INSPIRE: Novel Ceramic Membrane Electrode Assemblies for High Efficiency Thermo-Electrochemical Converter

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This INSPIRE award is partially funded by the Energy for Sustainability Program in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems, and by the Energy, Power, and Adaptive Systems Program in the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems, both in the Directorate for Engineering.Technical DescriptionThis project creates a new partnership between the Chrisey group at RPI, which has previously developed new ceramic membranes and manufacturing technology for energy storage, with Johnson R&D of Atlanta, which has developed a new concept of Thermo-Electrochemical Conversion (JTEC) to convert heat differences to electricity. For major energy applications today, where efficiencies greater than 20% are required, today's technology involves the use of mechanical engines to convert heat differences or fuel to mechanical motion, which is then converted to electricity by a mechanical generator. JTEC promises us a totally different path, using the more efficient Ericcson thermodynamic cycle instead of the usual Otto, Rankine or Brayton cycles which have lower theoretical efficiencies, with no solid moving parts. In order to convert this from a concept to a new technology, this project aims to prove, on a laboratory scale, that the two most critical subsystems -- the Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEA) -- can be fabricated, and can meet the required performance on conductivity, pressure, pumping and temperature. The laboratory data will then be incorporated into a preliminary systems-level design for an entire JTEC system(s), to address the needs for possible applications.Broader ImpactsThe conversion of heat differences to electricity is a ubiquitous technology. Breakthroughs in efficiency wouldalso have ubiquitous benefits. For example, analysts at Sandia have reported that industry has the ability today to build large-scale solar farms, using dish-style solar thermal systems, which only cost 13 cents per kwh, the least expensive form of solar generation in the US today. However, at the core of those systems is a 31% efficient Stirling engine. Early simulations suggest that JTEC may be able to achieve twice that efficiency, in systems of that size; if all goes well, there is hope that twice as much electricity could be produced from the same dish, cutting the cost of solar power in half. Likewise, in all the most fuel-efficient hybrid cars, from Prius to Volt, there is a 30-percent efficient gasoline engine now used in converting liquid fuel to electricity; if that is replaced or augmented by JTEC, it could double the miles per gallon of such cars (when fueled from liquid fuel).In addition to the technology benefits, Johnson R&D has a long track record of outreach to Tuskegee University and to the African American community.