Onsite Research
DOE Fuel Cell Testing Facility
DOE's Fuel Cell (DFC) Testing Facility at the National Energy Technology
Laboratory provides performance testing of prototype fuel cell systems for use
in stationary, transportation, and military applications. Researchers can evaluate
alternative solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technologies with respect to energy
output and efficiency. A range of system-level dynamic model tools are available
to help investigate and understand the operation of the fuel cell system under
test. When these tools are applied, improved understanding of system behavior
can be achieved. This can aid government, industry, and academia in their efforts
to design SOFC systems with the best reliability.
The DFC facility supports the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA)
Program by providing independent evaluation of SECA partners' SOFC systems.
The DFC facility accelerates development toward the SECA goal of commercialized
3kW to 10kW fuel cell systems having a manufacturing cost of $400 per kW by
2010.
The DFC facility used a 5kW SOFC system supplied by Acumentrics, a SECA industry
team, for shakedown testing to confirm the operation of the facility, which
was originally designed by Concurrent Technologies. The system can accommodate
up to a 10-kW fuel cell system.
Technical specifications include:
- Power Testing
- Stationary power generation: e.g., 120 VAC, split phase, 60 Hz, grid-tied
option
- Auxiliary Power Unit for truck, automobile, motor home: e.g., 120 VAC
@ 60 Hz, 42 VDC
- Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Methane
- Diesel (capability in 2008)
- 0-12 kW AC and DC Load Banks and Load Profile Controller
- Continuous Power Measurement
- Auxiliary input: real power, power factor, frequency
- AC: real power, power factor, frequency
- Revenue quality meter (kW–hr)
- Solid state metering (watt/var/pf/freq)
- DC: power
- Continuous Fuel Measurement
- High accuracy corriolis meter
- Online gas chromatograph for fuel energy
- Revenue quality meter
- Power Quality Monitoring
- Voltage sags/swells
- Total harmonic distortion
- Exhaust Gas Analysis
- Online Uninterruptible Power Supply
- Deionization Water System
- Spare Input/Output Capability
- Vent Hood
- Purge Gas
- Safety Instrumentation
- Safety Communication
For more information contact Randall
Gemmen
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