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

该INSPIRE奖的部分资金来自化学、生物工程、环境和运输系统部门的能源可持续发展计划，以及电气、通信和网络系统部门的能源、电力和自适应系统计划，这两个部门都在工程局。技术说明本项目在RPI的Chrisey小组和亚特兰大的Johnson R&amp；D之间建立了新的合作伙伴关系，前者之前开发了新的陶瓷薄膜和制造技术，后者开发了一种新的热电化学转换(JTEC)概念，将热差转换为电能。对于当今要求效率高于20%的主要能源应用，当今的技术涉及使用机械发动机将热差或燃料转换为机械运动，然后由机械发电机将其转换为电能。JTEC向我们承诺了一条完全不同的道路，使用更高效的爱立信热力循环，而不是通常的奥托、朗肯或布雷顿循环，这些循环的理论效率较低，没有固体运动部件。为了将这一概念转化为一项新技术，该项目旨在在实验室规模上证明，可以制造出两个最关键的子系统--膜电极组件(MEA)，并且能够满足传导性、压力、泵浦和温度方面的要求。然后，实验室数据将被纳入整个JTEC系统(S)的初步系统级设计，以满足可能的应用需求。效率方面的突破也将带来无处不在的好处。例如，桑迪亚的分析师报告称，今天的行业有能力建造大规模的太阳能发电场，使用碟式太阳能热能系统，每千瓦时的成本仅为13美分，是当今美国最便宜的太阳能发电形式。然而，这些系统的核心是效率为31%的斯特林发动机。早期的模拟表明，在这种规模的系统中，JTEC可能能够实现两倍的效率；如果一切顺利，人们有望从同一个盘子中产生两倍的电力，将太阳能发电成本削减一半。同样，在所有最省油的混合动力汽车中，从普锐斯到Volt，现在都有一个效率为30%的汽油发动机，用于将液体燃料转化为电力；如果JTEC取代或增加这一发动机，这类汽车的每加仑行驶里程可能会翻一番(当使用液体燃料时)。除了技术上的好处，约翰逊研发公司在与塔斯基吉大学和非裔美国人社区接触方面有着长期的记录。

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.