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2004 DOE Hydrogen, Fuel Cells &Infrastructure Technologies

Program Review Presentation

Dr P D Hopewell

GE Global ResearchMay 2004

This presentation does not contain any proprietary or confidential information

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Objectives

Under this DOE Contract, GE Global Research’s Hydrogen Production Team are

researching methods to achieve considerable reduction in alkaline electrolyzer

system costs, compared to prevailing prices of available new equipment.

We may do this by;

•technological advances

•production methods

•materials of construction

•or a combination of these.

Appropriate physics-based performance and cost models will be used to allow

detailed trade-off analyses to identify practicable performance and cost solutions.

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2004 Budgetfor highlighted electrolyer = $1.4M

2004-2005 Project Plan Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 4.1 Quantify Market Requirements

4.2 Preliminary Design and Laboratory Development

4.3 Electrochemical Cell Engineering Analysis

4.4 Bench Scale Hardware Engineering

4.5 Bench Scale System Testing 4.6 Education and Outreach Initiative (SUNY) 4.7 Sensor Development (SUNY)

4.8 Conceptual Development for Technolo gy Validation and Demonstration

Milestones:

Deliverables:

M4.2 - Preliminary analysis complete and component targets identified. M4.8 - Conceptual site layout complete.

D4.5 - Design document summarizing the results and business path to commercializ ation. D4.6 – Curriculum and outreach program to disseminate hydrogen knowledge. Technical, market and economic databases. D4.7 – Reference design of novel, optical H2 sensor and performance report. D4.8 – Virtual tour of New Baltimore site.

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Technical Barriers and Targets (1)From DOE’s Technical Plan – Hydrogen Production,

“By 2010, verify renewable integrated hydrogen production with

water electrolysis at a hydrogen cost of $2.50/kg (electrolyzer

capital cost of $300/kWe for 250 kg/day at 5,000 psi with 73%

system efficiency). By 2010, verify large-scale central electrolysis

at $2.00/kg hydrogen at the plant gate.”

Presently available alkaline electrolyzers cost in the region of $4000/kW to $20,000/kW(or $200,000/kgh-1 to $1,000,000/kgh-1). (This may not include compression to 5000psi.)

Main barriers include

1. Low volumes of manufacture – efficient assembly

2. System integration issues

3. Operating parameters

4. Materials of construction

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Technical Barriers and Targets (2)

Capital Cost

Manufacturing Margin

Electrolyzer Design

Assembly design

Materials

Machining Assembly

Seals

Input:Processability,

mechanicalproperties, corrosionresistance, price

Output:Material use, lifetime

Diaphragm

Input:Resistivity, price,corrosion resistance,

bubblepenetration,

wettabilitymechanical

properties,processability

Output:Material use, lifetime

MOC

Input:T,P , structural

Integrity corrosionresistance,

Processability,mechanicalstrength

Output:

Material use, lifetime

Electrodes

Input:

Material

•Corrosion Resistance

• Price

Current density, porosity

thicknessOutput:

Electrode area/thickness,lifetime

BOP

- Flow Diagram- Engineering Model (Aspen, Icarus)Input:

T,P, H2 purity, flow, storageP,feed water purityOutput:

Equipment cost, power, heat,cooling water

Program purpose is to understand how the capital costs are distributed for anelectrolyzer system and to use this knowledge to drive a targeted costreduction exercise to yield a cost-effective solution.

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Technical Approach

Stack Cost Rollup 300kW / 6kgph H2

$-

$200.00

$400.00

$600.00

$800.00

$1,000.00

$1,200.00

$1,400.00

$1,600.00

$1,800.00

Stack Concept 1 Stack Concept 2

Co

st,

$/

KW

$0.00

$10.00

$20.00

$30.00

$40.00

$50.00

$60.00

$70.00

$80.00

$90.00

Co

st,

$ /

gp

h H

2

BOP

Storage

Compressor

Stack

High Pressure Stack

Novel Compression

Methods

Current Cost

Currenttechnologyentitlement

?/ kgh-1

Optimal Cost

Incremental

improvement

Game-

Changers

High Efficiency Stack

Modeling optimizessystem parameters

Leverage GE manufacturing expertise for low-cost stack construction

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

1.72

1.76

1.80

1.84

1.88

1.92

1.96

2.00

P (products) = 1 bar P (products) = 30 bar

Current Density [A/cm2]

Cell

Voltage [

Volts]

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73 P (products) = 1 bar P (products) = 30 bar

Effic

iency

Modeling optimizes stack performance

Learn the rules, then break the rules.

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Project Safety

Risks arise from;

1. Flammability of H2

2. Strong caustic electrolyte (KOH)

3. Temperature and pressure of stack and system

4. Voltage of electrical supply to system

5. High stack current

6. Mechanical risks occurring during equipment assembly and erection

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Project Timeline (1)

Target productscale identified19 April 04

CostPareto15 June 04

ConceptShort List30 June 04

ConceptTest Vehicles26 August 04

Single ConceptDown-Select17 Sept. 04

Concept DesignComplete12 November 04

Bench-ScaleSystem7 Feb. 05

FinalReport31 Mar. 05

DOE Project Timeline

Jugular Testing

Cell-Level Testing

Stack-Level Testing

Electrode Models

Cell-Level Models

Stack-Level Models

Low-Fidelity System Performance and

Cost Models Needed Early

2Q2004 3Q2004 4Q2004 1Q2005

Cost

Models

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Project Timeline (2)

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Accomplishments and Progress (1)(project commenced April 1st 2004)

Water Vapor Content in Hydrogen evolved at different KOH

molality

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0 50 100 150 200 250

Temperature (degC)

% m

ole

of

wa

ter

va

po

r

6m

10m

14m

18m

6m

10m

14m

18m

6m

10m

14m

18m

1 bar

10 bars

50 bars

Understanding effects of temperature onalkaline electrolysis

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Accomplishments and Progress (2)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 70048

49

50

51

52

53

54

To

tal W

ork

[kW

h/k

g H

2]

Output Pressure [bar]

1 bar, 2-stage intercooled 30 bar, 2-stage intercooled 100 bar, 2-stage intercooled

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

1.72

1.76

1.80

1.84

1.88

1.92

1.96

2.00

P (products) = 1 bar P (products) = 30 bar

Current Density [A/cm2]

Cell

Voltage [

Volts]

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73 P (products) = 1 bar P (products) = 30 bar

Effic

ien

cy

Understanding effects of pressure and current densityon alkaline electrolysis

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Accomplishments and Progress (3)

UnderstandingUnderstanding that material properties may limitoperating conditions – and vice-versa

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Accomplishments and Progress (4)

UnderstandingUnderstanding that models and experimental workmust be closely aligned with project expectations

SystemPerformance

Model

MicroscopicLevel

CURRENT DENSITY (mA/cm2)

CellModel

ElectrodeModel

Stack Model

Experimental Work

Balance of Plant model

Stack modeling

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Future Work (1)

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Technology Vision

Target and reduce most significant system costs.

Develop optimum concept.

Demostrate entitlement and expected performance.

• Produce Product Roadmap to continue cost reduction activity and commercialize theconcepts flowing from DOE this program

Technology & Research Areas Product families employingnew, cost-effective conceptswill become available in this

timeframe

Today 2010

Significant reduction in electrolyzer system costs

$$$

3/31/05 – End of DOE contract

$$ $

Future Work (2)

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Technology Development

Eleoctrode material

and stack geometry

Separation

H2, O2, KOH

System configuration and operation

(batch/continuous, mobile/static electrolyte)

Auxiliary

equipment

Process Technology – Temperature, Pressure,

Operating Conditions, MOC, System Integration

Reliability Durability

Cost Efficiency

Enabling Technologies: Flexibility & Leverage

FundamentalUnderstanding

and ContributionsLow Capital Cost

Electrolyzer

System

Manufacture

and assembly

Future Work (3)