Multi-functional catalysts and reactors for direct methane fuel cells

用于直接甲烷燃料电池的多功能催化剂和反应器

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-05300
• 负责人: Ternan, Marten
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=613467
• 关键词: Multi; functional; catalysts; reactors; direct

Theoretically the direct hydrocarbon fuel cells, DHFCs, described in this grant application can be much more energy efficient than the current combustion technologies.  Although fossil fuels are likely to continue to be the lowest cost energy source, their emissions (particulate matter, carbon dioxide, etc.) are accelerating climate change.  There is growing conviction that the present situation is not sustainable and that something needs to be done.  Our research objective is to decrease the rate of climate change by using fossil fuels in a more efficient manner (more useful energy per unit of fossil fuel) so less fossil fuel will be needed.  This proposal is about turning theory into practice and diminishing the impact of fossil fuels on climate change.     The successful operation of DHFs would have many advantages.  The existing infrastructure can be used to deliver fossil fuel feedstocks: natural gas (methane) in cities, liquefied petroleum gas, (LPG or propane) in rural areas, gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel.  They can be used to provide electrical power for most applications: energy for transportation (automobiles, airplanes), stationary electrical energy (homes, office buildings, central power generating plants).     In DHFCs the fuel is fed directly into the anode where the electrochemical reaction occurs, without conversion to an intermediate species like hydrogen or methanol.  Because the intermediate species are not needed, the fuel processor used with hydrogen fuel cells can also be eliminated, thereby eliminating one-third of the capital cost of hydrogen fuel cell systems.     Laboratory experiments will be performed with DHFCs containing membrane electrode assemblies, MEAs, that will be prepared in our laboratory.  MEAs are the part of the fuel cell where the fuel cell reactions occur.  They combine an anode catalyst layer, an electrolyte layer, and a cathode catalyst layer.  To guide the experiments the fuel cell reactor will be modeled using computational fluid dynamics and the fuel cell catalysts will be modeled using density functional theory.  The expectation is that the fuel cell reactor geometry and the fuel cell catalyst composition will be tailored specifically for direct hydrocarbon fuel cells.     If high efficiency DHFCs became commercially viable, substantially less fossil fuel would be used.  The carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere could decrease by 25 - 50 %.  It would diminish the rate of climate change more than any other single technology.  It would be a major paradigm shift.

理论上，本拨款申请中描述的直接碳氢燃料电池 DHFC 比当前的燃烧技术更加节能。  尽管化石燃料可能仍然是成本最低的能源，但它们的排放（颗粒物、二氧化碳等）正在加速气候变化。  人们越来越相信目前的情况是不可持续的，需要采取一些措施。  我们的研究目标是以更有效的方式使用化石燃料（每单位化石燃料提供更多有用的能量）来降低气候变化的速度，从而减少对化石燃料的需求。  该提案旨在将理论转化为实践，并减少化石燃料对气候变化的影响。     DHF 的成功运作将带来许多优势。  现有的基础设施可用于输送化石燃料原料：城市的天然气（甲烷）、农村地区的液化石油气（液化石油气或丙烷）、汽油、柴油、喷气燃料。  它们可用于为大多数应用提供电力：交通能源（汽车、飞机）、固定电能（家庭、办公楼、中央发电厂）。     在 DHFC 中，燃料直接送入发生电化学反应的阳极，而不会转化为氢气或甲醇等中间物质。  由于不需要中间物质，氢燃料电池所使用的燃料处理器也可以被取消，从而消除氢燃料电池系统三分之一的资本成本。     实验室实验将使用包含膜电极组件、MEA 的 DHFC 进行，这些膜电极组件将在我们的实验室中制备。  MEA 是燃料电池中发生燃料电池反应的部分。  它们结合了阳极催化剂层、电解质层和阴极催化剂层。  为了指导实验，将使用计算流体动力学对燃料电池反应器进行建模，并使用密度泛函理论对燃料电池催化剂进行建模。  预计燃料电池反应器的几何形状和燃料电池催化剂成分将专门针对直接碳氢化合物燃料电池进行定制。     如果高效双氢燃料电池在商业上可行，那么化石燃料的使用量将大大减少。  排放到大气中的二氧化碳可减少 25 - 50%。  它比任何其他单一技术都更能降低气候变化的速度。  这将是一个重大的范式转变。