SBIR Phase I: Design of a Novel Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell System Using Advanced Materials for Efficiency Optimization

SBIR 第一阶段：利用先进材料设计新型组合式再生燃料电池系统以实现效率优化

• 批准号: 1142976
• 负责人: Kathy Ayers
• 金额: $ 14.99万
• 依托单位: Proton Energy Systems, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1142976&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Design; Novel; Unitized

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses global energy concerns by enabling reduced dependence on energy derived from fossil fuels. A major limitation of many renewable energy sources is the intermittent nature of the source, such as solar or wind. As the percentage of energy applied to the grid from these sources grows, energy storage systems must be developed to store energy during peak generation periods, and provide power during lower generation periods. Hydrogen-based regenerative fuel cells are an ideal candidate for these applications due to their high energy density, fast response times, and carbon-free footprint when the hydrogen is generated by electrolysis using the renewable power source. However, materials for the electrolysis and fuel cell stacks are still too expensive to make this solution cost effective. The goal of this project is to develop bifunctional electrodes for operation in both fuel cell and electrolysis mode, enabling a single stack to serve the function of both the electrolyzer and fuel cell and eliminating significant cost. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are applicable to consumer, industrial, and military customers. All of the United States armed services branches have identified energy storage as a critical need for assuring troop safety and operational energy security. Higher energy density for longer unmanned missions, reduction in fuel needs for forward operating bases, and reduced power signatures are key concerns to be addressed. The proposed energy storage system can provide power for military surveillance vehicles, forward operating bases, and consumer homes. Japan is already leading the effort in distributed energy generation and has deployed thousands of residential energy storage systems. However, most of the current systems are based on natural gas, which still relies on fossil fuel sources and contributes to the problem of increasing global carbon dioxide levels. Hydrogen-based systems enable a fully reversible chemical cycle of hydrogen and oxygen to water and back. Advances in these areas will find immediate commercial interest, and will address a specific capability that enables clean, sustainable energy solutions.

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）I期项目通过减少对化石燃料衍生的能源的依赖来解决全球能源问题。 许多可再生能源的主要局限性是源的间歇性质，例如太阳能或风。 随着从这些来源施加到网格的能量百分比的增长，必须开发储能系统以在高峰生成期间存储能量，并在较低的一代期间提供功率。 基于氢的再生燃料电池是这些应用的理想候选者，因为当使用可再生能源通过电解产生氢时，它们的高能量密度，快速响应时间和无碳足迹。 但是，用于电解和燃料电池堆的材料仍然太昂贵了，无法使该解决方案具有成本效益。 该项目的目的是开发双功能电极以在燃料电池和电解模式下运行，从而使一个堆栈能够发挥电解仪和燃料电池的功能，并消除大量成本。 这项研究的更广泛/商业影响适用于消费者，工业和军事客户。 美国所有武装部队分支机构都确定了能源存储是确保部队安全和运营能源安全的关键需求。 较长的无人任务，较高的能量密度，减少向前操作基础的燃料需求以及减少功率特征的关键问题是要解决的关键问题。拟议的储能系统可以为军事监视车辆，远期运营基地和消费者家提供电力。 日本已经领导了分布式能源发电的努力，并部署了数千个住宅储能系统。 但是，大多数当前系统都是基于天然气，该系统仍然依赖化石燃料来源，并导致了增加全球二氧化碳水平的问题。 基于氢的系统使氢和氧气的完全可逆的化学循环能够到水和背部。 在这些领域的进步将立即获得商业利益，并将解决具有清洁，可持续能源解决方案的特定能力。