Industrial Flue Gas Cleanup using DFC Technology

"The increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides has been linked to climate change, which has a myriad of environmental and human health implications. In response to this growing concern, FuelCell Energy (FCE) has developed novel system concepts for separation of Carbon dioxide from greenhouse gas (GHG) emission sources, using Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) technology. DFC is based on carbonate fuel cell technology. The unique chemistry of the carbonate fuel cell offers an innovative approach for approach for separation of CO2 from plant exhaust streams (flue gases). Preliminary test results also show that the DFC cut NOx emissions in half. The carbonate fuel cell system produces electric power at high efficiencies and the simultaneous generation of power and CO2 capture is an attractive concept for gas cleanup. Development of this system is concurrent with emergence of DFC technology for generating electric power from fossil fuels. This technology has been deployed I megawatt-scale power plants and is readily available as a manufactured product. The objectives of the Phase 1 activities are to determine the cost and power output for utilizing the DFC-based cleanup system on a variety of industrial source flue gas compositions including refinery operations, cement kilns and pulp and paper mills. The composition of the flue gas from the different industries is one aspect which determines the power output of the DFC system. The power output in turn determines the overall cost and therefore the economic feasibility of DFC-based carbon capture. A literature review will be conducted to formulate a database of industrial flue gas compositions and trace level contaminants. Bench-scale single cell tests will be used to generate fuel cell performance curves using simulated industrial flue gas. This data will feed into existing DFC carbon capture model to generate capital cost estimated for DFC-bases industrial flue gas clean up applications. Phase 2 efforts would involve defining flue gas cleanup boundaries and the effect of traces contaminant levels identified in Phase 1 literature search. Phase 3 would involve a commercial DFC unit demonstration at an industrial site. "