pourpoint, flash point, and stability. Additional analyses are carried out when needed. (orig.) 53 refs.

Exergy analysis of the biogas sorption-enhanced chemical looping reforming process integrated with a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasemanand, Sarunyou; Im-orb, Karittha; Tippawan, Phanicha; Wiyaratn, Wisitsree; Arpornwichanop, Amornchai

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A biogas reforming and fuel cell integrated process is considered. • Energy and exergy analyses of the integrated process are performed. • Increasing the nickel oxide-to-biogas ratio decreases the exergy efficiency. • The exergy destruction of the fuel cell increases with increasing cell temperature. • The exergy efficiency of the process is improved when heat integration is applied. - Abstract: A biogas sorption-enhanced chemical looping reforming process integrated with a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell is analyzed. Modeling of such an integrated process is performed by using a flowsheet simulator (Aspen plus). The exergy analysis is performed to evaluate the energy utilization efficiency of each unit and that of the integrated process. The effect of steam and nickel oxide to biogas ratios on the exergetic performance of the stand-alone biogas sorption-enhanced chemical looping reforming process is investigated. The total exergy destruction increases as the steam or nickel oxide to biogas ratio increases. The main exergy destruction is found at the air reactor. For the high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell, the main exergy destruction is found at the cathode. The total exergy destruction increases when cell temperature increases, whereas the inverse effect is found when the current density is considered as a key parameter. Regarding the exergy efficiency, the results show opposite trend to the exergy destruction. The heat integration analysis is performed to improve the exergetic performance. It is found that the integrated process including the heat integration system can improve the exergy destruction and exergy efficiency of 48% and 60%, respectively.

16 CFR 309.15 - Posting of non-liquid alternative vehicle fuel rating.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... rating. (a) If you are a retailer who offers for sale or sells non-liquid alternative vehicle fuel (other... fuel. If you are a retailer who offers for sale or sells electricity to consumers through an electric... vehicle fuel dispensing system, either by letter or on the delivery ticket or other paper, or by a...

Development of Combustion Tube for Gaseous, Liquid, and Solid Fuels to Study Flame Acceleration and DDT

Science.gov (United States)

Graziano, Tyler J.

An experimental combustion tube of 20 ft. in length and 10.25 in. in internal diameter was designed and fabricated in order to perform combustion tests to study deflagration rates, flame acceleration, and the possibility of DDT. The experiment was designed to allow gaseous, liquid, or solid fuels, or any combination of the three to produce a homogenous fuel/air mixture within the tube. Combustion tests were initiated with a hydrogen/oxygen torch igniter and the resulting flame behavior was measured with high frequency ion probes and pressure transducers. Tests were performed with a variety of gaseous and liquid fuels in an unobstructed tube with a closed ignition end and open muzzle. The flame performance with the gaseous fuels is loosely correlated with the expansion ratio, while there is a stronger correlation with the laminar flame speed. The strongest correlation to flame performance is the run-up distance scaling factor. This trend was not observed with the liquid fuels. The reason for this is likely due to incomplete evaporation of the liquid fuel droplets resulting in a partially unburned mixture, effectively altering the intended equivalence ratio. Results suggest that the simple theory for run-up distance and flame acceleration must be modified to more accurately predict the behavior of gaseous fuels. Also, it is likely that more complex spray combustion modeling is required to accurately predict the flame behavior for liquid fuels.

Progress in fuel processing for PEMFC systems for transport applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dams, A J; Hayter, P R; Moore, S C

1998-07-01

Wellman CJB Limited has been developing fuel processors for PEMFC systems for transport applications using a range of feedstocks. Feedstocks that can be processed to produce a hydrogen-rich gas stream suitable for use with a PEMFC include methanol, gasoline, diesel, LPG, dimethylether, marine diesel and aviation fuel. The basic fuel processor is a steam reformer combined with a selective carbon monoxide oxidation stage. Depending on the nature of the liquid feedstock, other process steps will be required such as vaporizer, desulfurizer, pre-reformer and high and low temperature shift reactors. Work on methanol reforming has been specifically targeted at a PEMFC driven passenger car as part of a multinational European Community JOULE programme called MERCATOX. The objective is to develop and test a compact and fast response methanol reformer and gas clean-up unit to meet a car manufacturer's specification. The method of construction is to coat a methanol reforming catalyst onto one side of a metal corrugated plate. On the other side is a coated combustion catalyst which burns fuel cell off-gas to provide the endothermic heat for the methanol reforming reaction. A number of these plates are assembled in a compact unit ensuring good heat transfer. The gas clean-up unit is similarly constructed with a selective oxidation catalyst on one side and a thermal fluid on the other. Initial tests have indicated a superior performance to conventional packed bed reformers in terms of response and start-up time. Steam reforming of gasoline, diesel, LPG, dimethylether, marine diesel and aviation fuel has been demonstrated on a bench scale (0.5kW). The process steps commence with vaporization (except for LPG), desulfurization (except for dimethylether), prereforming, reforming, low and high temperature shift and selective oxidation. A simple technology demonstrator has shown that a hydrogen-rich mixture (75% hydrogen, 25% carbon dioxide) with less than 2ppm carbon monoxide can be

Polystyrene Plastic Waste Conversion into Liquid Fuel with Catalytic Cracking Process Using Al2O3 as Catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurul Kholidah

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The increase in energy consumption and an increase in the plastic waste generation are two major problems that arise along with economic growth and the increase in population. Styrofoam is one type of polystyrene plastic waste that can be processed into liquid fuels by cracking process. In this study, the cracking process of polystyrene plastic waste into liquid fuel carried by the catalytic cracking process using Al2O3 as a catalyst. This study aimed to determine the effect of the catalyst weight, length of cracking time and range of temperature in the catalytic cracking process of polystyrene plastic waste into liquid fuel toward the mass and characteristics of liquid fuels produced and to determine the composition of liquid fuels produced. The catalytic cracking process of polystyrene plastic waste with catalyst was done in the fixed bed type reactor by heating the reactor with a heater, where the process took place at temperature of 150°C, 200°C, 250°C and 300°C and the length of the process was varied into 20, 40, and 60 minutes and the catalyst weight was also varied, which were 4%, 6% and 8%, while the styrofoam weight was 250 grams. From the research, the highest mass of liquid fuel derived from polystyrene catalytic cracking process was in the amount of 48.8 grams and liquid yield percentage of 19.5% at temperature of  250°C, cracking time of 60 minutes and weight of 8% catalyst, while the characteristics of liquid fuel that were approaching the characteristics of gasoline was at temperatures of 250°C, cracking time of 60 minutes and weight of 6% catalyst, in which each value of density of 0.763 g/ml, specific gravity of 0.778 and oAPI gravity of 50.2. While other liquid fuels obtained from the cracking of polystyrene were still within the tolerance range characteristic properties of gasoline. Liquid fuels produced from the catalytic cracking process was analyzed using a GC-MS, in which the analysis results indicated that liquid

Numerical study on heat transfer characteristics of liquid-fueled molten salt using OpenFOAM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Yeong Shin; Bang, In Cheol

2017-01-01

To pursue sustainability and safety enhancement of nuclear energy, molten salt reactor is regarded as a promising candidate among various types of gen-IV reactors. Besides, pyroprocessing, which treats molten salt containing fission products, should consider safety related to decay heat from fuel material. For design of molten salt-related nuclear system, it is required to consider both thermal-hydraulic characteristics and neutronic behaviors for demonstration. However, fundamental heat transfer study of molten salt in operation condition is not easy to be experimentally studied due to its large scale, high temperature condition as well as difficulties of treating fuel material. >From that reason, numerical study can have benefit to investigate behaviors of liquid-fueled molten salt in real condition. In this study, open source CFD package OpenFOAM was used to analyze liquid-fueled molten salt loop having internal heat source as a first step of research. Among various molten salts considered as a candidate of liquid fueled molten salt reactors, in this study, FLiBe was chosen as liquid salt. For simulating heat generation from fuel material within fluid flow, volumetric heat source was set for fluid domain and OpenFOAM solver was modified as fvOptions as customized. To investigate thermal-hydraulic behavior of molten salt, CFD model was developed and validated by comparing experimental results in terms of heat transfer and pressure drop. As preliminary stage, 2D cavity simulations were performed to validate the modeling capacity of modified solver of OpenFOAM by comparison with those of ANSYS-CFX. In addition, cases of external heat flux and internal heat source were compared to configure the effect of heat source setting in various operation condition. As a result, modified solver of OpenFOAM considering internal heat source have sufficient modeling capacity to simulate liquid-fueled molten salt systems including heat generation cases. (author)

Phase change predictions for liquid fuel in contact with steel structure using the heat conduction equation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brear, D.J. [Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Oarai, Ibaraki (Japan). Oarai Engineering Center

1998-01-01

When liquid fuel makes contact with steel structure the liquid can freeze as a crust and the structure can melt at the surface. The melting and freezing processes that occur can influence the mode of fuel freezing and hence fuel relocation. Furthermore the temperature gradients established in the fuel and steel phases determine the rate at which heat is transferred from fuel to steel. In this memo the 1-D transient heat conduction equations are applied to the case of initially liquid UO{sub 2} brought into contact with solid steel using up-to-date materials properties. The solutions predict criteria for fuel crust formation and steel melting and provide a simple algorithm to determine the interface temperature when one or both of the materials is undergoing phase change. The predicted steel melting criterion is compared with available experimental results. (author)

Phase change predictions for liquid fuel in contact with steel structure using the heat conduction equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brear, D.J.

1998-01-01

When liquid fuel makes contact with steel structure the liquid can freeze as a crust and the structure can melt at the surface. The melting and freezing processes that occur can influence the mode of fuel freezing and hence fuel relocation. Furthermore the temperature gradients established in the fuel and steel phases determine the rate at which heat is transferred from fuel to steel. In this memo the 1-D transient heat conduction equations are applied to the case of initially liquid UO 2 brought into contact with solid steel using up-to-date materials properties. The solutions predict criteria for fuel crust formation and steel melting and provide a simple algorithm to determine the interface temperature when one or both of the materials is undergoing phase change. The predicted steel melting criterion is compared with available experimental results. (author)

Experimental Assessment of the Mass of Ash Residue During the Burning of Droplets of a Composite Liquid Fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Glushkov, D. O.; Zakharevich, A. V.; Strizhak, P. A.; Syrodoi, S. V.

2018-05-01

An experimental study has been made of the regularities of burning of single droplets of typical compositions of a composite liquid fuel during the heating by an air flow with a varied temperature (600-900 K). As the basic components of the compositions of the composite liquid fuel, use was made of the: waste of processing (filter cakes) of bituminous coals of ranks K, C, and T, waste motor, turbine, and transformer oils, process mixture of mazut and oil, heavy crude, and plasticizer. The weight fraction of a liquid combustible component (petroleum) product) ranged within 0-15%. Consideration has been given to droplets of a composite liquid fuel with dimensions (radius) of 0.5 to 2 mm. Conditions of low-temperature initiation of combustion to ensure a minimum possible mass of solid incombustible residue have been determined. Petroleum products have been singled out whose addition to the composition of the composite liquid fuel tends to increase the ash mass (compared to the corresponding composition without a liquid combustible component). Approximation dependences have been obtained which permit predicting the influence of the concentration of the liquid petroleum product as part of the composite liquid fuel on the ash-residue mass.

Characterizing Dissolved Gases in Cryogenic Liquid Fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Ian A.

Pressure-Density-Temperature-Composition (PrhoT-x) measurements of cryogenic fuel mixtures are a historical challenge due to the difficulties of maintaining cryogenic temperatures and precision isolation of a mixture sample. For decades NASA has used helium to pressurize liquid hydrogen propellant tanks to maintain tank pressure and reduce boil off. This process causes helium gas to dissolve into liquid hydrogen creating a cryogenic mixture with thermodynamic properties that vary from pure liquid hydrogen. This can lead to inefficiencies in fuel storage and instabilities in fluid flow. As NASA plans for longer missions to Mars and beyond, small inefficiencies such as dissolved helium in liquid propellant become significant. Traditional NASA models are unable to account for dissolved helium due to a lack of fundamental property measurements necessary for the development of a mixture Equation Of State (EOS). The first PrhoT-x measurements of helium-hydrogen mixtures using a retrofitted single-sinker densimeter, magnetic suspension microbalance, and calibrated gas chromatograph are presented in this research. These measurements were used to develop the first multi-phase EOS for helium-hydrogen mixtures which was implemented into NASA's Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) to determine the significance of mixture non-idealities. It was revealed that having dissolved helium in the propellant does not have a significant effect on the tank pressurization rate but does affect the rate at which the propellant temperature rises. PrhoT-x measurements are conducted on methane-ethane mixtures with dissolved nitrogen gas to simulate the conditions of the hydrocarbon seas of Saturn's moon Titan. Titan is the only known celestial body in the solar system besides Earth with stable liquid seas accessible on the surface. The PrhoT-x measurements are used to develop solubility models to aid in the design of the Titan Submarine. NASA is currently designing the submarine

Ovonic Renewable Hydrogen (ORH) - low temperature hydrogen production from renewable fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichman, B.; Mays, W.; Strebe, J.; Fetcenko, M.

2009-01-01

'Full text': ECD has developed a new technology to produce hydrogen from various organic matters. In this technology termed Ovonic Renewable Hydrogen (ORH), base material such as NaOH is used as a reactant to facilitate the reforming of the organic matters to hydrogen gas. This Base-Facilitated Reforming (BFR) process is a one-step process and has number of advantages over the conventional steam reforming and gasification processes including lower operation temperature and lower heat consumption. This paper will describe the ORH process and discuss its technological and economics advantages over the conventional hydrogen production processes. ORH process has been studied and demonstrated on variety of renewable fuels including liquid biofuels and solid biomass materials. Results of these studies will be presented. (author)

Liquid waste treatment at plutonium fuels fabrication facility, 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, Ken-ichi; Itoh, Ichiroh; Ohuchi, Jin; Miyo, Hiroaki

1974-01-01

The economics in the management of the radioactive liquid waste from Plutonium Fuels Fabrication Facility with sludge-blanket type flocculators has been evaluated. (1) Cost calculation: The cost of chemicals and electricity to treat 1 cubic meter of liquid waste is about 876 yen, while the total operating cost is 250 thousand yen per cubic meter in the case of 140 m 3 /year treatment. These figures are much higher than those for ordinary wastes, due to the particular operation against plutonium. (2) Proposal of the closed system for liquid waste treatment at PFFF: In the case of a closed system using evaporator, ion exchange column and rotary-kiln calciner, the operating cost is estimated at 40 thousand yen per cubic meter of liquid waste. Final radioactivity of treated liquid is below 10 -8 micro curies/ml. (Mori, K.)

Unreviewed safety question evaluation of 100 K West fuel canister gas and liquid sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alwardt, L.D.

1995-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide the basis for answers to an Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) safety evaluation for the gas and liquid sampling activities associated with the fuel characterization program at the 100 K West (KW) fuel storage basin. The scope of this safety evaluation is limited to the movement of canisters between the main storage basin, weasel pit, and south loadout pit transfer channel (also known as the decapping station); gas and liquid sampling of fuel canisters in the weasel pit; mobile laboratory preliminary sample analysis in or near the 105 KW basin building; and the placement of sample containers in an approved shipping container. It was concluded that the activities and potential accident consequences associated with the gas and liquid sampling of 100 KW fuel canisters are bounded by the current safety basis documents and do not constitute an Unreviewed Safety Question

Hydrogen production by reforming of fossil and biomass fuels accompanied by carbon dioxide capture process is the energy source for the near future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aboudheir, Ahmed; Idem, Raphael; Tontiwachwuthikul, Paitoon; Wilson, Malcolm; Kambietz, Lionel

2006-01-01

Hydrogen has a significant future potential as an alternative energy source for the transportation sector as well as in residential homes and offices, H 2 in fuel cell power systems provides an alternative to direct fossil fuel and biomass combustion based technologies and offer the possibility for a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emission based on improved H 2 yield per unit of fossil fuel and biomass, compatibility with renewable energies and motivation to convert to a H 2 -based energy economy. Several practical techniques for H 2 production to service H 2 refuelling stations as well as homes and offices, all of which need to be located at the end of the energy distribution network, include: (1) the carbon dioxide reforming of natural gas; (2) reforming of gasoline; (3) reforming of crude ethanol. Locating the H 2 production at the end of the energy distribution network solves the well-known problems of metal fatigue and high cost of H 2 compression for long distance transportation if H 2 is produced in a large centralized plant. In addition, the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and the need to reduce emissions of CO 2 to the atmosphere has prompted the capture and utilization of the CO 2 produced from the reforming process. In this research: (1) new efficient catalysts for each reforming process was developed; (2) a new efficient catalyst for our version of the water gas shift reaction to convert carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide was developed; (3) a new membrane separation process for production of high purity, fuel cell-grade H 2 was designed; (4) a numerical model for optimum process design and optimum utilization of resources both at the laboratory and industrial scales was developed; (5) various processes for CO 2 capture were investigated experimentally in order to achieve a net improvement in the absorption process; (6) the utilization of captured CO 2 for enhanced oil recovery and/or storage in an aging oil field were investigated; (7

Production of gaseous and liquid bio-fuels from the upgrading of lignocellulosic bio-oil in sub- and supercritical water: Effect of operating conditions on the process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remón, J.; Arcelus-Arrillaga, P.; García, L.; Arauzo, J.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Bio-oil valorisation in sub-/supercritical water: a promising route for bio-fuels. • Effect of P, T, t, catalyst and water regime on bio-oil upgrading studied in depth. • Tailor-made route for H_2, CH_4 and liquid bio-fuel production in a single process. • Upgraded liquid with high proportions of C and H, higher HHV and less O content. - Abstract: This work analyses the influence of the temperature (310–450 °C), pressure (200–260 bar), catalyst/bio-oil mass ratio (0–0.25 g catalyst/g bio-oil), and reaction time (0–60 min) on the reforming in sub- and supercritical water of bio-oil obtained from the fast pyrolysis of pinewood. The upgrading experiments were carried out in a batch micro-bomb reactor employing a co-precipitated Ni–Co/Al–Mg catalyst. This reforming process turned out to be highly customisable for the valorisation of bio-oil for the production of either gaseous or liquid bio-fuels. Depending on the operating conditions and water regime (sub/supercritical), the yields to upgraded bio-oil (liquid), gas and solid varied as follows: 5–90%, 7–91% and 3–31%, respectively. The gas phase, having a LHV ranging from 2 to 17 MJ/m"3 STP, was made up of a mixture of H_2 (9–31 vol.%), CO_2 (41–84 vol.%), CO (1–22 vol.%) and CH_4 (1–45 vol.%). The greatest H_2 production from bio-oil (76% gas yield with a relative amount of H_2 of 30 vol.%) was achieved under supercritical conditions at a temperature of 339 °C, 200 bar of pressure and using a catalyst/bio-oil ratio of 0.2 g/g for 60 min. The amount of C, H and O (wt.%) in the upgraded bio-oil varied from 48 to 74, 4 to 9 and 13 to 48, respectively. This represents an increase of up to 37% and 171% in the proportions of C and H, respectively, as well as a decrease of up to 69% in the proportion of O. The HHV of the treated bio-oil shifted from 20 to 35 MJ/kg, which corresponds to an increase of up to 89% with respect to the HHV of the original bio-oil. With a

Experimental evaluation of a Pt based heat exchanger methanol reformer for a HTPEM fuel cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Nielsen, Mads Pagh; Kær, Søren Knudsen

2007-01-01

The storage of hydrogen in hydrogen consuming applications is often inconvenient because of the very low density of hydrogen even at high pressures (0.014 kg/L @ 300 bar) or cryogenically (0.043 kg/L). Much higher volumetric energy densities can be achieved using liquid hydrocarbons as e.g. metha...... (up to 1-2%). This work examines the possibility of using a catalyst coated plate heat exchanger for the reforming process of methanol....

Soot and liquid-phase fuel distributions in a newly designed optically accessible DI diesel engine

Science.gov (United States)

Dec, J. E.; Espey, C.

1993-10-01

Two-dimensional (2-D) laser-sheet imaging has been used to examine the soot and liquid-phase fuel distributions in a newly designed, optically accessible, direct-injection diesel engine of the heavy-duty size class. The design of this engine preserves the intake port geometry and basic dimensions of a Cummins N-series production engine. It also includes several unique features to provide considerable optical access. Liquid-phase fuel and soot distribution studies were conducted at a medium speed (1,200 rpm) using a Cummins closed-nozzle fuel injector. The scattering was used to obtain planar images of the liquid-phase fuel distribution. These images show that the leading edge of the liquid-phase portion of the fuel jet reaches a maximum length of 24 mm, which is about half the combustion bowl radius for this engine. Beyond this point virtually all the fuel has vaporized. Soot distribution measurements were made at a high load condition using three imaging diagnostics: natural flame luminosity, 2-D laser-induced incandescence, and 2-D elastic scattering. This investigation showed that the soot distribution in the combusting fuel jet develops through three stages. First, just after the onset of luminous combustion, soot particles are small and nearly uniformly distributed throughout the luminous region of the fuel jet. Second, after about 2 crank angle degrees a pattern develops of a higher soot concentration of larger sized particles in the head vortex region of the jet and a lower soot concentration of smaller sized particles upstream toward the injector. Third, after fuel injection ends, both the soot concentration and soot particle size increase rapidly in the upstream portion of the fuel jet.

Utility industry evaluation of the metal fuel facility and metal fuel performance for liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burstein, S.; Gibbons, J.P.; High, M.D.; O'Boyle, D.R.; Pickens, T.A.; Pilmer, D.F.; Tomonto, J.R.; Weinberg, C.J.

1990-02-01

A team of utility industry representatives evaluated the liquid metal reactor metal fuel process and facility conceptual design being developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) under Department of Energy sponsorship. The utility team concluded that a highly competent ANL team was making impressive progress in developing high performance advanced metal fuel and an economic processing and fabrication technology. The utility team concluded that the potential benefits of advanced metal fuel justified the development program, but that, at this early stage, there are considerable uncertainties in predicting the net overall economic benefit of metal fuel. Specific comments and recommendations are provided as a contribution towards enhancing the development program. 6 refs

Reforming processes for micro combined heat and powersystem based on solid oxide fuel cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liso, Vincenzo; Nielsen, Mads Pagh; Kær, Søren Knudsen

2009-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is a promising technology for decentralized power generation and cogeneration. This technology has several advantages: the high electric efficiency, which can be theoretically improved through integration in power cycles; the low emissions; and the possibility of using...... a large variety of gaseous fuels. The high operating temperature (700-1000°C) of SOFCs has a number of consequences, the most important of which are the possibility to partially reform the raw fuel in the fuel cell anode compartment and the possibility to use high quality heat for cogeneration....... In this work, different configurations of SOFC systems for decentralized electricity production are considered and studied. The balance of plant (BoP) components will be identified including fuel and air supply, fuel management, start-up steam, anode re-circulation, exhaust gas heat management, power...

Superheated fuel injection for combustion of liquid-solid slurries

Science.gov (United States)

Robben, F.A.

1984-10-19

A method and device are claimed for obtaining, upon injection, flash evaporation of a liquid in a slurry fuel to aid in ignition and combustion. The device is particularly beneficial for use of coal-water slurry fuels in internal combustion engines such as diesel engines and gas turbines, and in external combustion devices such as boilers and furnaces. The slurry fuel is heated under pressure to near critical temperature in an injector accumulator, where the pressure is sufficiently high to prevent boiling. After injection into a combustion chamber, the water temperature will be well above boiling point at a reduced pressure in the combustion chamber, and flash boiling will preferentially take place at solid-liquid surfaces, resulting in the shattering of water droplets and the subsequent separation of the water from coal particles. This prevents the agglomeration of the coal particles during the subsequent ignition and combustion process, and reduces the energy required to evaporate the water and to heat the coal particles to ignition temperature. The overall effect will be to accelerate the ignition and combustion rates, and to reduce the size of the ash particles formed from the coal. 2 figs., 2 tabs.

Vapor Delivery Systems for the Study of the Effects of Reformate Gas Impurities in HT-PEM Fuel Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Araya, Samuel Simon; Kær, Søren Knudsen; Andreasen, Søren Juhl

2011-01-01

, impurities in the reformate gas produced from methanol steam reforming can affect the performance and durability of fuel cells. In this paper different vapor delivery systems, intended to assist in the study of the effects of some of the impurities, are described and compared with each other. A system based...... on a pump and electrically heated evaporator was found to be more suitable for the typical flow rates involved in the anode feed of an H3PO4/PBI based HT-PEMFC unit cell assembly. Test stations composed of vapor delivery systems and mass flow controllers for testing the effects of methanol slip, water vapor...

Application of room temperature ionic liquids in advanced fuel cycles RIAR research concept program users

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bychkov, Alexander V.; Kormilitsyn, Michael V.; Savochkin, Yuri P.; Osipenko, Alexander G.; Smolensky, Valeri V.; Shadrin, Alexander Yu.; Babain, Vladimir A.

2005-01-01

The paper reviews briefly the research program on application of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs) in some processes of the nuclear fuel reprocessing, particularly in the uranium-aluminum fuel reprocessing and separation of TPEs and REEs from the PUREX process liquid waste, and approaches to implementation of this program. (author)

Liquid fuels from renewable resources in Canada: systems economics studies

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Osler, C. F

1978-01-01

This paper highlights the methodology and results of a six volume study completed for the Canadian government on alternatives for liquid fuel production from renewable resources after the mid-1980s...

Thermo-Catalytic Reforming of municipal solid waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouadi, Miloud; Jaeger, Nils; Greenhalf, Charles; Santos, Joao; Conti, Roberto; Hornung, Andreas

2017-10-01

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) refers to a heterogeneous mixture composed of plastics, paper, metal, food and other miscellaneous items. Local authorities commonly dispose of this waste by either landfill or incineration which are both unsustainable practices. Disposing of organic wastes via these routes is also becoming increasingly expensive due to rising landfill taxes and transport costs. The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®) process, is a proposed valorisation route to transform organic wastes and residues, such as MSW, into sustainable energy vectors including (H 2 rich synthesis gas, liquid bio-oil and solid char). The aim herein, was to investigate the conversion of the organic fraction of MSW into fuels and chemicals utilising the TCR technology in a 2kg/h continuous pilot scale reactor. Findings show that MSW was successfully processed with the TCR after carrying out a feedstock pre-treatment step. Approximately, 25wt.% of the feedstock was converted into phase separated liquids, composed of 19wt.% aqueous phase and 6wt.% organic phase bio-oil. The analysis of the bio-oil fraction revealed physical and chemical fuel properties, higher heating value (HHV) of 38MJ/kg, oxygen content bio-oil's chemical and physical properties, the bio-oil was found to be directly miscible with fossil diesel when blended at a volume ratio of 50:50. The mass balance closure was 44wt.% synthesis gas, with a H 2 content of 36vol% and HHV of 17.23MJ/Nm 3 , and 31 wt.% char with a HHV of 17MJ/kg. The production of high quantities of H 2 gas and highly de-oxygenated organic liquids makes downstream hydrogen separation and subsequent hydro-deoxygenation of the produced bio-oil a promising upgrading step to achieve drop-in transportation fuels from MSW. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Liquid fuels production from biomass. Final report, for period ending June 30, 1980

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levy, P. F.; Sanderson, J. E.; Ashare, E.; Wise, D. L.; Molyneaux, M. S.

1980-01-01

The current program to convert biomass into liquid hydrocarbon fuels is an extension of a previous program to ferment marine algae to acetic acid. In that study it was found that marine algae could be converted to higher aliphatic organic acids and that these acids could be readily removed from the fermentation broth by membrane or liquid-liquid extraction. It was then proposed to convert these higher organic acids via Kolbe electrolysis to aliphatic hydrocarbons, which may be used as a diesel fuel. The specific goals for the current program are: (1) establish conditions under which substrates other than marine algae may be converted in good yield to organic acids, here the primary task is methane suppression; (2) modify the current 300-liter fixed packed bed batch fermenter to operate in a continuous mode; (3) change from membrane extraction of organic acids to liquid-liquid extraction; (4) optimize the energy balance of the electrolytic oxidation process, the primary task is to reduce the working potential required for the electrolysis while maintaining an adequate current density; (5) scale the entire process up to match the output of the 300 liter fermenter; and (6) design pilot plant and commercial size plant (1000 tons/day) processes for converting biomass to liquid hydrocarbon fuels and perform an economic analysis for the 1000 ton/day design.

Cyanoborohydride-based ionic liquids as green aerospace bipropellant fuels.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qinghua; Yin, Ping; Zhang, Jiaheng; Shreeve, Jean'ne M

2014-06-02

In propellant systems, the most common bipropellants are composed of two chemicals, a fuel (or reducer) and an oxidizer. Currently, the choices for propellant fuels rely mainly on hydrazine and its methylated derivatives, even though they are extremely toxic, highly volatile, sensitive to adiabatic compression (risk of detonation), and, therefore, difficult to handle. With this background, the search for alternative green propellant fuels has been an urgent goal of space science. In this study, a new family of cyanoborohydride-based ionic liquids (ILs) with properties and performances comparable to hydrazine derivatives were designed and synthesized. These new ILs as bipropellant fuels, have some unique advantages including negligible vapor pressure, ultra-short ignition delay (ID) time, and reduced synthetic and storage costs, thereby showing great application potential as environmentally friendly fuels in bipropellant formulations. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Stationary Liquid Fuel Fast Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Won Sik; Grandy, Andrew; Boroski, Andrew; Krajtl, Lubomir; Johnson, Terry

2015-01-01

For effective burning of hazardous transuranic (TRU) elements of used nuclear fuel, a transformational advanced reactor concept named SLFFR (Stationary Liquid Fuel Fast Reactor) was proposed based on stationary molten metallic fuel. The fuel enters the reactor vessel in a solid form, and then it is heated to molten temperature in a small melting heater. The fuel is contained within a closed, thick container with penetrating coolant channels, and thus it is not mixed with coolant nor flow through the primary heat transfer circuit. The makeup fuel is semi- continuously added to the system, and thus a very small excess reactivity is required. Gaseous fission products are also removed continuously, and a fraction of the fuel is periodically drawn off from the fuel container to a processing facility where non-gaseous mixed fission products and other impurities are removed and then the cleaned fuel is recycled into the fuel container. A reference core design and a preliminary plant system design of a 1000 MWt TRU- burning SLFFR concept were developed using TRU-Ce-Co fuel, Ta-10W fuel container, and sodium coolant. Conservative design approaches were adopted to stay within the current material performance database. Detailed neutronics and thermal-fluidic analyses were performed to develop a reference core design. Region-dependent 33-group cross sections were generated based on the ENDF/B-VII.0 data using the MC2-3 code. Core and fuel cycle analyses were performed in theta-r-z geometries using the DIF3D and REBUS-3 codes. Reactivity coefficients and kinetics parameters were calculated using the VARI3D perturbation theory code. Thermo-fluidic analyses were performed using the ANSYS FLUENT computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Figure 0.1 shows a schematic radial layout of the reference 1000 MWt SLFFR core, and Table 0.1 summarizes the main design parameters of SLFFR-1000 loop plant. The fuel container is a 2.5 cm thick cylinder with an inner radius of 87.5 cm. The fuel

Stationary Liquid Fuel Fast Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Won Sik [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Grandy, Andrew [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Boroski, Andrew [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Krajtl, Lubomir [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Johnson, Terry [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2015-09-30

For effective burning of hazardous transuranic (TRU) elements of used nuclear fuel, a transformational advanced reactor concept named SLFFR (Stationary Liquid Fuel Fast Reactor) was proposed based on stationary molten metallic fuel. The fuel enters the reactor vessel in a solid form, and then it is heated to molten temperature in a small melting heater. The fuel is contained within a closed, thick container with penetrating coolant channels, and thus it is not mixed with coolant nor flow through the primary heat transfer circuit. The makeup fuel is semi- continuously added to the system, and thus a very small excess reactivity is required. Gaseous fission products are also removed continuously, and a fraction of the fuel is periodically drawn off from the fuel container to a processing facility where non-gaseous mixed fission products and other impurities are removed and then the cleaned fuel is recycled into the fuel container. A reference core design and a preliminary plant system design of a 1000 MWt TRU- burning SLFFR concept were developed using TRU-Ce-Co fuel, Ta-10W fuel container, and sodium coolant. Conservative design approaches were adopted to stay within the current material performance database. Detailed neutronics and thermal-fluidic analyses were performed to develop a reference core design. Region-dependent 33-group cross sections were generated based on the ENDF/B-VII.0 data using the MC2-3 code. Core and fuel cycle analyses were performed in theta-r-z geometries using the DIF3D and REBUS-3 codes. Reactivity coefficients and kinetics parameters were calculated using the VARI3D perturbation theory code. Thermo-fluidic analyses were performed using the ANSYS FLUENT computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Figure 0.1 shows a schematic radial layout of the reference 1000 MWt SLFFR core, and Table 0.1 summarizes the main design parameters of SLFFR-1000 loop plant. The fuel container is a 2.5 cm thick cylinder with an inner radius of 87.5 cm. The fuel

The thermodynamics of pyrochemical processes for liquid metal reactor fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, I.

1987-01-01

The thermodynamic basis for pyrochemical processes for the recovery and purification of fuel for the liquid metal reactor fuel cycle is described. These processes involve the transport of the uranium and plutonium from one liquid alloy to another through a molten salt. The processes discussed use liquid alloys of cadmium, zinc, and magnesium and molten chloride salts. The oxidation-reduction steps are done either chemically by the use of an auxiliary redox couple or electrochemically by the use of an external electrical supply. The same basic thermodynamics apply to both the salt transport and the electrotransport processes. Large deviations from ideal solution behavior of the actinides and lanthanides in the liquid alloys have a major influence on the solubilities and the performance of both the salt transport and electrotransport processes. Separation of plutonium and uranium from each other and decontamination from the more noble fission product elements can be achieved using both transport processes. The thermodynamic analysis is used to make process design computations for different process conditions

Synthesis, characterization and application of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate for extractive desulfurization of liquid fuel

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Swapnil A. Dharaskar

2016-07-01

Full Text Available In the present paper the experimental data of extractive desulfurization of liquid fuel using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM]BF4 have been presented. The data of FTIR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR have been discussed for the molecular confirmation of synthesized [BMIM]BF4. Further, the thermal properties, conductivity, solubility, and viscosity analysis of the [BMIM]BF4 were carried out. The effects of reaction time, reaction temperature, sulfur compounds, and recycling of ionic liquid without regeneration on dibenzothiophene removal of liquid fuel were presented. In extractive desulfurization process, the removal of dibenzothiophene in n-dodecane was 73.02% for mass ratio of 1:1 in 30 min at 30 °C under the mild reaction conditions. The ionic liquids could be reused four times without a significant decrease in activity. Also, the desulfurizations of real fuels, multistage extraction were presented. The data and results provided in the present paper explore the significant insights of imidazoled ILs for extractive desulfurization of liquid fuels.

Stationary liquid fuel fast reactor SLFFR — Part II: Safety analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jing, T.; Jung, Y.S.; Yang, W.S., E-mail: yang494@purdue.edu

2016-12-15

Highlights: • A multi-channel safety analysis code named MUSA is developed for SLFFR transient analyses. • MUSA is verified against the SYS4A/SASSYS-1 code by simulating the ULOF accident for the advanced burner test reactor. • It is shown that SLFFR has a passive shutdown capability for double-fault, beyond-design-basis accidents UTOP, ULOHS and ULOF. - Abstract: Safety characteristics have been evaluated for the stationary liquid fuel fast reactor (SLFFR) proposed for effective burning of hazardous TRU elements of used nuclear fuel. In order to model the geometrical configuration and reactivity feedback mechanisms unique to SLFFR, a multi-channel safety analysis code named MUSA was developed. MUSA solves the time-dependent coupled neutronics and thermal-fluidic problems. The thermal-fluidic behavior of the core is described by representing the core with one-dimensional parallel channels. The primary heat transport system is modeled by connecting compressible volumes by liquid segments. A point kinetics model with six delayed neutron groups is used to represent the fission power transients. The reactivity feedback is estimated by combining the temperature and density variations of liquid fuel, structural material and sodium coolant with the corresponding axial distributions of reactivity worth in each individual thermal-fluidic channel. Preliminary verification tests with a conventional solid fuel reactor agreed well with the reference solutions obtained with the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 code. Transient analyses of SLFFR were performed for unprotected transient over-power (UTOP), unprotected loss of heat sink (ULOHS) and unprotected loss of flow (ULOF) accidents. The results showed that the thermal expansion of liquid fuel provides sufficiently large negative feedback reactivity for passive shutdown of UTOP and ULOHS. The ULOF transient is also terminated passively with the negative reactivity introduced by the gas expansion modules installed at the core periphery

ASI: Dunaliella marine microalgae to drop-in replacement liquid transportation fuel

KAUST Repository

Wang, Weicheng

2013-09-11

Microalgae are a promising biofuels feedstock, theoretically yielding concentrations of triacylglycerides (TAGs) per unit area that are far higher than traditional feedstocks due to their rapid growth. Dunaliella is particularly advantageous as a feedstock because it is currently commercially mass cultured, thrives in salt water, and has no cell wall. Fourteen strains of Dunaliella have been investigated for growth rates and lipid production in mass culture and tested for enhanced lipid production under a range of environmental stressors including salinity, pH, nitrogen and phosphorus limitation, and light regime. The nuclear genome has been sequenced for four of these strains, with the objective of increasing carbon flux through genetic engineering. Electroflocculation followed by osmotic membrane rupturing may be a very energy and cost efficient means of harvesting the lipid bodies from Dunaliella. A technically feasible and scalable thermo-catalytic process to convert the lipids into replacements for liquid transportation fuels has been developed. The lipids were converted into long-chain alkanes through continuous thermal hydrolysis followed by fed-batch thermo-catalytic decarboxylation. These alkanes can be reformed into renewable diesel via conventional catalytic hydrocarbon isomerization reactions to improve cold flow properties, if desired. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 916-925, 2013 Copyright © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog.

ASI: Dunaliella marine microalgae to drop-in replacement liquid transportation fuel

KAUST Repository

Wang, Weicheng; Allen, Elle H.; Campos, Andrew A.; Cade, Rushyannah Killens; Dean, Lisa L.; Dvora, Mia; Immer, Jeremy G.; Mixson, Stephanie M.; Srirangan, Soundarya; Sauer, Marie Laure; Schreck, Steven D.; Sun, Keyi; Thapaliya, Nirajan; Wilson, Cameron W.; Burkholder, Joann M M; Grunden, Amy M.; Lamb, Henry Henry; Winter, Heike Winter; Stikeleather, Larry F.; Roberts, William L.

2013-01-01

Microalgae are a promising biofuels feedstock, theoretically yielding concentrations of triacylglycerides (TAGs) per unit area that are far higher than traditional feedstocks due to their rapid growth. Dunaliella is particularly advantageous as a feedstock because it is currently commercially mass cultured, thrives in salt water, and has no cell wall. Fourteen strains of Dunaliella have been investigated for growth rates and lipid production in mass culture and tested for enhanced lipid production under a range of environmental stressors including salinity, pH, nitrogen and phosphorus limitation, and light regime. The nuclear genome has been sequenced for four of these strains, with the objective of increasing carbon flux through genetic engineering. Electroflocculation followed by osmotic membrane rupturing may be a very energy and cost efficient means of harvesting the lipid bodies from Dunaliella. A technically feasible and scalable thermo-catalytic process to convert the lipids into replacements for liquid transportation fuels has been developed. The lipids were converted into long-chain alkanes through continuous thermal hydrolysis followed by fed-batch thermo-catalytic decarboxylation. These alkanes can be reformed into renewable diesel via conventional catalytic hydrocarbon isomerization reactions to improve cold flow properties, if desired. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 916-925, 2013 Copyright © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog.

Development of a coupled reactor with a catalytic combustor and steam reformer for a 5 kW solid oxide fuel cell system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Sanggyu; Lee, Kanghun; Yu, Sangseok; Lee, Sang Min; Ahn, Kook-Young

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Proposes the scale-up strategy to develop a large-scale coupled reactor. • Investigation of performance of steam reformer coupled with catalytic combustor. • Experimental parameters are inlet temp., air excess ratio, SCR, fuel utilization. • Evaluation of the heat transfer distribution along the gas flow direction. • The mean value of methane conversion rate is approximately 93.4%. - Abstract: The methane (CH 4 ) conversion rate of a steam reformer can be increased by thermal integration with a catalytic combustor, called a coupled reactor. In the present study, a 5 kW coupled reactor has been developed based on a 1 kW coupled reactor in previous work. The geometric parameters of the space velocity, diameter and length of the coupled reactor selected from the 1 kW coupled reactor are tuned and applied to the design of the 5 kW coupled reactor. To confirm the scale-up strategy, the performance of 5 kW coupled reactor is experimentally investigated with variations of operating parameters such as the fuel utilization in the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack, the inlet temperature of the catalytic combustor, the excess air ratio of the catalytic combustor, and the steam to carbon ratio (SCR) in the steam reformer. The temperature distributions of coupled reactors are measured along the gas flow direction. The gas composition at the steam reformer outlet is measured to find the CH 4 conversion rate of the coupled reactor. The maximum value of the CH 4 conversion rate is approximately 93.4%, which means the proposed scale-up strategy can be utilized to develop a large-scale coupled reactor

Chemical Looping Combustion with Different Types of Liquid Fuels Combustion en boucle chimique avec différentes charges liquides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoteit A.

2011-02-01

Full Text Available CLC is a new promising combustion process for CO2 capture with less or even no energy penalty compared to other processes. Up to now, most of the work performed on CLC was conducted with gaseous or solid fuels, using methane and coal and/or pet coke. Liquid fuels such as heavy fuels resulting from oil distillation or conversion may also be interesting feedstocks to consider. However, liquid fuels are challenging feedstock to deal with in fluidized beds. The objective of the present work is therefore to investigate the feasibility of liquid feed injection and contact with oxygen carrier in CLC conditions in order to conduct partial or complete combustion of hydrocarbons. A batch experimental fluidized bed set-up was developed to contact alternatively oxygen carrier with liquid fuels or air. The 20 mm i.d. fluidized bed reactor was filled up with 45 g of NiAl0.44O1.67 and pulses of 1-2 g of liquid were injected in the bed at high temperatures up to 950˚C. Different feedstocks have been injected, from dodecane to heavy fuel oils No.2. Results show that, during the reduction period, it is possible to convert all the fuel injected and there is no coke remaining on particles at the end of the reduction step. Depending upon oxygen available in the bed, either full combustion or partial combustion can be achieved. Similar results were found with different liquid feeds, despite their different composition and properties. Le CLC est un nouveau concept prometteur appliqué à la combustion qui permet le captage de CO en minimisant la pénalité énergétique liée au captage. Jusqu’à présent, l’essentiel des travaux de recherche dans le domaine du CLC concerne les charges gazeuses (méthane et solides (charbon et coke. Les charges liquides, et particulièrement les résidus pétroliers, sont des charges également intéressantes à considérer a priori. La mise en oeuvre de ces charges en lit fluidisé est cependant délicate. L’objet de ce

Electroreduction of carbon monoxide to liquid fuel on oxide-derived nanocrystalline copper

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Christina W.; Ciston, Jim; Kanan, Matthew W.

2014-04-01

The electrochemical conversion of CO2 and H2O into liquid fuel is ideal for high-density renewable energy storage and could provide an incentive for CO2 capture. However, efficient electrocatalysts for reducing CO2 and its derivatives into a desirable fuel are not available at present. Although many catalysts can reduce CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO), liquid fuel synthesis requires that CO is reduced further, using H2O as a H+ source. Copper (Cu) is the only known material with an appreciable CO electroreduction activity, but in bulk form its efficiency and selectivity for liquid fuel are far too low for practical use. In particular, H2O reduction to H2 outcompetes CO reduction on Cu electrodes unless extreme overpotentials are applied, at which point gaseous hydrocarbons are the major CO reduction products. Here we show that nanocrystalline Cu prepared from Cu2O (`oxide-derived Cu') produces multi-carbon oxygenates (ethanol, acetate and n-propanol) with up to 57% Faraday efficiency at modest potentials (-0.25 volts to -0.5 volts versus the reversible hydrogen electrode) in CO-saturated alkaline H2O. By comparison, when prepared by traditional vapour condensation, Cu nanoparticles with an average crystallite size similar to that of oxide-derived copper produce nearly exclusive H2 (96% Faraday efficiency) under identical conditions. Our results demonstrate the ability to change the intrinsic catalytic properties of Cu for this notoriously difficult reaction by growing interconnected nanocrystallites from the constrained environment of an oxide lattice. The selectivity for oxygenates, with ethanol as the major product, demonstrates the feasibility of a two-step conversion of CO2 to liquid fuel that could be powered by renewable electricity.

Conventional OTSG development for heavy liquid fuel firing in thermal applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Setchfield, W.P. [Mitchell Engineers Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom); Roset, J.N. [Total S.A., Paris (France); Schaffer, M. [Total E and P Canada Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada); O' Connor, D. [MEG Energy Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada); Kense, K. [TIW Western Inc., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2008-10-15

The demand for natural gas is expected to increase as a result of future expansion in Canadian extra heavy oil in-situ thermal production, such as steam assisted gravity drainage or SAGD projects. Natural gas is the current predominant fuel utilized for the associated steam generation. Potential natural gas shortages and related price volatility require that operators consider alternative fuels for the projected growth of in-situ thermal production in Alberta. This paper targeted the use of bitumen from upstream sites and derivative residues from upgrading activities as the most convenient alternative fuel sources for thermal operators of established horizontal type gas fired once through steam generators (OTSGs). The paper presented the methodology, the issues associated with bitumen or residue burning and the related technical solutions in developing a multi-fuel OTSG product. The paper provided background information on conventional OTSG design development, conventional OTSG existing deign, and general description of conventional OTSG. The paper also described the configuration of a radiant furnace, convection module, and theories and definitions such as heavy liquid fuels. A description and application of the equipment and processes as well as a presentation of the data and results was then offered. The multi fuel OTSG design is considered to be a practical and workable product capable of firing heavy liquid fuels. However, the design changes have had a significant impact when compared with conventional OTSG boilers. 11 figs.

Autothermal reforming catalyst having perovskite structure

Science.gov (United States)

Krumpel, Michael [Naperville, IL; Liu, Di-Jia [Naperville, IL

2009-03-24

The invention addressed two critical issues in fuel processing for fuel cell application, i.e. catalyst cost and operating stability. The existing state-of-the-art fuel reforming catalyst uses Rh and platinum supported over refractory oxide which add significant cost to the fuel cell system. Supported metals agglomerate under elevated temperature during reforming and decrease the catalyst activity. The catalyst is a perovskite oxide or a Ruddlesden-Popper type oxide containing rare-earth elements, catalytically active firs row transition metal elements, and stabilizing elements, such that the catalyst is a single phase in high temperature oxidizing conditions and maintains a primarily perovskite or Ruddlesden-Popper structure under high temperature reducing conditions. The catalyst can also contain alkaline earth dopants, which enhance the catalytic activity of the catalyst, but do not compromise the stability of the perovskite structure.

A survey of processes for producing hydrogen fuel from different sources for automotive-propulsion fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, L.F.

1996-03-01

Seven common fuels are compared for their utility as hydrogen sources for proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells used in automotive propulsion. Methanol, natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation jet fuel, ethanol, and hydrogen are the fuels considered. Except for the steam reforming of methanol and using pure hydrogen, all processes for generating hydrogen from these fuels require temperatures over 1000 K at some point. With the same two exceptions, all processes require water-gas shift reactors of significant size. All processes require low-sulfur or zero-sulfur fuels, and this may add cost to some of them. Fuels produced by steam reforming contain {approximately}70-80% hydrogen, those by partial oxidation {approximately}35-45%. The lower percentages may adversely affect cell performance. Theoretical input energies do not differ markedly among the various processes for generating hydrogen from organic-chemical fuels. Pure hydrogen has severe distribution and storage problems. As a result, the steam reforming of methanol is the leading candidate process for on-board generation of hydrogen for automotive propulsion. If methanol unavailability or a high price demands an alternative process, steam reforming appears preferable to partial oxidation for this purpose.

Methods of reforming hydrocarbon fuels using hexaaluminate catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Todd H [Morgantown, WV; Berry, David A [Morgantown, WV; Shekhawat, Dushyant [Morgantown, WV

2012-03-27

A metal substituted hexaaluminate catalyst for reforming hydrocarbon fuels to synthesis gas of the general formula AB.sub.yAl.sub.12-yO.sub.19-.delta., A being selected from alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and lanthanide metals or mixtures thereof. A dopant or surface modifier selected from a transitions metal, a spinel of an oxygen-ion conductor is incorporated. The dopant may be Ca, Cs, K, La, Sr, Ba, Li, Mg, Ce, Co, Fe, Ir, Rh, Ni, Ru, Cu, Pe, Os, Pd, Cr, Mn, W, Re, Sn, Gd, V, Ti, Ag, Au, and mixtures thereof. The oxygen-ion conductor may be a perovskite selected from M'RhO.sub.3, M'PtO.sub.3, M'PdO.sub.3, M'IrO.sub.3, M'RuO.sub.3 wherein M'=Mg, Sr, Ba, La, Ca; a spinel selected from MRh.sub.2O.sub.4, MPt.sub.2O.sub.4, MPd.sub.2O.sub.4, MIr.sub.2O.sub.4, MRu.sub.2O.sub.4 wherein M=Mg, Sr, Ba, La, Ca and mixtures thereof; a florite is selected from M''O.sub.2.

Platinum catalyst formed on carbon nanotube by the in-liquid plasma method for fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Show, Yoshiyuki; Hirai, Akira; Almowarai, Anas; Ueno, Yutaro

2015-12-01

In-liquid plasma was generated in the carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion fluid using platinum electrodes. The generated plasma spattered the surface of the platinum electrodes and dispersed platinum particles into the CNT dispersion. Therefore, the platinum nanoparticles were successfully formed on the CNT surface in the dispersion. The platinum nanoparticles were applied to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) as a catalyst. The electrical power of 108 mW/cm{sup 2} was observed from the fuel cell which was assembled with the platinum catalyst formed on the CNT by the in-liquid plasma method. - Highlights: • The platinum catalyst was successfully formed on the CNT surface in the dispersion by the in-liquid plasma method. • The electrical power of 108 mW/cm{sup 2} was observed from the fuel cell which was assembled with the platinum catalyst formed on the CNT by the in-liquid plasma method.

Extension of the heat flux method to liquid (bio-)fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meuwissen, R.

2009-01-15

The adiabatic burning velocity S{sub L} of a fuel/oxidizer mixture is a key parameter governing many properties of combustion, such as the shape and stabilization of the flame. It can be applied as an input parameter for many combustion models. Furthermore, kinetic schemes can be validated by the use of this parameter. A great extend of research has been performed on determining the adiabatic burning velocities of gaseous fuels. Liquid fuels however, have been examined far less extensive. Literature available shows eminent scatter amongst the data of independent groups and distinctive techniques. The methods used for measuring burning velocities need certain corrections for flame properties which cause additional uncertainties and make the scattering of data not completely unexpected. The heat flux burner used in this work, previously developed at the TU/e, creates a flat flame coherently no corrections for stretch are necessary. Instead, the heat exchange with the burner is considered; by measuring the temperature distribution over the burner plate, the net heat flux of the flame to the burner can be determined. By tuning the unburnt gas velocity until there is no net heat flux, the adiabatic burning velocity is found by interpolation. An extension to the original design, using a vaporized fluid in a carrier gas flow, enables to measure burning velocities of liquid fuels. In the present research, burning velocity measurements have been performed on vaporized ethanol/air flames in order to validate the setup. Similarities with the latest experimental research have been evaluated and good agreement has been found. Furthermore, temperature dependencies have been elucidated and compared to power law correlations stated by this external research. Again, good resemblance can be claimed, although the expanding of certain input parameters on mixture composition could give more solid confirmation. Subsequently, comparison with numerically performed calculations has been

Direct Utilization of Liquid Fuels in SOFC for Portable Applications: Challenges for the Selection of Alternative Anodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimiliano Cimenti

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC have the advantage of being able to operate with fuels other than hydrogen. In particular, liquid fuels are especially attractive for powering portable applications such as small power generators or auxiliary power units, in which case the direct utilization of the fuel would be convenient. Although liquid fuels are easier to handle and transport than hydrogen, their direct use in SOFC can lead to anode deactivation due to carbon formation, especially on traditional nickel/yttria stabilized zirconia (Ni/YSZ anodes. Significant advances have been made in anodic materials that are resistant to carbon formation but often these materials are less electrochemically active than Ni/YSZ. In this review the challenges of using liquid fuels directly in SOFC, in terms of gas-phase and catalytic reactions within the anode chamber, will be discussed and the alternative anode materials so far investigated will be compared.

Fuel production from biomass: generation of liquid biofuels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Ghergheleş

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Anaerobic fermentation processes mayalso be used to produce liquid fuels frombiological raw materials. An example is theethanol production from glucose, known asstandard yeast fermentation in the beer, wine andliquor industries. It has to take place in steps, suchthat the ethanol is removed (by distillation ordehydrator application whenever itsconcentration approaches a value (around 12%which would impede reproduction of the yeastculture.

Fabrication of a Flexible Micro CO Sensor for Micro Reformer Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Man Lo

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Integration of a reformer and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC is problematic due to the presence in the gas from the reforming process of a slight amount of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide poisons the catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell subsequently degrading the fuel cell performance, and necessitating the sublimation of the reaction gas before supplying to fuel cells. Based on the use of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS technology to manufacture flexible micro CO sensors, this study elucidates the relation between a micro CO sensor and different SnO2 thin film thicknesses. Experimental results indicate that the sensitivity increases at temperatures ranging from 100–300 °C. Additionally, the best sensitivity is obtained at a specific temperature. For instance, the best sensitivity of SnO2 thin film thickness of 100 nm at 300 °C is 59.3%. Moreover, a flexible micro CO sensor is embedded into a micro reformer to determine the CO concentration in each part of a micro reformer in the future, demonstrating the inner reaction of a micro reformer in depth and immediate detection.

Compact hydrogen production systems for solid polymer fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ledjeff-Hey, K.; Formanski, V.; Kalk, Th.; Roes, J.

Generally there are several ways to produce hydrogen gas from carbonaceous fuels like natural gas, oil or alcohols. Most of these processes are designed for large-scale industrial production and are not suitable for a compact hydrogen production system (CHYPS) in the power range of 1 kW. In order to supply solid polymer fuel cells (SPFC) with hydrogen, a compact fuel processor is required for mobile applications. The produced hydrogen-rich gas has to have a low level of harmful impurities; in particular the carbon monoxide content has to be lower than 20 ppmv. Integrating the reaction step, the gas purification and the heat supply leads to small-scale hydrogen production systems. The steam reforming of methanol is feasible at copper catalysts in a low temperature range of 200-350°C. The combination of a small-scale methanol reformer and a metal membrane as purification step forms a compact system producing high-purity hydrogen. The generation of a SPFC hydrogen fuel gas can also be performed by thermal or catalytic cracking of liquid hydrocarbons such as propane. At a temperature of 900°C the decomposition of propane into carbon and hydrogen takes place. A fuel processor based on this simple concept produces a gas stream with a hydrogen content of more than 90 vol.% and without CO and CO2.

Steam Reformer With Fibrous Catalytic Combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Voecks, Gerald E.

1987-01-01

Proposed steam-reforming reactor derives heat from internal combustion on fibrous catalyst. Supplies of fuel and air to combustor controlled to meet demand for heat for steam-reforming reaction. Enables use of less expensive reactor-tube material by limiting temperature to value safe for material yet not so low as to reduce reactor efficiency.

Investigation of the Extinguishing Features for Liquid Fuels and Organic Flammable Liquids Atomized by a Water Flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Voytkov Ivan V.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The processes of heat and mass transfer were investigated experimentally while moving and evaporating the atomized water flow in high-temperature combustion products of typical liquid fuels and organic flammable liquids: gasoline, kerosene, acetone, crude oil, industrial alcohol. We determined typical periods of liquid extinguishing by an atomized water flow of various dispersability. Data of the discharge of extinguishing medium corresponding to various parameters of atomization and duration of using the atomization devices was presented. It is shown that Um≈3.5 m/s is a minimal outflow velocity of droplets during moving while passing the distance of 1m in the high-temperature gas medium to stop the combustion of organic liquids.

Catalytic pyrolysis of microalgae to high-quality liquid bio-fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babich, I.V.; Hulst, M. van der; Lefferts, L.; Moulijn, J.A.; O'Connor, P.; Seshan, K.

2011-01-01

The pyrolytic conversion of chlorella algae to liquid fuel precursor in presence of a catalyst (Na 2 CO 3 ) has been studied. Thermal decomposition studies of the algae samples were performed using TGA coupled with MS. Liquid oil samples were collected from pyrolysis experiments in a fixed-bed reactor and characterized for water content and heating value. The oil composition was analyzed by GC-MS. Pretreatment of chlorella with Na 2 CO 3 influences the primary conversion of chlorella by shifting the decomposition temperature to a lower value. In the presence of Na 2 CO 3 , gas yield increased and liquid yield decreased when compared with non-catalytic pyrolysis at the same temperatures. However, pyrolysis oil from catalytic runs carries higher heating value and lower acidity. Lower content of acids in the bio-oil, higher aromatics, combined with higher heating value show promise for production of high-quality bio-oil from algae via catalytic pyrolysis, resulting in energy recovery in bio-oil of 40%. -- Highlights: → The pyrolytic catalytic conversion of chlorella algae to liquid fuel precursor. → Na 2 CO 3 as a catalyst for the primary conversion of chlorella. → Pyrolysis oil from catalytic runs carries higher heating value and lower acidity. → High-quality bio-oil from algae via catalytic pyrolysis with energy recovery in bio-oil of 40%.

Solid oxide fuel cell performance comparison fueled by methane, MeOH, EtOH and gasoline surrogate C_8H_1_8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liso, Vincenzo; Cinti, Giovanni; Nielsen, Mads P.; Desideri, Umberto

2016-01-01

Carbon deposition is a major cause of degradation in solid oxide fuel cell systems. The ability to predict carbon formation in reforming processes is thus absolutely necessary for stable operation of solid oxide fuel cell systems. In the open literature it is found that the steam input is always considered in large excess compared to what required by the reforming process with the purpose of reducing carbon formation and avoiding rapid degradation of the cell performance. This makes it difficult to consistently compare system performance with different fuels. In this work, the molar compositions at equilibrium are calculated for a minimum steam to carbon ratio for each fuel type. We carry out a thermodynamic analysis of fuel/steam system using Gibbs Free Energy minimization method. A mathematical relationship between Lagrange's multipliers and carbon activity in the gas phase was deduced. Minimum steam required for the reforming process for each fuel was related to the heat required for the reforming process and fuel cell open circuit voltage. Furthermore, in an experimental test, steam reforming product compositions were used to evaluate and compare SOFC performance with different hydrocarbons. Comparing the model to the experimental activity, it is revealed that at temperatures exceeding 800 °C the gas composition is dominated by hydrogen and carbon monoxide for any of the fuels considered leading to similar cell polarization curves performance for different fuels. The main effect on the performance is related to OCV values which are dependent on different steam content for each fuel. It was concluded that the magnitude of the heat requested for the fuel reforming process is the major difference in system performance when comparing different fuels. However, reforming kinetic effects can become predominant rather than thermodynamics, especially at lower temperatures.

Hydrogen as a fuel for fuel cell vehicles: A technical and economic comparison

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogden, J.; Steinbugler, M.; Kreutz, T. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Center for Energy and Environmental Studies

1997-12-31

All fuel cells currently being developed for near term use in vehicles require hydrogen as a fuel. Hydrogen can be stored directly or produced onboard the vehicle by reforming methanol, ethanol or hydrocarbon fuels derived from crude oil (e.g., Diesel, gasoline or middle distillates). The vehicle design is simpler with direct hydrogen storage, but requires developing a more complex refueling infrastructure. In this paper, the authors compare three leading options for fuel storage onboard fuel cell vehicles: compressed gas hydrogen storage; onboard steam reforming of methanol; onboard partial oxidation (POX) of hydrocarbon fuels derived from crude oil. Equilibrium, kinetic and heat integrated system (ASPEN) models have been developed to estimate the performance of onboard steam reforming and POX fuel processors. These results have been incorporated into a fuel cell vehicle model, allowing us to compare the vehicle performance, fuel economy, weight, and cost for various fuel storage choices and driving cycles. A range of technical and economic parameters were considered. The infrastructure requirements are also compared for gaseous hydrogen, methanol and hydrocarbon fuels from crude oil, including the added costs of fuel production, storage, distribution and refueling stations. Considering both vehicle and infrastructure issues, the authors compare hydrogen to other fuel cell vehicle fuels. Technical and economic goals for fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen technologies are discussed. Potential roles for hydrogen in the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles are sketched.

Processes for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to chemicals and liquid fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Held, Andrew; Woods, Elizabeth; Cortright, Randy; Gray, Matthew

2018-04-17

The present invention provides processes, methods, and systems for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to liquid fuels and chemicals. The method generally includes the reaction of a hydrolysate from a biomass deconstruction process with hydrogen and a catalyst to produce a reaction product comprising one of more oxygenated compounds. The process also includes reacting the reaction product with a condensation catalyst to produce C.sub.4+ compounds useful as fuels and chemicals.

Processes for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to chemicals and liquid fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Held, Andrew; Woods, Elizabeth; Cortright, Randy; Gray, Matthew

2017-05-23

The present invention provides processes, methods, and systems for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to liquid fuels and chemicals. The method generally includes the reaction of a hydrolysate from a biomass deconstruction process with hydrogen and a catalyst to produce a reaction product comprising one of more oxygenated compounds. The process also includes reacting the reaction product with a condensation catalyst to produce C.sub.4+ compounds useful as fuels and chemicals.

Effect of different fuel options on performance of high-temperature PEMFC (proton exchange membrane fuel cell) systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Authayanun, Suthida; Saebea, Dang; Patcharavorachot, Yaneeporn; Arpornwichanop, Amornchai

2014-01-01

High-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) have received substantial attention due to their high CO (carbon monoxide) tolerance and simplified water management. The hydrogen and CO fractions affect the HT-PEMFC performance and different fuel sources for hydrogen production result in different product gas compositions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the theoretical performance of HT-PEMFCs fueled by the reformate gas derived from various fuel options (i.e., methane, methanol, ethanol, and glycerol). Effects of fuel types and CO poisoning on the HT-PEMFC performance are analyzed. Furthermore, the necessity of a water-gas shift (WGS) reactor as a CO removal unit for pretreating the reformate gas is investigated for each fuel type. The methane steam reforming shows the highest possibility of CO formation, whereas the methanol steam reforming produces the lowest quantity of CO in the reformate gas. The methane fuel processing gives the maximum fraction of hydrogen (≈0.79) when the WGS reactor is included. The most suitable fuel is the one with the lowest CO poisoning effect and the maximum fuel cell performance. It is found that the HT-PEMFC system fueled by methanol without the WGS reactor and methane with WGS reactor shows the highest system efficiency (≈50%). - Highlights: • Performance of HT-PEMFC run on different fuel options is theoretically investigated. • Glycerol, methanol, ethanol and methane are hydrogen sources for the HT-PEMFC system. • Effect of CO poisoning on the HT-PEMFC performance is taken into account. • The suitable fuel for HT-PEMFC system is identified regarding the system efficiency

Heaters to simulate fuel pins for heat transfer tests in single-phase liquid-metal-flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casal, V.; Graf, E.; Hartmann, W.

1976-09-01

The development of heaters for thermal simulation of the fuel elements of liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors (SNR) is reported. Beginning with the experimental demands various heating methods are discussed for thermodynamic investigations of the heat transfer in liquid metals. Then a preferred heater rod is derived to simulate the fuel pins of a SNR. Finally it is reported on the fabrication and the operation practice. (orig.) [de

Internal reforming of methane in a mono-block-layer build solid oxide fuel cell with an embedding porous pipe: Numerical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramírez-Minguela, J.J.; Mendoza-Miranda, J.M.; Muñoz-Carpio, V.D.; Rangel-Hernández, V.H.; Pérez-García, V.; Rodríguez-Muñoz, J.L.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A MOLB-type SOFC with different biogas compositions is modeled. • Internal reforming of methane and water gas shift in the anode side are considered. • Changes in the SOFC according to the phenomena inside of them are assessed. • A new configuration for the MOLB-type geometry is proposed. • Temperature gradients effects in the new configuration are significant. - Abstract: A mono-block-layer build type (MOLB-type) geometry, composed with trapezoidal cross-section channels for fuel and air, of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), is modeled in this study using a three dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The model is used to obtain the performance of the SOFC considering internal reforming of methane in the anode side with different biogas compositions. From the results obtained, a new configuration for the MOLB-type geometry is proposed. The model takes into account the mass transfer, heat transfer, species transport, chemical and electrochemical reactions, detailed comparisons of species concentration, temperature and electric fields inside the cell analyzed in the present study. Results show that the biogas from local sludge has the lower temperature gradient and more homogeneous current density distributions along of the fuel cell, on the other hand, with the new configuration proposed for the MOLB-type geometry the temperature distribution inside of the fuel cell has lower temperature gradients

Investigation of Fuel Chemistry and Bed Performance in a Fluidized Bed Black Liquor Steam Reformer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kevin Whitty

2007-06-30

University of Utah's project entitled 'Investigation of Fuel Chemistry and Bed Performance in a Fluidized Bed Black Liquor Steam Reformer' (DOE Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-02NT41490) was developed in response to a solicitation released by the U.S. Department of Energy in December 2001, requesting proposals for projects targeted towards black liquor/biomass gasification technology support research and development. Specifically, the solicitation was seeking projects that would provide technical support for Department of Energy supported black liquor and biomass gasification demonstration projects under development at the time.

Fabrication of Cr-doped UO2 Fuel Pellet using Liquid Phase Sintering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dong Joo; Yang, Jae Ho; Kim, Keon Sik; Rhee, Young Woo; Kim, Jong Hun; Oh, Jang Soo; Koo, Yang Hyun

2013-01-01

An enhancement of the thermal conductivity of a pellet can be obtained by the addition of a higher thermal conductive material in the pellet. In addition, the resistance to the PCI can be increased through a plasticity increase of the pellet. Thermal conductivity of ceramic materials is generally lower than that of metallic materials. The thermal conductivity of uranium oxide which is a typical ceramic material is low as well. The steep temperature gradient in the fuel pellet results from the low thermal conductivity. Therefore, the thermal conductivity improvement of a nuclear fuel pellet can enhance the fuel performance in various aspects. The lower centerline temperature of a fuel pellet affects the enhancement of fuel safety as well as fuel pellet integrity during nuclear reactor operation. Besides, the nuclear reactor power can be uprated due to the higher safety margin. So, many researches to enhance the thermal conductivity of nuclear fuel pellet have been performed in various ways. To improve the thermal conductivity of UO 2 pellet, an appropriate arrangement of the high thermal conductive material in UO 2 matrix is one of the various methods. We intended to control a placement of chromium as the high thermal conductive material. The metallic chromium and chromium oxide were arranged in a grain boundary of UO 2 using a liquid phase sintering method. The liquid phase sintering of Cr-doped UO 2 pellet could be adjusted using a control of an oxygen potential in sintering atmosphere

Fuel production from coal by the Mobil Oil process using nuclear high-temperature process heat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffmann, G.

1982-01-01

Two processes for the production of liquid hydrocarbons are presented: Direct conversion of coal into fuel (coal hydrogenation) and indirect conversion of coal into fuel (syngas production, methanol synthesis, Mobil Oil process). Both processes have several variants in which nuclear process heat may be used; in most cases, the nuclear heat is introduced in the gas production stage. The following gas production processes are compared: LURGI coal gasification process; steam reformer methanation, with and without coal hydrogasification and steam gasification of coal. (orig./EF) [de

Quantitative liquid and vapor distribution measurements in evaporating fuel sprays using laser-induced exciplex fluorescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fansler, Todd D; Drake, Michael C; Gajdeczko, Boguslaw; Düwel, Isabell; Koban, Wieland; Zimmermann, Frank P; Schulz, Christof

2009-01-01

Fully quantitative two-dimensional measurements of liquid- and vapor-phase fuel distributions (mass per unit volume) from high-pressure direct-injection gasoline injectors are reported for conditions of both slow and rapid vaporization in a heated, high-pressure spray chamber. The measurements employ the coevaporative gasoline-like fluorobenzene (FB)/diethylmethylamine (DEMA)/hexane exciplex tracer/fuel system. In contrast to most previous laser-induced exciplex-fluorescence (LIEF) experiments, the quantitative results here include regions in which liquid and vapor fuel coexist (e.g. near the injector exit). A unique aspect is evaluation of both vapor- and liquid-phase distributions at varying temperature and pressure using only in situ vapor-phase fluorescence calibration measurements at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This approach draws on recent extensive measurements of the temperature-dependent spectroscopic properties of the FB–DEMA exciplex system, in particular on knowledge of the quantum efficiencies of the vapor-phase and liquid-phase (exciplex) fluorescence. In addition to procedures necessary for quantitative measurements, we discuss corrections for liquid–vapor crosstalk (liquid fluorescence that overlaps the vapor-fluorescence bandpass), the unknown local temperature due to vaporization-induced cooling, and laser-sheet attenuation by scattering and absorption

Electrochemical cell apparatus having axially distributed entry of a fuel-spent fuel mixture transverse to the cell lengths

Science.gov (United States)

Reichner, Philip; Dollard, Walter J.

1991-01-01

An electrochemical apparatus (10) is made having a generator section (22) containing axially elongated electrochemical cells (16), a fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet (28), a gaseous feed oxidant inlet (30), and at least one gaseous spent fuel exit channel (46), where the spent fuel exit channel (46) passes from the generator chamber (22) to combine with the fresh feed fuel inlet (28) at a mixing apparatus (50), reformable fuel mixture channel (52) passes through the length of the generator chamber (22) and connects with the mixing apparatus (50), that channel containing entry ports (54) within the generator chamber (22), where the axis of the ports is transverse to the fuel electrode surfaces (18), where a catalytic reforming material is distributed near the reformable fuel mixture entry ports (54).

Lignin depolymerization and upgrading via fast pyrolysis and electrocatalysis for the production of liquid fuels and value-added products

Science.gov (United States)

Garedew, Mahlet

The production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels from biomass is needed to replace fossil fuels, which are decreasing in supply at an unsustainable rate. Renewable fuels also address the rising levels of greenhouse gases, an issue for which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change implicated humanity in 2013. In response, the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) mandates the production of 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels by 2022. Biomass fast pyrolysis (BFP) uses heat (400-600 °C) without oxygen to convert biomass to liquids fuel precursors offering an alternative to fossil fuels and a means to meet the EISA mandate. The major product, bio-oil, can be further upgraded to liquid hydrocarbon fuels, while biochar can serve as a solid fuel or soil amendment. The combustible gas co-product is typically burned for process heat. Though the most valuable of the pyrolysis products, the liquid bio-oil is highly oxygenated, corrosive, low in energy content and unstable during storage. As a means of improving bio-oil properties, electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) is employed to reduce and deoxygenate reactive compounds. This work specifically focuses on lignin as a feed material for BFP. As lignin comprises up to 30% of the mass and 40% of the energy stored in biomass, it offers great potential for the production of liquid fuels and value-added products by utilizing fast pyrolysis as a conversion method coupled with electrocatalysis as an upgrading method.

Future developments and technological and economic assessment of methods for producing synthetic liquid fuel from coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shlikhter, E B; Khor' kov, A V; Zhorov, Yu M

1980-11-01

Promising methods for obtaining synthetic liquid fuel from coal are surveyed and described: thermal dissolution of coal by means of a hydrogen donor solution: hydrogenation; gasification with subsequent synthesis and pyrolysis. A technological and economic assessment of the above processes is given. Emphasis is placed on methods employing catalytic conversion of methanol into hydrocarbon fuels. On the basis of thermodynamic calculations of the process for obtaining high-calorific liquid fuel from methanol the possibility of obtaining diesel fractions as well as gasoline is demonstrated. (12 refs.) (In Russian)

Energy sector reform, energy transitions and the poor in Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, Gisela

2008-01-01

There is little systematic information about the impact of energy sector reform on all sources and methods of energy utilised or potentially utilised by the poor. It is not sufficiently known what fuels the poor use, if a larger range of fuels becomes available and affordable and if barriers to access and consumption are reduced. A detailed assessment is presented for four countries, three in Africa (Botswana, Ghana and Senegal) and for comparison one in Latin America (Honduras), of steps taken to reform the energy sector and their effect on various groups of poor households. The paper analyses the pattern of energy supply to, and use by, poor households and explores the link-or its absence-to energy policy. We investigate what works for the poor and which type of reforms and implementation are effective and lead to a transition to more efficient and clean fuels from which the poor benefit. Energy sector reforms when adjusted to the specific conditions of the poor have a positive impact on access and use of clean, safe and efficient fuels. The poor are using gradually less wood as cooking fuel. Gas and kerosene are made more widely available through market liberalisation and subsidy in the particular case of Senegal. Electricity access and use is generally promoted or subsidised through changes in payment conditions and lifeline tariffs

Energy sector reform, energy transitions and the poor in Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prasad, Gisela [Energy Research Centre, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch 7701 (South Africa)

2008-08-15

There is little systematic information about the impact of energy sector reform on all sources and methods of energy utilised or potentially utilised by the poor. It is not sufficiently known what fuels the poor use, if a larger range of fuels becomes available and affordable and if barriers to access and consumption are reduced. A detailed assessment is presented for four countries, three in Africa (Botswana, Ghana and Senegal) and for comparison one in Latin America (Honduras), of steps taken to reform the energy sector and their effect on various groups of poor households. The paper analyses the pattern of energy supply to, and use by, poor households and explores the link - or its absence - to energy policy. We investigate what works for the poor and which type of reforms and implementation are effective and lead to a transition to more efficient and clean fuels from which the poor benefit. Energy sector reforms when adjusted to the specific conditions of the poor have a positive impact on access and use of clean, safe and efficient fuels. The poor are using gradually less wood as cooking fuel. Gas and kerosene are made more widely available through market liberalisation and subsidy in the particular case of Senegal. Electricity access and use is generally promoted or subsidised through changes in payment conditions and lifeline tariffs. (author)

Investigation of an Alternative Fuel Form for the Liquid Salt Cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casino, William A. Jr.

2006-01-01

Much of the recent studies investigating the use of liquid salts as reactor coolants have utilized a core configuration of graphite prismatic fuel block assemblies with TRISO particles embedded into cylindrical fuel compacts arranged in a triangular pitch lattice. Although many calculations have been performed for this fuel form in gas cooled reactors, it would be instructive to investigate whether an alternative fuel form may yield improved performance for the liquid salt-cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR). This study investigates how variations in the fuel form will impact the performance of the LS-VHTR during normal and accident conditions and compares the results with a similar analysis that was recently completed for a LS-VHTR core made up of prismatic block fuel. (author)

Triaxial Swirl Injector Element for Liquid-Fueled Engines

Science.gov (United States)

Muss, Jeff

2010-01-01

A triaxial injector is a single bi-propellant injection element located at the center of the injector body. The injector element consists of three nested, hydraulic swirl injectors. A small portion of the total fuel is injected through the central hydraulic injector, all of the oxidizer is injected through the middle concentric hydraulic swirl injector, and the balance of the fuel is injected through an outer concentric injection system. The configuration has been shown to provide good flame stabilization and the desired fuel-rich wall boundary condition. The injector design is well suited for preburner applications. Preburner injectors operate at extreme oxygen-to-fuel mass ratios, either very rich or very lean. The goal of a preburner is to create a uniform drive gas for the turbomachinery, while carefully controlling the temperature so as not to stress or damage turbine blades. The triaxial injector concept permits the lean propellant to be sandwiched between two layers of the rich propellant, while the hydraulic atomization characteristics of the swirl injectors promote interpropellant mixing and, ultimately, good combustion efficiency. This innovation is suited to a wide range of liquid oxidizer and liquid fuels, including hydrogen, methane, and kerosene. Prototype testing with the triaxial swirl injector demonstrated excellent injector and combustion chamber thermal compatibility and good combustion performance, both at levels far superior to a pintle injector. Initial testing with the prototype injector demonstrated over 96-percent combustion efficiency. The design showed excellent high -frequency combustion stability characteristics with oxygen and kerosene propellants. Unlike the more conventional pintle injector, there is not a large bluff body that must be cooled. The absence of a protruding center body enhances the thermal durability of the triaxial swirl injector. The hydraulic atomization characteristics of the innovation allow the design to be

Organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes: Application to on-site monitoring of liquid fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almeida, Eduardo S.; Silva, Luiz A.J.; Sousa, Raquel M.F.; Richter, Eduardo M.; Foster, Christopher W.; Banks, Craig E.; Munoz, Rodrigo A.A.

2016-01-01

This work presents the potential application of organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes (SPGEs) for fuel analysis. The required analysis of the antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol (2,6-DTBP) in biodiesel and jet fuel is demonstrated as a proof-of-concept. The screen-printing of graphite, Ag/AgCl and insulator inks on a polyester substrate (250 μm thickness) resulted in SPGEs highly compatible with liquid fuels. SPGEs were placed on a batch-injection analysis (BIA) cell, which was filled with a hydroethanolic solution containing 99% v/v ethanol and 0.1 mol L −1 HClO 4 (electrolyte). An electronic micropipette was connected to the cell to perform injections (100 μL) of sample or standard solutions. Over 200 injections can be injected continuously without replacing electrolyte and SPGE strip. Amperometric detection (+1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl) of 2,6-DTBP provided fast (around 8 s) and precise (RSD = 0.7%, n = 12) determinations using an external calibration curve. The method was applied for the analysis of biodiesel and aviation jet fuel samples and comparable results with liquid and gas chromatographic analyses, typically required for biodiesel and jet fuel samples, were obtained. Hence, these SPGE strips are completely compatible with organic samples and their combination with the BIA cell shows great promise for routine and portable analysis of fuels and other organic liquid samples without requiring sophisticated sample treatments. - Highlights: • Organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes (SPGE) for (bio)fuels. • Screen-printing of conductive and insulator inks on thin polyester substrate. • Continuous detection of antioxidants in electrolyte with 99% v/v ethanol. • SPGE coupled with batch-injection analysis allows over 200 injections (100 μL). • Similar results to GC and HPLC analyses of biodiesel and aviation jet fuels.

Energy harvesting from organic liquids in micro-sized microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Mink, J.E.; Qaisi, R.M.; Logan, B.E.; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2014-01-01

Micro-sized microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are miniature energy harvesters that use bacteria to convert biomass from liquids into usable power. The key challenge is transitioning laboratory test beds into devices capable of producing high power using

Modeling and simulation of an isothermal reactor for methanol steam reforming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raphael Menechini Neto

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Due to growing electricity demand, cheap renewable energy sources are needed. Fuel cells are an interesting alternative for generating electricity since they use hydrogen as their main fuel and release only water and heat to the environment. Although fuel cells show great flexibility in size and operating temperature (some models even operate at low temperatures, the technology has the drawback for hydrogen transportation and storage. However, hydrogen may be produced from methanol steam reforming obtained from renewable sources such as biomass. The use of methanol as raw material in hydrogen production process by steam reforming is highly interesting owing to the fact that alcohol has the best hydrogen carbon-1 ratio (4:1 and may be processed at low temperatures and atmospheric pressures. They are features which are desirable for its use in autonomous fuel cells. Current research develops a mathematical model of an isothermal methanol steam reforming reactor and validates it against experimental data from the literature. The mathematical model was solved numerically by MATLAB® and the comparison of its predictions for different experimental conditions indicated that the developed model and the methodology for its numerical solution were adequate. Further, a preliminary analysis was undertaken on methanol steam reforming reactor project for autonomous fuel cell.

Recent Advances in the Characterization of Gaseous and Liquid Fuels by Vibrational Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Kiefer

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Most commercial gaseous and liquid fuels are mixtures of multiple chemical compounds. In recent years, these mixtures became even more complicated when the suppliers started to admix biofuels into the petrochemical basic fuels. As the properties of such mixtures can vary with composition, there is a need for reliable analytical technologies in order to ensure stable operation of devices such as internal combustion engines and gas turbines. Vibrational spectroscopic methods have proved their suitability for fuel characterization. Moreover, they have the potential to overcome existing limitations of established technologies, because they are fast and accurate, and they do not require sampling; hence they can be deployed as inline sensors. This article reviews the recent advances of vibrational spectroscopy in terms of infrared absorption (IR and Raman spectroscopy in the context of fuel characterization. The focus of the paper lies on gaseous and liquid fuels, which are dominant in the transportation sector and in the distributed generation of power. On top of an introduction to the physical principles and review of the literature, the techniques are critically discussed and compared with each other.

In situ liquid water visualization in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells with high resolution synchrotron x-ray radiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chevalier, S.; Banerjee, R.; Lee, J.; Ge, N.; Lee, C.; Bazylak, A., E-mail: abazylak@mie.utoronto.ca [Dept. of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Wysokinski, T. W.; Belev, G.; Webb, A.; Miller, D.; Zhu, N. [Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada); Tabuchi, Y.; Kotaka, T. [EV System Laboratory, Research Division 2, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokosuka, Kanagawa (Japan)

2016-07-27

In this work, we investigated the dominating properties of the porous materials that impact water dynamics in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Visualizations of liquid water in an operating PEMFC were performed at the Canadian Light Source. A miniature fuel cell was specifically designed for X-ray imaging investigations, and an in-house image processing algorithm based on the Beer-Lambert law was developed to extract quantities of liquid water thicknesses (cm) from raw X-ray radiographs. The X-ray attenuation coefficient of water at 24 keV was measured with a calibration device to ensure accurate measurements of the liquid water thicknesses. From this experiment, the through plane distribution of the liquid water in the fuel cell was obtained.

In situ liquid water visualization in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells with high resolution synchrotron x-ray radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, S.; Banerjee, R.; Lee, J.; Ge, N.; Lee, C.; Bazylak, A.; Wysokinski, T. W.; Belev, G.; Webb, A.; Miller, D.; Zhu, N.; Tabuchi, Y.; Kotaka, T.

2016-01-01

In this work, we investigated the dominating properties of the porous materials that impact water dynamics in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Visualizations of liquid water in an operating PEMFC were performed at the Canadian Light Source. A miniature fuel cell was specifically designed for X-ray imaging investigations, and an in-house image processing algorithm based on the Beer-Lambert law was developed to extract quantities of liquid water thicknesses (cm) from raw X-ray radiographs. The X-ray attenuation coefficient of water at 24 keV was measured with a calibration device to ensure accurate measurements of the liquid water thicknesses. From this experiment, the through plane distribution of the liquid water in the fuel cell was obtained.

2D heat and mass transfer modeling of methane steam reforming for hydrogen production in a compact reformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ni Meng

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A heat and mass transfer model is developed for a compact reformer. ► Hydrogen production from methane steam reforming is simulated. ► Increasing temperature greatly increases the reaction rates at the inlet. ► Temperature in the downstream is increased at higher rate of heat supply. ► Larger permeability enhances gas flow and reaction rates in the catalyst layer. - Abstract: Compact reformers (CRs) are promising devices for efficient fuel processing. In CRs, a thin solid plate is sandwiched between two catalyst layers to enable efficient heat transfer from combustion duct to the reforming duct for fuel processing. In this study, a 2D heat and mass transfer model is developed to investigate the fundamental transport phenomenon and chemical reaction kinetics in a CR for hydrogen production by methane steam reforming (MSR). Both MSR reaction and water gas shift reaction (WGSR) are considered in the numerical model. Parametric simulations are performed to examine the effects of various structural/operating parameters, such as pore size, permeability, gas velocity, temperature, and rate of heat supply on the reformer performance. It is found that the reaction rates of MSR and WGSR are the highest at the inlet but decrease significantly along the reformer. Increasing the operating temperature raises the reaction rates at the inlet but shows very small influence in the downstream. For comparison, increasing the rate of heat supply raises the reaction rates in the downstream due to increased temperature. A high gas velocity and permeability facilitates gas transport in the porous structure thus enhances reaction rates in the downstream of the reformer.

Technical and economic modelling of processes for liquid fuel production in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bridgwater, A.V.; Double, J.M.

1991-01-01

The project which is described had the objective of examining the full range of technologies for liquid fuel production from renewable feedstocks in a technical and economic evaluation in order to identify the most promising technologies. The technologies considered are indirect thermochemical liquefaction (i.e. via gasification) to produce methanol, fuel alcohol or hydrocarbon fuels, direct thermochemical liquefaction or pyrolysis to produce hydrocarbon fuels and fermentation to produce ethanol. Feedstocks considered were wood, refuse derived fuel, straw, wheat and sugar beet. In order to carry out the evaluation, a computer model was developed, based on a unit process approach. Each unit operation is modelled as a process step, the model calculating the mass balance, energy balance and operating cost of the unit process. The results from the process step models are then combined to generate the mass balance, energy balance, capital cost and operating cost for the total process. The results show that the lowest production cost (L7/GJ) is obtained for methanol generated from a straw feedstock, but there is a moderate level of technical uncertainty associated with this result. The lowest production cost for hydrocarbon fuel (L8.6/GJ) is given by the pyrolysis process using a wood feedstock. This process has a high level of uncertainty. Fermentation processes showed the highest production costs, ranging from L14.4/GJ for a simple wood feedstock process to L25.2/GJ for a process based on sugar beet. The important conclusions are as follows: - In every case, the product cost is above current liquid fuel prices; - In most cases the feedstock cost dominates the production cost; -The most attractive products are thermochemically produced alcohol fuels

Technical and economic modelling of processes for liquid fuel production in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bridgwater, A V; Double, J M [Aston Univ. Birmingham (GB). Dept of Chemical Engineering

1992-12-31

The project which is described had the objective of examining the full range of technologies for liquid fuel production from renewable feedstocks in a technical and economic evaluation in order to identify the most promising technologies. The technologies considered are indirect thermochemical liquefaction (i.e. via gasification) to produce methanol, fuel alcohol or hydrocarbon fuels, direct thermochemical liquefaction or pyrolysis to produce hydrocarbon fuels and fermentation to produce ethanol. Feedstocks considered were wood, refuse derived fuel, straw, wheat and sugar beet. In order to carry out the evaluation, a computer model was developed, based on a unit process approach. Each unit operation is modelled as a process step, the model calculating the mass balance, energy balance and operating cost of the unit process. The results from the process step models are then combined to generate the mass balance, energy balance, capital cost and operating cost for the total process. The results show that the lowest production cost (L7/GJ) is obtained for methanol generated from a straw feedstock, but there is a moderate level of technical uncertainty associated with this result. The lowest production cost for hydrocarbon fuel (L8.6/GJ) is given by the pyrolysis process using a wood feedstock. This process has a high level of uncertainty. Fermentation processes showed the highest production costs, ranging from L14.4/GJ for a simple wood feedstock process to L25.2/GJ for a process based on sugar beet. The important conclusions are as follows: - In every case, the product cost is above current liquid fuel prices; - In most cases the feedstock cost dominates the production cost; -The most attractive products are thermochemically produced alcohol fuels.

Aqueous phase reforming of ethylene glycol - Role of intermediates in catalyst performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vlieger, Dennis; Mojet, Barbara; Lefferts, Leonardus; Seshan, Kulathuiyer

2012-01-01

Liquid product formation during the aqueous catalytic reforming of ethylene glycol (EG) was studied up to 450 °C and 250 bar pressure. Methanol, ethanol, and acetic acid were the main liquid by-products during EG reforming in the presence of alumina-supported Pt and Pt–Ni catalysts. The effect of

H{sub 2} as source of renewable energy: production through catalytic methods by means of the reforming of methanol; H{sub 2} como fuente de energia renovable: produccion por metodos cataliticos mediante el reformado de metanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez H, R; Lopez, P; Gutierrez M, A; Gutierrez W, C; Mondragon G, G; Mendoza A, D [ININ, Departamento de Tecnologia de Materiales, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Angeles Ch, C [Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Programa de Ingenieria Molecular, Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas Norte 152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, 07730 Mexico D. F. (Mexico); Arenas A, J., E-mail: raul.perez@inin.gob.m [UNAM, Instituto de Fisica, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico D. F. (Mexico)

2010-07-01

The fuel cells transform the chemical energy stored in the connection H-H of the H{sub 2} molecule in electric energy and water vapor when is combines with the oxygen. Even when the hydrogen has a high potential as energy source, its handling is difficult (storage and transport). This has motivated the search of hydrogen production methods in situ starting from liquid fuels like the methanol or ethanol through the reaction of reforming. The methanol is a fuel of easy availability for fuel cells with electronic applications and of transport. Although the methanol energy density is approximately half of the gasoline and diesel, it is more reagent and can be used directly in fuel cells or can also be reformed to low temperatures for the hydrogen obtaining to be used in fuel cells of proton exchange. In this article the results obtained of the systems, Cu-Ni/ZrO{sub 2} and Ag-Au(1-D)-CeO{sub 2} are presented and can be competitive to generate H{sub 2} and being used in the fuel cells to generate energy. (Author)