Rolls-Royce SOFC Perspective October / November issue
New wave technology
The role of the marine propulsion supplier is changing, from the supply of individual items of equipment to the delivery of sophisticated, integrated systems with guaranteed performance and through-life support. As a result it is now key for propulsion systems, both mechanical or electrical, to offer a combination of high power density and low fuel consumption. Rolls-Royce is currently building on these concepts in several projects around the world.
The Fastship Project
Rolls-Royce has been selected to supply both the gas turbines and the waterjets for the transatlantic project known as FastShip. FastShip features an innovative semi-planing hull which will be powered by five 50MW MT50 gas turbines, each driving a 3.25 metre diameter Kamewa waterjet. The service is designed to operate between specially developed port facilities at Philadelphia and Cherbourg, crossing the Atlantic in 3.5 days, in order to achieve seven day door-to-door delivery. At a cost of around 25 per cent of that of air freight, and delivery times typically four times faster than conventional sea freight, FastShip will offer a new type of service for long distance transport of high value goods.
The Electric Ship
On vessels such as warships and cruise liners, there is a great premium on useable space, and this can be significantly increased by the layout flexibility provided by the concept of the 'Electric Ship'. In an Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) system, the ship's propulsors are driven by electric motors alone, and the power for the electric motors is drawn from a unified electrical power system that also provides all of the ship's electrical services. Thus integrating the power and propulsion systems where more conventionally there might have been two.
The greatest flexibility in ship layout is achieved if the motor is moved outside the vessel into a pod below the ship where it directly drives a propeller. Such podded propulsors have already been taken up by the cruise industry and will be used by new Queen Mary 2 Cunard liner. They offer increased space, reduced fuel consumption, reduced noise and outstanding manoeuvrability, as they can be rotated through almost 360 degrees and act as both rudder and propulsor.
The WR-21
The next generation of marine prime movers is exemplified by the WR-21, the most advanced marine gas turbine currently available. It incorporates both intercooler and recuperator heat exchangers, the combined effect of which is to allow 'waste' heat to be recovered from the gas turbine exhaust, providing significant fuel savings across the entire power range.
Although the WR-21 was originally developed for naval applications and will go into service in the UK Royal Navy's new Type 45 destroyer, there are some strong similarities between the requirements of warships and cruise liners. Consequently, there is considerable interest in the use of advanced cycles in cruise applications.
Environment and Future
Marine transportation is generally perceived to have a lower environmental impact than most other forms of transportation, and developments in propulsion technology are maintaining this advantage.
Looking further ahead, Rolls-Royce is developing fuel cell systems. Such systems could ultimately be applied in marine markets, particularly in electric ship applications, subject to the development of reforming technology to enable them to operate on typical marine fuels. With thermal efficiencies of up to 60-70 per cent (potentially achieved in hybrid fuel-cell gas turbine systems) and virtually no reduction in efficiency at part-load, this would yield a 40-50 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions below those of the most efficient diesel engines.
As our world becomes increasingly crowded, integrated transport systems exploiting a broader range of modes will become essential to reduce pressure on roads and airports. This will bring increasing opportunities for new developments in the marine sector. New technology in areas such as clean combustion, computational design and analysis methods, power electronics, advanced electrical machines, fuel cells and magnetic and superconducting materials will find applications in marine vessels of the future. This will take marine propulsion and transport to new levels of speed, efficiency and reliability.
rolls-royce.com
Fuel Cell Trade Mission to Canada - 12 - 18 Sept, 2002
The Mission will focus particularly on areas where the UK has particular strength and capability. These include stack materials and manufacturability, fuel production and storage, system components and balance-of-plant. In terms of applications for fuel cell technology, the Mission will cover stationary power, automotive and portable areas.
Dates:
Montreal - 12 Sept
Toronto - 13 Sept
Vancouver - 13-17 Sept
Calgary - 18 Sept.
Post Contact Info: David Roberts, DCG, VCR
Participating companies
Organisation Name: AMEC plc
Contact: Alastair Rennie, Head of Renewables
Platform Technologies: Engineering Contractor and Developer
Areas for Potential Collaboration: Infrastucture and applications
E: alastair.rennie@amec.com
W: www.amec.com
Core Technology Ventures
Contact: David Wright, Executive Partner
Platform Technologies: All aspects of fuel cell technology
Areas for Potential Collaboration: Commercial Due dilligence and or Co-Investment
E: dave@coretecventures.com
DSTL
Contact: Kevin Pointon, Principal Scientist
Platform Technologies: Fuel cells (particularly PEM, SOFC, MCFC)
Areas for Potential Collaboration: Fuel cells, power sources, defence applications of fuel cells and power sources.
E: jblakeman@dstl.gov.uk
W: www.dstl.gov.uk
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Contact: Ray Eaton, Head - Solar, Fuel Cells & Export
Platform Technologies: The Sustainable Energy Policy Unit has interests in a range of technologies that include fuel cells. Fuel cells are also covered by the Sustainable Energy R&D Programme and there are broader links with other Government departments.
Areas for Potential Collaboration: The Sustainable Energy Policy Unit's aim is to develop a view of when and how fuel cells will be commercialised, and to identify strategies at a governmental level that will support exploitation in the UK.
Imperial College Centre For Energy Policy and Technology
Contact: David Hart, Head of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research
Platform Technologies: Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Energy Technologies
Areas for Potential Collaboration: Fuel cell and hydrogen energy research
E: david.hart@ic.ac.uk
W: www.ic.ac.uk
Intelligent Energy Ltd
Contact: Dennis Hayter, Director Business Development
Platform Technologies: PEM fuel cell technology
Areas for Potential Collaboration: Hydrogen supply and infrastructure, component supply chain, OEMs.
E: dennis.hayter@intelligent-energy.com
W: www.intelligent-energy.com
International Technology Promoters
Contact: Philip Sharman, International Technology Promoter, North America, Sustainable Energy & Environmental Technologies
Platform Technologies:
Areas for Potential Collaboration: International technology promotion Technology Transfer International collaboration
Morgan Materials Technology
Contact: Alan Chapman, Senior Specialist
Platform Technologies: PEM and DM
Areas for Potential Collaboration :
E: rbayliss@m2t.co.uk
W: www.m2t.co.uk
ReGenTech ltd
Contact: Mr David J McGrath, MD
Platform Technologies: PEM, electrolysers, hydrogen storage, power electronics
Areas for Potential Collaboration: We are systems integrator positioned in last part of the supply chain where we configure the system for the end user. We seek technically and commercially secure supply lines for fuel cell systems technologies and support technologies. We have a specific focus on commercialisation. Markets
?UPS and Standby systems
?Electric vehicle range extenders
?Portable genset systems
?Inland waterways marine power units
E: djm@regentech.com
W: www.regentech.com
Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems
Contact: Alan Spangler, Director, Business Development
Platform Technologies: High temperature SOFC for stationary power generation applications
Areas for Potential Collaboration: Investment, Pre-Reformers, Power Conversion and Controls, Material Sourcing
E: alan.spangler@rolls-royce.com
W: www.rolls-royce.com
Synnogy
Contact: Celia Greaves, Director
Platform Technologies:
Areas for Potential Collaboration: Facilitation of commercialisation International Technology Transfer
uk-canada-trade.org
European Union Funded Project Record
1. Component reliability of solid oxide fuel cell systems for commercial operation
General Project Information
Objectives: Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) can be a promising energy generation system of the 21st century covering the range from kW household applications to multiple MW power stations. SOFCs can operate on a variety of fuels reformed internally. Due to the higher power generation efficiency, SOFCs decrease the release of CO2 into the environment by 20-30%, thereby contributing significantly to the Kyoto objectives.
This project aims to improve the reliability of planar SOFC systems using ferritic steels as interconnects for cost competitive reasons. The reliability and durability of these cells is, at present, still too low for long-term operation and cannot compete with the 40.000+ hours lifetime required for stationary operations. Main focus of the work will be the materials selection and combination of bipolar plates, contact layers and protective coatings to minimise corrosion and chemical interaction between metallic and ceramic parts to achieve a reliable SOFC design with respect to electrochemical performance and thermal cyclability.
Description of the work:
Based on a reference planar SOFC design with thin electrolyte membrane, the consortium plans to improve the durability of SOFC systems to a level acceptable for commercial operation. For this purpose, we are using identically fabricated cells with dimensions applicable for commercial use and tests lasting thousands of hours. Since the ceramic parts show stable performance with time, the work will focus mainly on the influence of interconnect and contact materials. Degradation mechanisms will be identified and solutions will be developed and tested. In addition to constant and typical operational conditions, we will investigate the limits of performance under high power density and during thermal cycling establishing the acceptable level of mismatch of properties between different cell components. In all work packages, cells and stacks will be carefully analysed by advanced chemical and ceramographic methods. Final demonstrations of long lifetimes and stack operation under realistic conditions are part of the project.
This work is carried out jointly by industrial partners and the multidisciplinary approach of the leading European SOFC research centres. They are providing the leadership in the three work packages entitled contact degradation, cell degradation, and stack degradation. The progress in the project will be demonstrated by stack tests under realistic operation conditions.
Expected Results and Exploitation Plans:
The project target is the demonstration of improved stack performance under realistic operating conditions with a degradation rate less than 0.75 % per 1000 hours and a thermal cyclability with <0.75 % degradation after 20 temperature cycles. The influence of material properties (interconnect and contact layers) as well as operating parameters (e.g. power density, gas composition and gas utilisation) on cell degradation will be worked out.
Efficient co-production of heat and power in residential or industrial buildings using fuel cell systems ranging from few kW to the 100 kW or MW class results in both economic and environmental advantages of a growing "SOFC industry". Emphasis is on enhancing the advanced European position on planar SOFC development and to support the ongoing EC-funded SOFC projects with the material scientific know-how worked out during our component reliability investigations.
Project Reference: ENK5-CT-2000-00308 Contract Type: Cost-sharing contracts
Start Date: 2001-01-01 End Date: 2004-06-30
Duration: 42 months Project Status: Execution
Project Acronym: CORE-SOFC Update Date: 2002-10-31
Coordinator
Organisation Type: Research
Department: INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS AND ENERGY SYSTEMS
Organisation: FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JUELICH GMBH
Leo-Brandt-Strasse
52425 JUELICH
GERMANY
Contact Person:
Name: TREUSCH, Joachim (Professor)
Participants
Organisation Type: Research
Department: MATERIALS RESEARCH DEPARTMENT
Organisation: RISOE NATIONAL LABORATORY
Frederiksborgvej 399
P.O. Box 49
4000 ROSKILDE
DENMARK
Contact Person: KJEMS, Joergen (Mr)
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Organisation Type: Research
Department: BUSINESS UNIT CLEAN FOSSIL FUELS
Organisation: ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE OF THE NETHERLANDS
Westerduinweg 3
P.B. 1
1755 ZG PETTEN
NETHERLANDS
Contact Person: VAN DER KLEIN, Cornelis Antoon Maria (Dr)
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Organisation Type: Other
Organisation: GLOBAL THERMOELECTRIC INC.
4852 - 52 St. South East
T2B 3R2 CALGARY
CANADA
Contact Person: GHOSH, Debabrata (Dr)
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Organisation Type: Other
Department: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Organisation: HALDOR TOPSOEE A/S
55 Nymoellevej 55
2800 LYNGBY
DENMARK
Contact Person: ROSTRUP-NIELSEN, Jens (Dr)
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Organisation Type: Other
Department: STRATEGIC RESEARCH CENTRE (SIN - 28)
Organisation: ROLLS ROYCE PLC
SINA 28
PO Box 31
DE24 8BJ Derby
UNITED KINGDOM
Contact Person: VIVIAN, Vanessa (Ms)
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