FleXelL · Reversible solid oxide cell development for the utilisation of alternative fuels and hydrogen strategic production
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-08-01 → 2023-10-11
- EU contribution
- €224,934
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Reversible solid oxide cell development for the utilisation of alternative fuels and hydrogen strategic production
The flexible cell project (flexell) had as its main scope to develop a proof-of-concept for a highly efficient energy converter based on ceramic reactors that can be reversed into an electrolyser whenever needed. The materials had to be capable of converting liquid and gaseous fuels such as ethanol, methane, or natural gas into energy, but also, steam and electricity into hydrogen for strategic reserve purposes or simply for renewable energy surplus storage. Operating with liquid fuels will allow storage of fuel onboard long-distance transports (e.g., ships, aircraft) hindering the issues with space. The development of high. temperature electrolysers will enable green hydrogen production with increased efficiency. To achieve the scope successfully we divided the work into 5 high-level research objectives : RO1: To develop a fuel electrode catalyst set for operation with direct unreformed ethanol, methane, or propane or with hydrogen, avoiding coking and microstructural destruction (this is the anode in SOFC operation). RO2: To integrate these materials into a planar, fuel-electrode-supported reversible solid oxide cell. RO3: To develop a reliable test rig fuel supply adapted to ethanol efficient evaporation, ready for rSOC testing with efficient steam evaporation and outlet product quantification by mass spectroscopy and gas chromatography. RO4: To prove the viability and long-term stability of the concept through extensive testing on hydrogen, methane, propane, and ethanol as fuels. RO5: To prove the reversibility of the cell towards hydrogen production upon steam injection and verify any prospects of fuel electrode carbon removal in doing so.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The flexible cell project (FleXelL) aims at developing a proof of concept for a highly efficient energy converter based on ceramic reactors that can be reversed into an electrolyser whenever needed. We will be developing a device capable of converting liquid and gaseous fuels such as ethanol, methane or natural gas into energy, but also, steam and electricity into hydrogen for strategic reserve purposes or simply for renewable energy surplus storage.For this purpose, we here propose a knowledge transfer scheme between Dr Sarruf and the Centre for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Research (CFCHR) at the University of Birmingham (UoB), herein represented by Prof Robert Steinberger-Wilckens. We build on UoB’s ceramic processing techniques, materials characterisation capacity, project management capabilities, teaching expertise, communications and leadership skills, and Dr Sarruf’s knowledge in materials development for fuel flexibility conversion within solid oxide cells (SOCs).Dr Sarruf, under Prof. Steinberger-Wilckens’ supervision, will develop and optimise an anode-supported reversible solid oxide cell (RSOC) capable of operating directly with primary fuels, as aforementioned, and electrolysing water to produce hydrogen. The reproducibility of the cells’ manufacturing process as well as the performance will be developed aiming at rousing industrial interest via the development of a product’s business plan.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM · BirminghamCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union