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The goal of this project is to develop a modular oil-free and high-temperature anode off-gas recycle blower (A-RCB) for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power plants to enhance overall performance and efficiency. Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc. (MiTi) will review requirements and develop a balance of plant A-RCB to meet the needs of a 100 kilowatt SOFC power plant. Specific objectives of this effort include: (1) the design of a modular and scalable oil-free blower to efficiently recover and recycle high temperature anode off gas from a SOFC system, (2) verification that the technology is suitable for use with SOFC systems and their off-gas products through proof of concept testing, and (3) validation through cost benefit analysis that the technology is economically viable. The overall scope of work includes a definition of requirements for an A-RCB for a selected SOFC system, followed by design, fabrication, and testing of an oil-free and high-temperature capable A-RCB. The design will be implemented in prototype hardware for proof of concept testing followed by benefits assessments of the A-RCB based on research findings.
The development of an A-RCB by MiTi will overcome the current limitation of ejectors in cost and performance penalties while also addressing the need for a high-temperature recycle blower to help increase overall SOFC efficiency by eliminating the need for an external water supply (by recycling the anode off gas directly to take advantage of the water in the anode recycle stream for the fuel reforming process). MiTi's oil-free technology will result in maintenance-free and long life blowers, superior to the current state of the art. Alternate applications that can take advantage of a high-temperature blower will also be examined, including cathode off gas recirculation blowers and high-temperature syngas blowers.
