Open AccessFuel Preprocessor (FPP) for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit
Author(s) -
M. Namazian,
Sharan Sethuraman,
G Venkataraman
Publication year - 2004
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/840924
Subject(s) - steam reforming , diesel fuel , partial oxidation , catalytic reforming , methane reformer , waste management , process engineering , solid oxide fuel cell , environmental science , chemical engineering , materials science , hydrogen production , chemistry , catalysis , engineering , organic chemistry , electrode , anode
Auxiliary Power Units (APUs), driven by truck engines, consume over 800 million gallon of diesel fuel while idling. Use of separate SOFC based APUs are an excellent choice to reduce the cost and pollution associated with producing auxiliary power. However, diesel fuel is a challenging fuel to use in fuel cell systems because it has heavy hydrocarbons that can transform into carbon deposits and gums that can block passages and deactivate fuel reformer and fuel cell reactor elements. The work reported herein addresses the challenges associated with the diesel fuel sulfur and carbon producing contaminants in a Fuel Preprocessor (FPP). FPP processes the diesel fuel onboard and ahead of the reformer to reduce its carbon deposition tendency and its sulfur content, thus producing a fuel suitable for SOFC APU systems. The goal of this DOE supported Invention and Innovation program was to design, develop and test a prototype Fuel Preprocessor (FPP) that efficiently and safely converts the diesel fuel into a clean fuel suitable for a SOFC APU system. The goals were achieved. A 5 kWe FPP was designed, developed and tested. It was demonstrated that FPP removes over 80% of the fuel sulfur and over 90% of its carbon residues and it was demonstrated that FPP performance exceeds the original project goals