The Target Project - ACS Publications

28 The Target Project M . V.

BURLINGAME

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Downloaded by UNIV OF LEEDS on June 18, 2016 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: June 1, 1969 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1969-0090.ch028

Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America, Chicago, Ill. 60603

TARGET (Team to Advance Research for Gas Energy Transformation, Inc.) is a project whose major effort is to advance the research, development, and utilization of natural gas fuel cell systems. The objective is a power plant of a size and capability that will service not only a single family dwelling but also multi-family units, such as apartments and town house groupings, shopping centers, commercial establishments, and light industry facilities.

' " p h e T A R G E T project is a cooperative undertaking of almost thirty gas companies who are financing massive research to try to develop an economical natural gas fuel cell to provide a competitive answer to the all-electric home. The sponsoring gas companies are providing up to $5 million annually in this venture with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corporation, which in turn is using, as a subcontractor, the Institute of Gas Technology, the gas industry's research facility in Chicago. Pratt & Whitney is contributing another $2 million annually to the effort. W i t h three years of study involved in Phase I of the program, a $21 million effort is scheduled, without question the largest single research effort ever undertaken by the gas industry. While the fuel cell principle has been known for more than a century —Sir W i l l i a m Grove probably invented the first true fuel cell about 1840 — i t was confined to the laboratory until The Space Age. The fuel cell became a household word with the successful Gemini space probes which depended for electrical energy on a highly improved Grove-type fuel cell. In this cell, pure hydrogen is the fuel and pure oxygen the oxidant using an electrode catalyzed with platinum. Natural gas is a good source of hydrogen, and air is a good source of oxygen. The problem and challenge is the right combination of these A

'Present address: 6008 Shore Acres Drive N.W., Bradenton, Florida 33505.

377 Baker; Fuel Cell Systems-II Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1969.

378

FUEL

H ELECTRODE

SYSTEMS

AIR ELECTRODE

2

ION TRANSPORT

4


CELL

REACTANT SITE PROVISION

r

WASTE HEAT

PRODUCT H0 2

Figure 1.

Cell requirements ULTIMATE BENEFITS TO

OBJECTIVES •

DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETITIVE SYSTEM

GAS INDUSTRY

•

NEW LOADS

•

LOAD LEVELER THROUGH BASE LOAD

•

MANUFACTURING FACILITY

•

TRAINED ORGANIZATIONS

SENDOUT INCREASE •

COMPETITIVE ANSWER TO THE ALL ELECTRIC HOME

Figure 2. DECISION FIRST PHASE

The program

POINTS AND MILESTONES SECOND PHASE

Δ •ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES FOR FIRST PHASE

COMMIT •

• •

TO F/C FULL DEVELOPMENT

THIRD PHASE Δ

COMMIT

FULL TEEC |F/C| INVENTORIES

· TO BUILDUP TO FULL · FULL MANUF CAP. MARKETING . ΑΝΠ MANl't'FUU- MARKETING TO LIMITED MANUF CAP. TO PILOT «FULL SERVICING TEEC EXPERIMENT CAP. m

r

i

n

t

M

B 1 / P T I M O

TEEC=TOTAL ENERGY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL Figure 3.

Overall nine year program plan

Baker; Fuel Cell Systems-II Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1969.

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28.

BURLiNGAME

379

Target Project DECISION POINTS AND MILESTONES

FIRST YEAR

SECOND YEAR Δ

EST CRITERIA SELECTION FOR F/C OF F/C TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY SELECTION

THIRD YEAR -

Δ

COMPLETE INITIAL DESIGNS FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT


PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF NATURE AND EXTENT OF MARKET ACCEPTABILITY OF TEEC=JOTAL ENERGY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL Figure 4.

Program plan for first phase (first 3 years)

source materials to produce an economic unit not requiring an expensive catalyst. This, then, together with a detailed market analysis, constitutes the substance of the T A R G E T project. The fuel cell is a highly efficient device that produces electricity. It has no moving parts and consists of two different conducting substances placed i n an electrolyte. A fuel cell is not a battery in which components can break down or be used up. Ideally, nothing breaks down i n the fuel cell, as ions are released in an electro-chemical reaction to produce current. The fuel cell consists of a fuel electrode (anode) and an oxidant electrode (cathode). These are separated by an ion-conducting electro lyte. The electrodes are electrical conductors connecting the fuel and oxidant phases with the electrolyte. The reactions taking place in the fuel cell involve ionization of either the fuel or oxidant and the giving and receiving of electrons with respect to the external circuit. PERFORMANCE

• GOOD FUEL ECONOMY • NO SIZE EFFECT ON CELL EFFICIENCY • HIGH EFFICIENCY AT PARTLOAD

MODULAR PACKAGING

• MINIMUM OF DISSIMILAR PARTS • SIMPLIFIED MAINTENANCE • DEPENDABILITY • INSTALLATION FLEXIBILITY

OPERATION

• • • •

SILENT & VIBRATION FREE CLEAN EXHAUST HEAT UTILIZATION FAST RESPONSE

Figure 5.

Fuel cell powerplant features


380

F U E L

C E L L

SYSTEMS

II


In addition to the cell itself, complete systems w i l l have to be investi gated. Reformers to produce hydrogen from natural gas, methods of conditioning the air, or means of using either as is—or either substance only slightly modified—must be researched. Inverters are also being studied to determine the most efficient, the most economical, and the most long-lived type or types. Progress has been made on these approaches, but much more is necessary. This is a major part of the research program. Our research program is looking at three general groups of cells, fueled with natural gas and air, to determine which may have the best capability for success. These types may be referred to as: 1. L o w temperature cells—140 ° - 3 0 0 ° F . a. A c i d electrolytes—i.e., sulfuric or phosphoric b. A l k a l i electrolytes—i.e., sodium or potassium hydroxide Each of these has pros and cons. The acid cell seems unaffected by the C 0 i n the air and it appears that there is less chance of electrode pollution with insoluble carbonates. The alkaline cell appears a more efficient air electrode with less corrosion complications than the acid cell. 2

•

MARKET ANALYSIS

• APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS •

SYSTEM ANALYSIS

• SYSTEM ENGINEERING • TECHNOLOGY (BASIC AND POWERPLANT] •

APPLICATIONS TESTING

Figure 6.

Program elements

1.21.0-

EFF / EFF AT 0.8 RATED POWER

0.6 0.4 0.2 10

DOUBLE SHAFT 20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

PERCENT RATED OUTPUT

EFF=EFFICIENCY Figure 7. Off-design efficiency performance for typical energy conversion systems



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BURLiNGAME

Target Project

Figure 8.

381

Power system efficiencies

Figure 9.

Energy costs

• INDUSTRIAL • MERCANTILE AND OFFICE BLDGS • LARGE URBAN RESIDENTIAL (HI-RISE APARTMENT BLDG] • LARGE HOTEL, HOSPITAL, DORMITORY • SUBURBAN CONNECTED RESIDENTIAL [GARDEN APARTMENT) • SUBURBAN DISCONNECTED RESIDENTIAL (TRACT) • SINGLE RESIDENTIAL Figure 10.

Fuel cell—total energy applications


382

F U E L

C E L L

SYSTEMS

Both now use rather expensive catalysts, such as platinum or silverpalladium, and poison sensitivity ( C 0 - H S ) of the catalyst may be a problem. Here research w i l l be directed towards the development of inexpen sive catalysts with tolerance for impurities i n the gases. 2. Molten-electrolyte cells a. Potassium hydroxide (medium temperature—400°F.) Requires reformers to provide hydrogen from the natural gas and equipment to remove C 0 from the air. b. Molten carbonate (high temperature—900°-1400°F. range) ( 1 ) Does not require noble metal electrode catalysts ( 2 ) Provides useful heat but is sluggish in performance and has corrosion problems. 3. Solid electrolyte cells, using stabilized zirconia as the electrolyte, is the last type of cell under investigation. This is a high temperature cell operating i n the 1600°-1900°F. range. Because the solid electrolyte must be thin (0.016 inch), structural problems present themselves. Plusses, however, include (1) usable waste heat, and (2) large tolerance to impurities i n the reactant gases. In this effort, whole systems, not just the cells, must be considered— such as reformers for fuels and oxidant purification, where necessary, means of overcoming sluggishness to load demands, etc. Solution of these problems is the major effort of the T A R G E T research program. Additional aspects of the research w i l l deal w i t h : 1. Market analysis (types of customers to be served) 2. L o a d characteristics 3. Methods of placing the fuel cell i n the hands of the public 4. Other special interests. 2

2

2


II

RECEIVED

November 20, 1967.


The Target Project - ACS Publications

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