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ECAS Phase I fuel cell resultsThis paper summarizes and discusses the fuel cell system results of Phase I of the Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS). Ten advanced electric powerplant systems for central-station baseload generation using coal were studied by NASA in ECAS. Three types of low-temperature fuel cells (solid polymer electrolyte, SPE, aqueous alkaline, and phosphoric acid) and two types of high-temperature fuel cells (molten carbonate, MC, and zirconia solid electrolyte, SE) were studied. The results indicate that (1) overall efficiency increases with fuel cell temperature, and (2) scale-up in powerplant size can produce a significant reduction in cost of electricity (COE) only when it is accompanied by utilization of waste fuel cell heat through a steam bottoming cycle and/or integration with a gasifier. For low-temperature fuel cell systems, the use of hydrogen results in the highest efficiency and lowest COE. In spite of higher efficiencies, because of higher fuel cell replacement costs integrated SE systems have higher projected COEs than do integrated MC systems. Present data indicate that life can be projected to over 30,000 hr for MC fuel cells, but data are not yet sufficient for similarly projecting SE fuel cell life expectancy.
Document ID
19780042201
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Warshay, M.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Fuel Cell Projects Office, Cleveland, Ohio, United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
February 1, 1978
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Energy
Volume: 2
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Accession Number
78A26110
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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