Design of a fuel cell system for the stationary generation of energy

Τίτλος

Design of a fuel cell system for the stationary generation of energy

Θέμα

Fuel cell power plants

Fuel cells

Δημιουργός

Neos, Stavros

Πηγή

Higher Technical Institute

Το πλήρες κείμενο είναι διαθέσιμο από το Υπουργείο Ενέργειας, Εμπορίου Βιομηχανίας και Τουρισμού.

Εκδότης

Library of Cyprus University of Technology

Ημερομηνία

2004

Συνεισφέρων

Angastiniotis, Nicos

Δικαιώματα

Απαγορεύεται η δημοσίευση ή αναπαραγωγή, ηλεκτρονική ή άλλη χωρίς τη γραπτή συγκατάθεση του δημιουργού και κάτοχου των πνευματικών δικαιωμάτων.

Μορφή

pdf

Γλώσσα

en

Τύπος

text

Αναγνωριστικό

MED0572

Σύνοψη

Through this project we will describe the fuel cell principles of operation and we will see the history of it. The efficiencies that can be obtained by a fuel cell will be examined too. The principles and various types of fuel cells will be exemplified. As the fuel cells use hydrogen or other gases for fuel, we will see how the hydrogen can be produced, stored and supplied to the cells, as well as how the other gases (like natural gas) are used.
In addition through this project we will see the accessories of a fuel cell plant and how they are used in order to take in advance the waste heat that the cells produced. A comparison of the cost of a certain Cypriot family house for heating and cooling by the commonly used means with the possibility of replacing them by a fuel cell plant, will be examined.
Finally we concluded that fuel cells are considered to be the most promising future technology for generating useful energy as they directly convert the chemical energy stored in a fuel into electricity and heat.
The main conclusion of this project is that the fuel cells can not be used at this moment for residential use in Cyprus. The cost is so high and interest will be vested only if a large plant of above the 1 MW is installed to supply electricity and heat to a group of house (200 family houses). Also through this project we concluded that the fuel cell is not a renewable method of producing electricity but its importance is the upper higher efficiency that can be reached. Along the project we realized that the limitations are such so as the direct applicability of a fuel cell for residential use at the moment is not possible for any house any where in the world. Apparently the technological evolution of fuel cell and photovoltaic is directly related and if any time in the foreseeable future their cost is drastically reduced then a totally renewable stationary generation of energy will be a reality. The strict sense of the design aspect of the project has been materialized only in assessing the possible cost of an imaginary system otherwise the specifics would have been carried out in full detail. It must be stated that the breath and depth of the terminology, process identification, energy assessment, operational mechanism, relevant governing equations, cost and system specifics were not familiar to us so as a vast amount of time was invested in comprehending the above. Furthermore no single source of information was available and lots of information was obtained by direct contact with fuel cell companies abroad.