A Means to a Cleaner Environment
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A Means to a Cleaner Environment ENERGY EFFICIENT PLATINUM-CONTAINING FUEL CELLS TO BE INTRODUCED COMMERCIALLY IN THE EARLY 1990s The twelfth National Fuel Cell Seminar held Los Angeles in particular, the regulations will in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. from 26th to 28th require 40,000 zero emission motor vehicles by November 1990, was attended by some 450 1998, increasing to 200,000 by 2003. This will delegates from 17 countries, representing provide a major incentive for the development both developers and potential users world- of fuel cell powered vehicles. The SCAQMD is wide. “Fuel Cells - An Answer to a Cleaner working with the U.S. Department of Energy Environment” was the key theme running to promote development of a viable fuel cell throughout the conference. This was strongly system. The new standards will also require linked to the firm belief that fuel cells would greater efficiencies from the electricity make an important contribution to the world’s generation industries. This will present energy needs over the next ten years as further opportunities for the fuel cell economically viable fuel cell power plants developers. become commercialised. The conference heard The growing concern regarding environmen- that platinum containing phosphoric acid fuel tal problems had accelerated Japan’s fuel cell cells (PAFC) are soon to be produced on a com- research and development programme, accor- mercial basis. Both Fuji and Toshiba announc- ding to T. Sugimoto from the New Energy ed that they had opened PAFC production Development Organisation (NEDO).Coupled facilities in Japan during 1990. The key pro- with the increasing pressure to produce more gress regarding development of Proton Ex- efficient energy generation technology, this has change Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) was the led the Japanese Ministry of International announcement of a U.S. Government spon- Trade and Industry to expect fuel cell plants to sored programme, to be led by General Motors, be generating 1.9 million kW of power by the to produce a PEMFC powered motor vehicle. year 2000, and 8.3 million kW by 2010. The conference reflected the growing extent It was predicted by K. Joon of the of the multi-national collaborations that are Netherlands Energy Research Foundation that now underway to develop fuel cell technologies. in Europe too, current energy generating The Seminar Organising Committee comprised technologies would not be able to comply with the United States Department of Energy, the future emission standards. With the imposition Electric Power Research Institute, the Gas of carbon dioxide constraints, he forecast that Research Institute, the National Aeronautics fuel cells would achieve 10 per cent penetration and Space Administration, and, for the first of the Dutch combined heat and power (CHP) time, the Commission of the European Com- market by the year 2010. In Europe the PAFC munities and the Fuel Cell Development Infor- is generally regarded as the market opener for mation Centre, Japan. Over half of the the higher temperature molten carbonate and attendees were from Japan or Europe. solid oxide fuel cell systems. K. Seip of the Centre for Industrial Research, Norway, An Environmental Overview reported on his work using a model to quantlfy The “Keynote Address” was given by J. the benefits of fuel cells versus coal- and gas- Lents of South Coast Air Quality Management fxed electricity generation plants in terms of District (SCAQMD). Focus was directed their effects on the natural environment, towards the recently approved new U.S. Clean buildings and materials, socio-economic, and Air Act which will enforce ever more stringent health and safety impacts. His model predicted emissions standards over the next 20 years. In that on health costs alone, it would be cost Platinum Metals Rev., 1991, 35, (l), 17-21 17 effective to switch from coal produced to fuel totype nearing completion at Tokyo Electric cell produced electricity. Power’s Goi Thermal Power Station. Plant costs of $2000/kW were said to be competitive Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells in Japan, although the fully commercialised for Stationary Applications target cost would be $lOOO/kW. For on-site Evaluation of PAFC demonstrator plants, systems Toshiba have supported the formation both in the 50-200 kW CHP and multi- of a subsidiary company to International Fuel megawatt utility power generation modes, and Cells (IFC), known as ONSI. Fifty-three 200 the progress being made towards commer- kW units have been ordered for U.S., Japan- cialisation of the technology, were reviewed by nese and European customers. Toshiba also has several speakers from Japan, Europe and the its own programme for cogenerators in the U.S.A. In recent years progress has been 50-200 kW size range. They anticipate enter- greatest in Japan. ing commercial production of these units in Activities at Fuji were described by R. 1993. Matsushita reported that Toshiba had Anahara. Following the successful demonstra- also opened a PAFC production plant during tion of a 50 kW on-site cogeneration plant by 1990, with current capacity of 10 MW/year. Tokyo Gas Company, Fuji have now received Although Toshiba are also working on molten orders for 31 of these units with options on carbonate electrolyte fuel cells (MCFC), they another 50. Seven sets of 100 kW have also believe that it would be sometime into the 21st been ordered. Although mostly destined for century before this technology could be com- Japanese gas companies, four of the 50 kW mercialised. They saw the PAFC and MCFC units will be supplied for demonstration pro- playing a role alongside each other, rather than grammes in Europe. Based on the experience competing, from about the year 2010 onwards. gained of a 1 MW power plant during the Progress on the 11 MW PAFC plant at Goi Moonlight Project, Fuji is now planning to con- was outlined in more detail by N. Kato of struct 5 MW plants suitable for electric Toshiba. The bulk of the plant has been install- utilities, in association with Kansai Electric ed, and process and control tests are currently Power Company. Compactness is seen as a key ahead of schedule. The final fuel cell stack design feature that will be a requirement for ur- assemblies, being manufactured by IFC, are ban installation. Fuji opened a semi mass pro- due to be installed early in 1991 with the plant duction facility in November 1990 to meet the becoming operational by the spring of the same early demand for 50 kW and 5 MW power year. Demonstration objectives will be to run plants. The current production capacity is 15 for over 10,000 hours, with 3000 hours of MW per year. Improved cell performance, uninterrupted operation, with electrical and principally through improved catalysis by the heat efficiencies of 41.1 and 31.6 per cent, platinum based electrocatalysts, was seen by respectively. Several poster presentations Fuji as critical to the reduction of both the cost described the operation of IFC’s pre- and the size of the entire plant. Current power production 200 kW cogeneration plants in of- densities had improved to 160 mW/cm2, from fice and hotel situations. Several thousand 80 mW/cm2 in 1986. The target performance hours of operational experience has now been was cited as 230 mW/cm2 by 1992. Fuji were gained by both the gas and electricity power confident that these targets would be met. companies in Japan. Progress by Toshiba in commercialising the In the United States, the major customer for PAFC for both electric utility and on-site use, the ONSI 200 kW units is Southern California was discussed by T. Matsushita. Toshiba in- Gas Company who will start taking delivery of tend to commence production of the 11 MW the first of their ten units in 1992. David Moard units during 1995-96. Plant size would be reported that customer interest had been very about one third of the current size of the pro- high; he commented that through the provision Platinum Metals Rev., 1991, 35, (1) 18 of Partial Energy Service (PES), fuel cells chromium, platinum-cobalt-chromium and would be a profitable business for Southern platinum-nickel-cobalt. Platinum alloy elec- California Gas. In this scenario the gas com- trocatalysts were also shown to have high activi- pany purchases the fuel cell, and installs and ty for hydrogen oxidation in the presence of maintains the unit on the customer’s property trace levels of carbon monoxide. At platinum while the producer is responsible for perfor- loadings of 0.1 mglcm’ and with 2 per cent car- mance guarantees, provision of spare parts, etc. bon monoxide in hydrogen, an alloy catalyst ex- The customer has no primary responsibility for hibited minimal over-potential at 2OO0C, the fuel cell or its operation, nor direct invest- although this performance declined as the ment in the capital equipment. temperature was reduced to 160OC. Westinghouse Electric Corporation are pro- A poster presentation by T. Ito of NE Chem- ceeding with the development of their air cool- cat Corporation, Japan described the produc- ed PAFC system. With improved cell and stack tion of a higher power density fuel cell system technology they have now achieved cell perfor- with improved cost performance by the use of mance of 702 mV, with a decay of only 6mV per platinum alloy catalysts with higher loadings of 1000 hours. The 2.5 kW demonstration stack platinum than the conventional 10 per cent has so far achieved 5300 hours of operation. platinum supported on carbon. Hatinum-iron- The ultimate Westinghouse product will be a cobalt catalysts at 10,20, 30 and 35 weight per 400 kW module, and the first demonstration cent platinum loadings gave performances of will be at Norsk Hydro in Norway.