Development of novel and reliable microSOFCs for use in APUs & other applications

Completed

Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells, Mobile applications)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor TW Button
IRC in Materials Processin
University of Birmingham

Standard

EPSRC

01 September 2016

31 August 2017

12 months

£20,182

Energy

West Midlands

Energy : Energy

Professor TW Button, IRC in Materials Processin, University of Birmingham

This project examines the feasibility of a new SOFC device in the field of fuel cells, an invention which could lead to more economic portable power in stationary vehicles such as campervans and police vans. Up to now, the fuel cell has been too expensive to apply in such applications. Even after long development, a small fuel cell system for power/heat costs almost 13,000. These high costs are coming down as production increases (about 50,000 units were installed in Japan in 2014) but in the UK less than 100 systems are installed now. By utilizing a new design, Adelan plans to jump onto a lower learning curve to accelerate the penetration of this technology. Adelan published the first description of a UK microtubular SOFC in 1994 and has been making steady progress in cost reduction and in commercialisation strategy. The project partner Conrad Anderson has manufacturing skills which will show how the product can be made economically. The third partner University of Birmingham is an expert organisation in fuel cells, in this case developing sealant and metal interconnect materials. The commercial objective is to manufacture the new design in large numbers by 2020

07/10/16