GE: Fuel Cell Startup Could Spark a Revolution
时间:2014-07-30 13:52来源:cbcu 作者:日 光
点击:
次
There’s more than oneway to get energy out of natural gas. For decades,
one of the most promising methods–and also most difficult to pull off–
one of the most promising methods–and also most difficult to pull off–
has been the fuel cell.
A fuel cell works like a battery, using a simple chemical reaction to
provide energy. In fuel cells, this reaction involves hydrogen molecules
abundant in natural gas and oxygen from ordinary air.
It sounds easy enough, but the process is full of pitfalls. Car companies,
for example, have tried to make fuel cells work as a replacement for the
internal combustion engine for more 20 years without commercial success.
But scientists in GE (NYSE: GE) labs recently cracked an important
conundrum involving one iteration of the technology called solid oxide
fuel cell, or SOFC. The breakthrough allowed the company to start building
a new pilot fuel cell manufacturing and development facility in upstate New
York. The resulting technology could soon start producing electricity around
the world.
The new system’s power generation efficiency can reach an unprecedented
65 percent. Overall efficiency can grow to 95 percent when the system is
configured to capture waste heat produced by the process. The basic
configuration of the system can generate between 1 to 10 megawatts of power.
Unlike other systems, the new fuel cell is using stainless steel in place
of platinum and rare metals. "The cost challenges associated with the
technology have stumped a lot of people for a long time," says Johanna
Wellington, advanced technology leader at GE Global Research and the
head of GE’s fuel cell business. "But we made it work, and we made it
work economically. It’s a game-changer."
Wellington says that the fuel cell, which received financial backing from
GE’s ecomagination program, can generate electricity at any location with
a supply of natural gas. It can get going quickly, does not need new
transmission lines and produces lower emissions than conventional power
plants.
The fuel cell has no moving parts. The guts of the cell look like a stack
of cookies. Each cookie is a metallic plate with a maze of flow channels
cut into the bottom and a square of black "icing" on top.
provide energy. In fuel cells, this reaction involves hydrogen molecules
abundant in natural gas and oxygen from ordinary air.
It sounds easy enough, but the process is full of pitfalls. Car companies,
for example, have tried to make fuel cells work as a replacement for the
internal combustion engine for more 20 years without commercial success.
But scientists in GE (NYSE: GE) labs recently cracked an important
conundrum involving one iteration of the technology called solid oxide
fuel cell, or SOFC. The breakthrough allowed the company to start building
a new pilot fuel cell manufacturing and development facility in upstate New
York. The resulting technology could soon start producing electricity around
the world.
The new system’s power generation efficiency can reach an unprecedented
65 percent. Overall efficiency can grow to 95 percent when the system is
configured to capture waste heat produced by the process. The basic
configuration of the system can generate between 1 to 10 megawatts of power.
Unlike other systems, the new fuel cell is using stainless steel in place
of platinum and rare metals. "The cost challenges associated with the
technology have stumped a lot of people for a long time," says Johanna
Wellington, advanced technology leader at GE Global Research and the
head of GE’s fuel cell business. "But we made it work, and we made it
work economically. It’s a game-changer."
Wellington says that the fuel cell, which received financial backing from
GE’s ecomagination program, can generate electricity at any location with
a supply of natural gas. It can get going quickly, does not need new
transmission lines and produces lower emissions than conventional power
plants.
The fuel cell has no moving parts. The guts of the cell look like a stack
of cookies. Each cookie is a metallic plate with a maze of flow channels
cut into the bottom and a square of black "icing" on top.
That icing is the core of the breakthrough that makes the solid oxide fuel
cell work. It contains three layers made from special ceramic materials: the
cathode on top, the anode on the bottom, and a dense layer of solid oxide
electrolyte in the middle.
GE is using additive thermal spray technology originally developed to protect
parts working inside jet engines to deposit the anode and the electrolyte. The
cathode is screen-printed on the tile. "GE Global Research is the intellectual
horsepower behind this technology," says GE materials scientist Kristen Brosnan.
"Our materials are easy to apply, can handle large temperature swings and last
a long time."
The system generates electricity by feeding hydrogen-rich fuel heated to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit through the channels cut under the
anode.Equally hot air travels over the cathode. An electrochemical reaction
mediated by the solid electrolyte between the hydrogen in the fuel and the
oxygen in the air generates electricity, water, heat and synthetic gas, or
syngas.
This syngas, which contains residual hydrogen, still holds enough energy
for more power generation. Wellington’s team feeds the syngas to Jenbacher
engine attached to the fuel cell to generate additional electricity, bringing
the electrical efficiency to 65 percent.
The fuel cell business grew out of GE Global Research, but it now operates
as an independent unit with its own board of directors. GE is building a new
pilot development and manufacturing facility near Saratoga Springs, NY, that
will be manufacturing the cells. The pilot facility is already filling up with
robotic thermal spray equipment, fuel cell test stations, screen printers and
towering bulk gas storage tanks.
Wellington runs her pilot facility with a startup mentality. "We have all
of the speed, agility and focus of a small start-up while leveraging the
strength of a big company" she says.
cell work. It contains three layers made from special ceramic materials: the
cathode on top, the anode on the bottom, and a dense layer of solid oxide
electrolyte in the middle.
GE is using additive thermal spray technology originally developed to protect
parts working inside jet engines to deposit the anode and the electrolyte. The
cathode is screen-printed on the tile. "GE Global Research is the intellectual
horsepower behind this technology," says GE materials scientist Kristen Brosnan.
"Our materials are easy to apply, can handle large temperature swings and last
a long time."
The system generates electricity by feeding hydrogen-rich fuel heated to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit through the channels cut under the
anode.Equally hot air travels over the cathode. An electrochemical reaction
mediated by the solid electrolyte between the hydrogen in the fuel and the
oxygen in the air generates electricity, water, heat and synthetic gas, or
syngas.
This syngas, which contains residual hydrogen, still holds enough energy
for more power generation. Wellington’s team feeds the syngas to Jenbacher
engine attached to the fuel cell to generate additional electricity, bringing
the electrical efficiency to 65 percent.
The fuel cell business grew out of GE Global Research, but it now operates
as an independent unit with its own board of directors. GE is building a new
pilot development and manufacturing facility near Saratoga Springs, NY, that
will be manufacturing the cells. The pilot facility is already filling up with
robotic thermal spray equipment, fuel cell test stations, screen printers and
towering bulk gas storage tanks.
Wellington runs her pilot facility with a startup mentality. "We have all
of the speed, agility and focus of a small start-up while leveraging the
strength of a big company" she says.
(责任编辑：admin)
免责声明：本文仅代表作者个人观点，与中国电池联盟无关。其原创性以及文中陈述文字和内容未经本网证实，对本文以及其中全部或者部分内容、文字的真实性、完整性、及时性本站不作任何保证或承诺，请读者仅作参考，并请自行核实相关内容。
凡本网注明 “来源：XXX（非中国电池联盟）”的作品，均转载自其它媒体，转载目的在于传递更多信息，并不代表本网赞同其观点和对其真实性负责。
如因作品内容、版权和其它问题需要同本网联系的，请在一周内进行，以便我们及时处理。
QQ：503204601
邮箱：cbcu@cbcu.com.cn
凡本网注明 “来源：XXX（非中国电池联盟）”的作品，均转载自其它媒体，转载目的在于传递更多信息，并不代表本网赞同其观点和对其真实性负责。
如因作品内容、版权和其它问题需要同本网联系的，请在一周内进行，以便我们及时处理。
QQ：503204601
邮箱：cbcu@cbcu.com.cn
猜你喜欢
-
外媒提前公布三星Note 7爆炸原因：电池尺寸不合规
2017-01-22 16:22 -
特斯拉致死车祸调查结果：不是自动驾驶的错
2017-01-20 17:26 -
日产新项目:汽车发电能上网
2016-08-05 11:36 -
州际蓄电池：北美汽车蓄电池领导品牌强势布局中国市场
2016-05-27 17:46 -
史上今日：1889年5月21日 铅酸电池发明人普朗特去世
2016-05-22 13:09 -
谷歌自动驾驶商业化规划首次曝光：最长可能需要30年
2016-03-23 09:54 -
芬兰锂电池新合成技术：寿命长导电性高
2016-02-18 14:46 -
德国：加大优惠政策 全力发展新能源汽车
2016-01-22 13:54 -
新能源车推广：西安延续优惠政策1:1补贴
2016-01-15 10:07 -
分析师：苹果欲进汽车市场 无缘汽车盛宴
2016-01-14 10:50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
专题
相关新闻
-
外媒提前公布三星Note 7爆炸原因：电池尺寸不合规
2017-01-22 16:22 -
特斯拉致死车祸调查结果：不是自动驾驶的错
2017-01-20 17:26 -
日产新项目:汽车发电能上网
2016-08-05 11:36 -
州际蓄电池：北美汽车蓄电池领导品牌强势布局中国市场
2016-05-27 17:46 -
史上今日：1889年5月21日 铅酸电池发明人普朗特去世
2016-05-22 13:09 -
谷歌自动驾驶商业化规划首次曝光：最长可能需要30年
2016-03-23 09:54 -
芬兰锂电池新合成技术：寿命长导电性高
2016-02-18 14:46 -
德国：加大优惠政策 全力发展新能源汽车
2016-01-22 13:54
本月热点
-
2020年锂电池行业研究报告
2021-05-11 11:24 -
突发｜深圳一锂电企业停止经营、解散员工！
2021-05-11 10:02 -
4月我国动力电池装车量同比上升134.0%
2021-05-13 08:26 -
如何看待Pack内铁锂和三元混用
2021-06-01 09:25 -
可充电中性锌空气电池：进展，挑战和未来
2021-05-19 10:59 -
揭开赣锋锂业的家底
2021-06-03 09:46 -
“电池荒”来袭，生产纯电动汽车的车企要被卡脖子了？
2021-06-01 21:22 -
关于征集《锂离子电池用连续式真空干燥系统技术规范》等两项行业标准的函）征求意见程序
2021-05-31 22:53
企业微信号
微信公众号