Hydrogen Europe:
European Hydrogen & Fuel cell Project Database
Project CATION
Project subtitle
Cathode Subsystem Development and Optimisation
The main objectives of this proposal is to evaluate different process alternatives and find optimal process and mechanical solutions for the cathode and stack subsystems with the aim of having commercially feasible and technologically optimised subsystem solutions ready for future ~ 250 kWe atmospheric SOFC systems. The aspects taken into account in the development are mainly electrical efficiency, controllability, reliability, mass production and costs effectiveness of developed subsystems and individual components.
This project is focused on the development of SOFC system’s air side fluid and thermal management and mechanical solutions, i.e. cathode subsystem and individual components. In large SOFC systems the cathode subsystem is typically the largest source of auxiliary losses and a major factor decreasing electrical efficiency of the system. The reason for this is that almost all components are based on existing products developed for some other purposes and are not optimized for certain SOFC systems. By making cathode side components from the SOFC system point of view, i.e. optimizing the overall system solutions, significant improvements in terms of costs, reliability, performance and lifetime will be achieved. A parallel optimization of the anode subsystem is carried out in the EU funded ASSENT project.
The project will further focus on the integration of SOFC stacks in large systems. If large SOFC systems would be realized by simple multiplication of smaller SOFC stacks, the cost of the so-called Balance of Stack components would be very large. The Balance of Stack components includes air- and gas manifolding, stack compression, thermal insulation, electrical insulation, wiring, lead-in’s and sealing. Based on state-of-the-art SOFC stacks this project will develop scalable, cost-efficient Balance of Stack solutions suitable for ~ 250 kW SOFC systems.
Project Information
Type of project : Research
Timing : 01/01/2011 > 30/06/2014
Project website
Funding
European Union through FCH JU: Grant agreement 256627 - CORDIS link
Project partners
Coordinator :
Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy
Partners :
AVL List GmbH
University of Birmingham
WARTSILA FINLAND OY
TOPSOE FUEL CELL A/S
BOSAL EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS NV