SBIR Phase II: High Efficiency BioMass Power Generation Using Liquid Tin Anode Fuel Cell

这个小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目将继续开发液态锡阳极固体氧化物燃料电池(LTA-SOFC)，用于将生物质直接转化为电力。LTA-SOFC是一种变革性的能源技术，极大地提高了传统燃料发电的效率和简单性。在生物电源领域，LTA-SOFC提供了一条提高效率和资本成本的途径，并使较小规模的应用成为可能。第一阶段成功地证明了利用生物质原料直接将生物质转化为电力的可行性，生物质原料可产生重大的社会、环境和经济影响。具体地说，在第一阶段，几种不同类型的生物质，包括杨树和柳枝草，被用来在实际的LTA-SOFC电池中发电。测试后的分析表明，没有灰烬熔融，燃料利用率接近100%(几乎没有剩余碳)。第二阶段的工作将继续开发生物动力应用于LTA-SOFC，通过展示连续供料的小型堆叠组件中的生物质燃料效率。此外，评估生物质特有的挥发性成分(如钾)的命运将有助于理解LTA-SOFC的寿命。第二阶段将展示额外的LTA-SOFC生物电源技术性能，以降低风险并增加LTA-SOFC生物电源的商业化潜力。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是更多地使用可再生能源。目前，生物质只贡献了美国电力的1%，尽管现有资源提供了超过20%的电力。增加生物质发电的使用将减少碳排放，提高能源安全，并创造国内就业机会。不到20%的效率和今天高昂的资本成本？S的技术使得传统生物质能发电的成本大约是煤炭的两倍，将市场渗透率限制在1%左右。LTA-SOFC直接生物质发电机将降低电力成本和资本成本，同时将排放和原料消耗减少2-3倍。EIA预测，到2030年，生物质发电将占美国发电量的4.5%，这意味着LTA-SOFC的可用市场约为300亿美元。LTA-SOFC商业化战略从小型设备开始。进入商业市场的增长将为要求更高的生物质能源市场提供所需的成熟度。在生物动力领域，军事用户拥有强大的采用动机，这将鼓励他们成为早期采用者。美国国防机构的目标是到2025年将可再生能源占设施电力消耗的25%。这一SBIR将降低技术风险，为集成商合作伙伴共同投资于LTA-SOFC生物质发电机的商业化提供信心。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will continue the commercial development of the Liquid Tin Anode Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (LTA-SOFC) for direct conversion of biomass to electrical power. The LTA-SOFC is a transformational energy technology that dramatically increases the efficiency and simplicity of power generation from conventional fuels. In biopower, the LTA-SOFC provides a pathway to improve efficiency and capital cost and also enables smaller scale applications. Phase I successfully demonstrated the feasibility of direct biomass conversion to power, using biomass feed stocks which can have significant societal, environmental and economic impacts. Specifically in Phase I several different types of biomass including poplar and switchgrass were used to generate power in an actual LTA-SOFC cell. Post-test analysis indicated no ash fusion and near 100% fuel utilization (little residual carbon left). The Phase II effort will continue development of biopower applications for LTA-SOFC by demonstrating biomass fuel efficiency in a small stack assembly with continuous feeding. Also, evaluation of the fate of biomass-specific volatile components such as potassium will contribute to the understanding of LTA-SOFC longevity. Phase II will demonstrate additional LTA-SOFC biopower technical performance to reduce risk and increase the potential for commercialization of LTA-SOFC biopower. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be increased use of renewable power. Currently biomass contributes only 1% of U.S. electric power despite available resources to provide over 20%. Increased use of biomass for electric power will reduce carbon emissions, increase energy security and create domestic jobs. Efficiencies lower than 20% and high capital cost of today?s technology make conventional biomass power about twice as expensive as coal limiting market penetration to about 1%. LTA-SOFC Direct Biomass generators will reduce the cost of power and lower capital cost while reducing emissions and feedstock consumption by 2-3 times. The EIA predicts that by 2030, biomass will generate 4.5% of U.S electricity, representing an available market for LTA-SOFC of about $30 billion. The LTA-SOFC commercialization strategy starts with small devices. Growth into commercial markets will provide the maturity required for more demanding biomass power markets. In the biopower area military users have powerful adoption incentive that will encourage them to become early adopters. The US defense establishment has a goal to use renewable energy for 25% of the facility electrical consumption by 2025. This SBIR will reduce technical risk, providing confidence for integrator partners to co-invest in commercialization of LTA-SOFC biomass generators.