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

该小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目将继续液态锡阳极固体氧化物燃料电池（LTA-SOFC）的商业开发，用于将生物质直接转化为电力。LTA-SOFC是一种转型能源技术，可显著提高传统燃料发电的效率和简单性。 在生物发电领域，LTA-SOFC提供了一种提高效率和资本成本的途径，也使小规模应用成为可能。 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动力的可行性，这可能对社会、环境和经济产生重大影响。具体而言，在第一阶段，使用几种不同类型的生物质，包括白杨和柳枝稷，在实际的LTA-SOFC电池中发电。测试后分析表明，没有灰熔融和近100%的燃料利用率（几乎没有残留碳）。 第二阶段的工作将继续开发生物能源应用的LTA-SOFC，通过展示生物质燃料的效率，在一个小的堆栈组件与连续进料。此外，生物质特定的挥发性组分，如钾的命运的评估将有助于了解LTA-SOFC的寿命。第二阶段将展示额外的LTA-SOFC生物发电技术性能，以降低风险并增加LTA-SOFC生物发电商业化的潜力。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是增加可再生能源的使用。目前，生物质仅占美国电力的1%，尽管现有资源可以提供超过20%的电力。更多地使用生物质发电将减少碳排放，提高能源安全并创造国内就业机会。效率低于20%，资本成本高？美国的技术使得传统的生物质发电比煤贵两倍，限制了市场渗透率在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，生物质发电量将占美国发电量的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。商业市场的增长将为更苛刻的生物质发电市场提供所需的成熟度。 在生物能源领域，军事用户有强大的采用激励机制，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年将可再生能源用于25%的设施电力消耗。该SBIR将降低技术风险，为集成商合作伙伴共同投资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.