High Efficiency Fuel Cell Systems for Shipboard Applications

GENERAL VORTEX ENERGY, Inc.'s (GVE) design concept for a hybrid fuel cell power generation system consists of a high temperature SOFC fuel cell and a highly efficient Jirnov Vortex Turbine (JVT). Current microturbines are inefficient, noisy, polluting andoperate at high rotary speeds. GVE is in the final stages of producing a prototype JVT with an efficiency of 62% at an operating temperature of 1300K. The GVE hybrid fuel cell system could work either in the combined fuel cell/JVT mode or JVT mode alone.Either method would provide the high efficiency, reliability and low detection features desired. When working in the JVT mode alone, the efficiency approximates 62% (microturbines = 20%). In the fuel cell mode alone, the efficiency is approximately 40%.This efficiency increase for the fuel cell is due to the efficient isothermal compression of air (by the JVT) for the fuel cell stack. Working in the mixed mode(50% power from the fuel cell, 50% power from the JVT), the overall efficiency willapproximate 53%. The JVT produces half the CO2 of conventional turbine and virtually no NOX or CO. Because of its low rotational speed, the JVT has a very low acoustic signature. The Jirnov Vortex Turbine (JVT), with a 62% thermal efficiency, is themost efficient gas turbine ever invented. The JVT has the ability to provide motive power to ships or other equipment, utilized with a generator to provide distributed power, or combined with fuel cells to provide a hybrid system. The JVT has a lowrotary speed (<2000 rpm) and a flat torque curve, thus it has the ability to function without gearboxes. The JVT, with or without combining with fuel cells, has a large market as a power source for ships, automobiles, compressors, refrigeration equipment,military vehicles, electrical generation and hundreds of other applications. The ability to spread the manufacturing costs over so many diverse markets will allow for a very low-cost unit. The annual worldwide market for engines or gas turbines used formotive power is estimated to be $235 billion.Utilized with fuel cells, the JVT will allow for the hybrid fuel cell industry to explode. Current microturbines are too inefficient and create excessive pollutants to be effective in a hybrid system. The high thermal efficiency of the JVT and its lowNOX and CO production make the JVT a perfect compliment for a hybrid fuel cell. It is estimated that the JVT could cover 98% of the distributed generation market (<20MW), either stand-alone or combined with a fuel cell. The Arthur D. Little Co. estimatedthe cumulative value of this market to be $52 Billion through the year 2010.The health benefits attributed to the JVT because of the extreme reduction in air pollutant measures in the billions of dollars. Additionally, the JVT produces only 50% of the greenhouse gas (CO2) of a standard gas turbine.