Foil Gas Bearing Supported High Speed Centrifugal Blower

The efficiency of solid oxide fuel cells can be increased with anode gas recycling, leading to a lower overall system cost. Therefore, in this project, a motor driven, high-speed, high-temperature Anode Gas Recycle Centrifugal Blower will be designed, manufactured and demonstrated. A high-speed direct drive motor, combined with foil gas bearing technology, will result in a low cost, efficient, small, oil-free, and reliable blower. In Phase I a prototype blower was designed and demonstrated in a test rig. The demonstration proved the feasibility of the high-speed centrifugal blower using foil gas bearings. In Phase II, a custom designed blower will be developed and demonstrated in an actual solid oxide fuel cell system. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: Fuel cell manufacturers and others should be able to use the high-speed centrifugal blower in both high and low temperature applications, where other types of blowers could not be used. It would provide high system efficiency, low operating cost, low life cycle cost, oil-free operation, high reliability, and maintenance free operation