http://www.fch-ju.eu/

SOFCOM SOFC CCHP with poly-fuel: operation and management

Massimo Santarelli

Programme Review Day 2012 Brussels, 28 & 29 November 2012

SOFCOM (278798)

Massimo Santarelli Politecnico di Torino (Italy)

General Overview

• SOFC CCHP with poly-fuel: operation and management

• 3 yrs

• Total Budget: 6,219,613 € - FCH contribution: 2,937,753 €

• Partnership: 10 Partners

• Companies: Topsoe Fuel Cells A/S (DK), Società Metropolitana Acque Torino spa (IT), Matgas 2000 A.I.E. (SP)

• Research Centers: Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT (FL), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT), Instytut Energetyki (PL)

• Universities: Politecnico di Torino (IT), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH), Technische Universitaet Muenchen (DE), Università di Torino (IT)

Project & Partnership description

Project achievements

SLUDGE DIGESTION

ANODEBiogas (CH4,CO2, N2 traces) OXY-

COMBUSTION

WATER REMOVAL

CleanwaterALGAE

GROWING

CO2 (high purity)

O2 (nearly stoichiometric)

Anode off-gas(H2O, CO2 ,H2, CO, N2 traces)

H2O, CO2

(N2, O2 traces)

Algae (C)

Secondary sludge(C-H-N-O substrate)

Pow

er

Hea

t

Was

tew

ater

Ligh

t

Cle

an w

ate

r

Surp

lus

of

Alg

ae

ELECTROLYTE

CATHODE

Fresh air

Vitiated airSOFC

Goal DEMO example:

plant in Torino (IT)

CARBON CYCLE IN THE SOFCOM PROCESS

Project achievements

Goals LAB:

LAB tests developed on every section of the whole system at laboratory-scale: fuel section; fuel cleaning section; fuel processing section; SOFC CCHP section, for the production of electrical and thermal (cooling and heating) power; carbon capturing module (in Demonstration 1).

This level of analysis is preparatory to the Demonstration Axis.

GOALS of Lab-scale Experimental Analysis Axis Month

Lab-scale results on influence of pollutants on SOFC anodes and fuel

processing reactions, and gas cleaning (both WWTU biogas and

gasification gas): Guidelines for implementation of proofs-of-concepts.

M12

Lab-scale results on influence of pollutants on SOFC anodes and fuel

processing reactions, and gas cleaning (both WWTU biogas and

gasification gas): Scientific advances in poisoning mechanisms

M18

Lab-scale: carbon sequestration technologies: Guidelines for

implementation of proofs-of-concept 1

M21

Project achievements

Goal System Analysis:

DEMO Design; Scenario Analysis

SCHEMATIC MODELS (ASPEN+) FOR SOFC-BASED PLANTS

Biogas processing unit SOFC anode section

SOFC exhaust

gases combustion

Project achievements

Advanc. DEMO example:

plant in Torino (IT)

REV

0

1

2

REVISION DESCRIPTION DATE BY CHK APP

TITLE

Nutrients removal

unit.pptx

SCALE - NTS SHEET 1 OF 1

© Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Allentown, Pennsylvania

and/or

Air Products, PLC

Hersham, England

As of dates in REVISIONS list

All rights reserved

ABC01/01/01First draft of the unit ABC ABC

SOFCOM: Nutrients

removal unit using

CO2 and

microorganism

.

.

.. . .

.. . .

CO

NF

IDE

NT

IAL

AN

D

PR

OP

RIE

TA

RY

DA

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his

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s the p

ropert

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Air P

roducts

and C

hem

icals

, In

c.

and/o

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iari

es,

and m

ust

be a

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or

and r

etu

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om

pan

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pon r

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est.

In

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his

dra

win

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s c

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and p

ropri

eta

ry i

nfo

rmation

of

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roducts

and m

ust

not

be u

sed,

copie

d,

repro

duced,

or

dis

clo

sed t

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thers

in w

hole

or

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art

, w

ithout

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per

auth

ori

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his

dra

win

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ay

not

be r

epro

duce

d o

r used f

or

purp

oses o

ther

than t

hat

for

whic

h i

t w

as s

upplie

d.

P-304

PCV-102 V-105

PSV-104

TO VENT

PI

103

PI

101

C-300

V-326

Drain

FC-108

MFC

XV-112

S

A B

CDV-320

PSH

306

CV-110

P-200WasteWater

Tap Water

2 bars

Treated Water

A B

CDV-324

Algae PurgeV-302

FI-

308

V-200

CV-200

CO2 from

Dryer

CO2 from

SOFC

PT

322

ANA

TP

ANA

TN

TI

316

LightI

314

T-120

V-122

CV-360 V-380

FT

310

FC-350

MFC

V-318

V-312

Biogas procressing unit Anode exhaust oxy-combustor unit

CO2/H2O separation unit Photo-bio-reactor unit

Project achievements

Advanc. LAB example:

biogas contaminant tests

Contaminant Model

Compound

Low

Value

High Value

Hydrocarbons C2H4 0 100 ppm

Halocarbons C2Cl4 0 1 ppm

Siloxanes D5 0 1 ppm

Other contaminants:

• HCl

• L4

• acetylene

Project achievements

Criteria and performance/research

Indicators (to be achieved):

Claim 1.

Fuel issues considering detailed poisoning mechanisms, advancing in

cleaning and processing technologies (just started)

Claim 2.

Define and operate new proof-of-concept fuel cell systems fully integrated

with biomass processing units and carbon sequestration and handling technologies

(good advancement)

Claim 3.

Maintenance, safety, repair and de-commissioning of fuel cell systems on a

demonstration scale (not yet started)

Alignment to MAIP/AIP

Correlation of the project with the corresponding Application Area

Overall Objective How SOFCOM addresses the Overall

Objective

The programme aims to achieve the principal technical and

economic requirements that will be needed if fuel cells are to

compete with existing energy conversion technologies. These

include high electrical efficiencies of 45%+ for power systems

and of 80%+ for CHP systems, with lower emissions and use

of non-fossil fuels. Focused efforts will be required to address

lifetime requirements of 40,000 hours for fuel cell systems,

and to meet commercial cost targets, which will vary

according to the type of application.

SOFCOM foresees the final demonstration of complete biofuel-

fed SOFC systems in CCHP configuration, which will achieve

electrical efficiencies 50%+, overall efficiencies of 80%+, and

eventually a complete use of the H and C atoms in the primary

fuel, as the excess fuel will be stored in form of algae: therefore,

a potential exergy efficiency of 90%+.

Demonstration activities target proof-of-concept, technology

validation or field demonstrations, depending upon

technological maturity. Proof-of-concept activities will take

place within in-house test facilities at a representative scale,

validation activities either in-house or in the field in a

representative environment, whilst field demonstrations will

be required to be undertaken in a real operating environment

with end-users.

SOFCOM foresees two final demonstration of complete biofuel-

fed SOFC systems:

DEMO 1 Torino (IT): field demonstration of WWTU biogas-fed

SOFC with CO2 recovery and reuse; real operating

environment.

DEMO 2 Helsinki (FI): technology validation within in-house test

facility of bio-syngas-fed SOFC; in-house validation.

Field demonstration activities are split into small (residential

and commercial applications) and large (distributed

generation or other industrial or commercial applications)

scale.

Any validation proposal must show that proof-of-concept has

been successfully undertaken, and any field demonstration

proposal should show that both proof-of-concept and

validation activities have been successfully completed.

The DEMO 1 in Torino is a small demonstration activity but

performed in a real industrial application scale.

The DEMO 2 in Helsinki is a small demonstration activity but

with emphasis on future scale-up (biomass gasification fuel).

Alignment to MAIP/AIP Project activities & results/achievements versus MAIP/AIP document targets

MAIP target How SOFCOM addresses the MAIL target

Development of proof of concept

prototypes that combine fuel cell units

into complete systems

The present project foresees the development of two proof-of-concept demonstration plants,

which integrates SOFCs into complete systems: WWTU-SOFC in CCHP (Torino); bio-syngas-

SOFC (Helsinki)

Maintenance and repair issues to

reduce downtimes from known failure

mechanisms

The repair and maintenance activities are the core of the Work Packages dedicated to

Demonstration 1 and Demonstration 2; also, the formulation of repair strategies, the monitoring

analysis on the long run, and the development of pre-normative results leading to recommended

practices for those plants will be part of the final results of the project.

Identification of technical and

economic requirements in order to be

competitive in the marketplace

This part is analysed in the last period, following the real experience performed in the

Demonstration Activity, with a scale-up analysis of the integrated SOFC systems studied.

Validation activities, performed in a

real system environment or with real

equipment in a simulated system

environment

The proof-of-concept validation of the tested systems on the demonstration sites will be one of the

main results of the project; this will be followed by a close examination of the lessons learned,

which will eventually enable us to identify the reliability of the SOFC integrated systems,

weaknesses, and eventually to establish the market maturity.

Fulfilment of the diverse application

needs

The demonstration completely fulfils all the application needs listed in the Topic: combine fuel cell

units into complete systems, integration and testing with fuel delivery and processing subsystems;

interface with devices featuring delivery of customer requirements (power, heat, cooling and CO2

capture).

Validation of the whole system built,

supply chain, costs targets, including

life-cycle considerations and

integration into power plants and

networks

This validation will be achieved through the scale-up analysis of the integrated SOFC systems,

following the real experience performed in the Demonstration Activity; life-cycle and economic

assessments will be also performed within the WPs dedicated to the concept design of the energy

systems and their techno-economic analysis

Establishment of quality control

procedures and techniques to ensure

quality of systems

Fully-automated test procedures and advanced control systems will be employed on tested units

to produce a reliable and reproducible monitoring of the performance, and safe control of the

overall systems and its components.

Addressing relevant manufacturing

solutions linked to the validation of fuel

cell systems

The most relevant manufacturing solutions are defined in the concept design of the systems

(WP4 and WP5), will be applied in the demonstrations (WP6 and WP7) and will be analysed and

validated in the final analysis of the lessons learned (WP8).

Alignment to MAIP/AIP

Priorities and topics possibly under/over-estimated in the AIPs

POWER-TO-GAS PROCESSES (strictly related to FCH JU topics)

Landfill gas

Renewable

power peak

(wind, PV,…) PEM/Alkali/SOEC

electrolysis

PEM/Alkali/SOEC

electrolysis H2

Hydrogen

Sabatier

reaction Biomethane

Renewable

Energy Source Process Product

H2O

Biogas from

OW (FORSU) Tailored low cost

purification

Biomethane CO2

Tailored low cost

purification

Biomethane

CO2

Power

condi-

tioning

Cross-cutting issues

Cross-Cutting Issues

Cross-Cutting Issues How SOFCOM addresses the Cross-Cutting Issues

Training and Education Erasmus Mundus II PhD (SELECT+) and MSc (SELECT) in Environomical Pathways

for Sustainable Energy Systems

SELECT (www.exploreselect.eu) considers the conversion chain, from primary

energy source to final energy service delivered to mankind. The Program is a joint

consortium formed by KTH (Royal Institute of Technology, SW), POLITO (Politecnico

di Torino, IT), Aalto University (Eespo, FL), TU/e (Eindhoven University of

Technology, NL), UPC (Barcelona Tech, SP), IST (Lisbon, PT) and AGH (Warsaw,

PL). Many Companies are partners for different activities (Internships, Final Thesis,

etc.). The specialization on Fuel Cells is offered by POLITO, with the coordination of

Prof. Santarelli. Thus, the SOFCOM project will be strictly related to the activities of

the PhD and MSc.

Safety, Regulations, Codes and Standards

One of the principal outcome of SOFCOM is to impact the standardisation activities in

the areas related to the operation, management and maintenance of SOFC CCHP

systems fed by biogenous fuels. The collaboration with RC&S Institutes is done at the

level of the international RC&S institutes: Prof. Santarelli is member of the ISO/TC

197 “Hydrogen Technologies”, IEC/TC 105 Fuel Cells, of the RC&SWG of IPHE.

Dissemination & public awareness

The Dissemination is performed by a web site (www.sofcom.eu, active since M1),a

Newsletter (First Issue August 2012), several participation to conferences

Information on publications Journal Papers: 12

Participation to Conferences (10, of which 3 invited speaker)

Patents: 3 patents deposited

Technology Transfer / Collaborations

Enhancing cooperation and future perspectives

Project SOFCOM interaction

ENEFIELD “European-wide field trials for

residential fuel cell micro-CHP” (FCH JU 2011)

Data on SOFC performances and reliability, installation

requirements

Collaboration in the RC&S topics

BIOALMA “Biofuels from Algae” (National 2011) Algae and photo-bio-reactors (DEMO 1 Torino)

PRIN 2009 “Experimental and energy-strategy

analysis of the use of syngas from coal and

biomass to feed SOFC systems integrated with

CO2 separation processes” (National 2011)

Syngas-fed SOFC: cleaning, procesing, degradation issues

Technologies and processes for CO2 separation from

anode exhausts

OZ-BOX “Design of Balance of Plant of a

integrated SOFC stack” (National 2011)

All issues connected to exigencies of real installation of a

SOFC system in a indutrial environment.

RES-COGEN “Economic analysis of FC-based

CHP systems” (National 2011)

Data concerning the design and the operation costs of a

real SOFC CHP installation

Project Future Perspectives

Enhancing cooperation and future perspectives

Strict integration and enhancement of future power-to-gas (P2G) processes at EU level

WWTU gasSOFCOM DEMO 1

Renewablepower peak(wind, PV,…)

PEM/Alkali/SOECelectrolysis

PEM/Alkali/SOECelectrolysis

H2

Hydrogen

Sabatierreaction

Biomethane

RenewableEnergy Source

Process Product

H2O

Bio-syngasSOFCOM DEMO 2

SOFC + CO2 recoveryfrom anode exhaust

CCHPCO2

SOFC + CO2 recoveryfrom anode exhaust

CCHP

CO2

Powercondi-tioning

SOFC

OM

P2

G

SOFC-basedplant