by Marci E. Hersh

The Case Advanced Power Institute (CAPI) at Case Western Reserve University is part of a team jointly creating a solid oxide fuel system that operates on distillate fuels—including diesel fuel or jet fuel—by 2004.

SOFCo, a division of McDermott Technology Inc, leads the research team. An Ohio Technology Action Fund and team matching funds support the $1.5 million project. The Ohio Technology Action Fund is an arm of the Ohio Department of Development established by Gov. Bob Taft to accompany the Third Frontier Project leading Ohio toward becoming a high-tech leader in the 21st century.

CAPI will use the grant, in collaboration with researchers at SOFCo, NASA Glenn Research Center and Sud-Chemi of Kentucky and headquartered overseas in France, to jointly create the solid oxide fuel system.

"A major application for solid oxide fuel cells is as an auxiliary portable electric power source for recreational vehicles, 18-wheel trucks and aircraft," said Joe Payer, director of the Yeager Center for Electrochemical Science at CWRU. "A solid oxide fuel cell could potentially provide a major source of energy efficiency for these vehicles and produce a clean, quiet system."

These potential "sulfur tolerant" solid oxide fuel cells that run on diesel fuel could also outperform their more commonly known counterparts, which are designed to operate with methane or hydrogen and cannot tolerate sulfur from fuels.

"Sulfur-tolerant solid oxide fuel cells could be a huge boost to the industrial market because they can run at a high sulfur level which is always an issue when you burn a diesel fuel," Payer said. "A typical jet fuel contains about 300-1000 parts per million (ppm) sulfur so it burns and is emitted into the atmosphere and a solid oxide fuel cell would not add to the sulfur emissions, but there would be the potential to add a sulfur cleaner on the exit side of a future system."

Payer also said the international market holds great promise for sulfur-tolerant solid oxide fuel cells.

"Developing and third world countries still have to truck fuel around, and sulfur-bearing fuels are all that is commonly available. Sulfur-tolerant solid oxide fuel cells could work well with these fuels to provide a new power source in remote locales or under-developed countries," Payer added.

SOFCo is expected to commercialize the technology.

The Ohio Department of Development aims for the Technology Action Fund to support Ohio- based projects to accelerate the commercialization of new and innovative technologies, which will lead to more high-tech, high-paying jobs for Ohioans.

 

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