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HEATSTACK to cut cost of components in fuel cell mCHP
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HEATSTACK to cut cost of components in fuel cell mCHP The new HEATSTACK project, funded by the EC-supported Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, is focused on industrialising the production of two key components – cathode air preheaters and the solid oxide fuel cell stack – in a state-of-the-art micro combined heat and power (mCHP) generation system.
Fuel cells for home CHP Micro combined heat and power (mCHP) generation holds great potential for lowering energy costs and CO2 emissions in the residential housing sector. Of the various mCHP technologies, fuel cells show great promise because of their potential for high electrical efficiency, and the ability to run on conventional heating fuels. However, although technology leaders in this sector are nearing commercial deployment following extensive field trials, high capital costs remain a key challenge to the continuing progress of this sector and mass market introduction in Europe. The new HEATSTACK project is therefore focused on reducing the cost of the two most expensive components in the fuel cell system – the fuel cell stack and the heat-exchanger – which together represent the majority of total system capital expenditure.
Cutting component cost The HEATSTACK project aims to reduce the cost of each component technology by: sä !DVANCINGäPROVENäCOMPONENTäTECHNOLOGIESä through optimising design, materials, and production processes for improved performance and quality. sä 5SINGäADVANCEDäMATERIALSäTOäIMPROVEä component performance, which will reduce system degradation, and improve overall system efficiency and lifetime. sä $EVELOPINGäANDäAPPLYINGäNOVELäTOOLINGäFORä laser welding and automated production lines, to remove manual processing steps. sä )MPROVINGäPRODUCTäDEVELOPMENTäCYCLEäTIMESä and reducing time to market. sä $EMONSTRATINGäDESIGNäFLEXIBILITYäANDä production scalability for mass manufacturing, on the scale of 10 000 units per annum. sä $EVELOPINGäKEYäSUPPLYäCHAINäRELATIONSHIPSäTOä allow for competitive sourcing strategies. The project represents a key step towards achieving commercial cost targets for fuel cell mCHP appliances, bringing together leading 12
Fuel Cells Bulletin
technology providers in the fuel cell mCHP supply chain with extensive industrial expertise to accelerate the development towards volume production of the fuel cell stacks and heatexchangers.
Lower production costs The HEATSTACK project aims to reduce the production costs of the most expensive system components – the SOFC stack and heat-exchangers – by up to 60%. Cutting these significant overall system costs through volume production will provide a better total annual energy cost balance for the customer. The project will deliver a production-ready design and process, and a production line for the SOFC stack glass seals including glasspaste and electrical insulating layers. This will represent a crucial step towards achieving significant cost reductions for these key SOFC mCHP system components. Further cost improvements for main components (e.g. insulation, reformer, fans), as well as a volume effect generated from this project and other FCH JU initiatives under Horizon 2020, are the main drivers for achieving commercial cost targets. Cost reductions of 80% are targeted for establishing a mass market in Europe, representing 100 000 unit sales per annum.
SOFC developer sunfire GmbH in Germany, Italian heater and boiler manufacturer ICI Caldaie SpA, and PNO Consultants Ltd and the Centre for Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Research at the University of Birmingham in the UK. The three-year HEATSTACK project started in April, and will run to the end of March 2019. The FCH JU is providing E2.9 million (US$3.2 million) in project funding.
More information HEATSTACK Coordinator: Charlie Penny, Senior Flexonics Ltd, Crumlin, Gwent NP11 3HY, UK. Tel: +44 1495 241538, Email: [email protected], Web: www.seniorflexonics.co.uk Project website: www.heatstack.eu HEATSTACK on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatstack_eu Senior Flexonics Czech sro: www.seniorflexonics.cz/en/ sunfire GmbH: www.sunfire.de/en Vaillant GmbH: www.vaillant.com PNO Consultants Ltd: www.pnoconsultants.com University of Birmingham, Centre for Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Research: www.birmingham.ac.uk/fuel-cells ICI Caldaie SpA: www.icicaldaie.com
European collaboration HEATSTACK – or more formally, Production Ready Heat Exchangers and Fuel Cell Stacks for Fuel Cell mCHP – is a collaboration between commercial and research institutions, coordinated by Welsh heat-exchange specialist Senior Flexonics (part of Senior UK Ltd). The project is funded by the European Commission under its Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). The other project partners are Senior Flexonics in the Czech Republic, heating systems manufacturer Vaillant Group and
HEATSTACK project partner Vaillant aims to significantly reduce the cost of key components in its solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) micro combined heat and power (mCHP) systems for residential applications. This image shows the structure of the company’s current XellPower FC heating unit: the SOFC system with the auxiliary units sits below the auxiliary condensing gas boiler heater.
September 2016
HEATSTACK to cut cost of components in fuel cell mCHP The new HEATSTACK project, funded by the EC-supported Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, is focused on industrialising the production of two key components – cathode air preheaters and the solid oxide fuel cell stack – in a state-of-the-art micro combined heat and power (mCHP) generation system.
Fuel cells for home CHP Micro combined heat and power (mCHP) generation holds great potential for lowering energy costs and CO2 emissions in the residential housing sector. Of the various mCHP technologies, fuel cells show great promise because of their potential for high electrical efficiency, and the ability to run on conventional heating fuels. However, although technology leaders in this sector are nearing commercial deployment following extensive field trials, high capital costs remain a key challenge to the continuing progress of this sector and mass market introduction in Europe. The new HEATSTACK project is therefore focused on reducing the cost of the two most expensive components in the fuel cell system – the fuel cell stack and the heat-exchanger – which together represent the majority of total system capital expenditure.
Cutting component cost The HEATSTACK project aims to reduce the cost of each component technology by: sä !DVANCINGäPROVENäCOMPONENTäTECHNOLOGIESä through optimising design, materials, and production processes for improved performance and quality. sä 5SINGäADVANCEDäMATERIALSäTOäIMPROVEä component performance, which will reduce system degradation, and improve overall system efficiency and lifetime. sä $EVELOPINGäANDäAPPLYINGäNOVELäTOOLINGäFORä laser welding and automated production lines, to remove manual processing steps. sä )MPROVINGäPRODUCTäDEVELOPMENTäCYCLEäTIMESä and reducing time to market. sä $EMONSTRATINGäDESIGNäFLEXIBILITYäANDä production scalability for mass manufacturing, on the scale of 10 000 units per annum. sä $EVELOPINGäKEYäSUPPLYäCHAINäRELATIONSHIPSäTOä allow for competitive sourcing strategies. The project represents a key step towards achieving commercial cost targets for fuel cell mCHP appliances, bringing together leading 12
Fuel Cells Bulletin
technology providers in the fuel cell mCHP supply chain with extensive industrial expertise to accelerate the development towards volume production of the fuel cell stacks and heatexchangers.
Lower production costs The HEATSTACK project aims to reduce the production costs of the most expensive system components – the SOFC stack and heat-exchangers – by up to 60%. Cutting these significant overall system costs through volume production will provide a better total annual energy cost balance for the customer. The project will deliver a production-ready design and process, and a production line for the SOFC stack glass seals including glasspaste and electrical insulating layers. This will represent a crucial step towards achieving significant cost reductions for these key SOFC mCHP system components. Further cost improvements for main components (e.g. insulation, reformer, fans), as well as a volume effect generated from this project and other FCH JU initiatives under Horizon 2020, are the main drivers for achieving commercial cost targets. Cost reductions of 80% are targeted for establishing a mass market in Europe, representing 100 000 unit sales per annum.
SOFC developer sunfire GmbH in Germany, Italian heater and boiler manufacturer ICI Caldaie SpA, and PNO Consultants Ltd and the Centre for Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Research at the University of Birmingham in the UK. The three-year HEATSTACK project started in April, and will run to the end of March 2019. The FCH JU is providing E2.9 million (US$3.2 million) in project funding.
More information HEATSTACK Coordinator: Charlie Penny, Senior Flexonics Ltd, Crumlin, Gwent NP11 3HY, UK. Tel: +44 1495 241538, Email: [email protected], Web: www.seniorflexonics.co.uk Project website: www.heatstack.eu HEATSTACK on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatstack_eu Senior Flexonics Czech sro: www.seniorflexonics.cz/en/ sunfire GmbH: www.sunfire.de/en Vaillant GmbH: www.vaillant.com PNO Consultants Ltd: www.pnoconsultants.com University of Birmingham, Centre for Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Research: www.birmingham.ac.uk/fuel-cells ICI Caldaie SpA: www.icicaldaie.com
European collaboration HEATSTACK – or more formally, Production Ready Heat Exchangers and Fuel Cell Stacks for Fuel Cell mCHP – is a collaboration between commercial and research institutions, coordinated by Welsh heat-exchange specialist Senior Flexonics (part of Senior UK Ltd). The project is funded by the European Commission under its Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). The other project partners are Senior Flexonics in the Czech Republic, heating systems manufacturer Vaillant Group and
HEATSTACK project partner Vaillant aims to significantly reduce the cost of key components in its solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) micro combined heat and power (mCHP) systems for residential applications. This image shows the structure of the company’s current XellPower FC heating unit: the SOFC system with the auxiliary units sits below the auxiliary condensing gas boiler heater.
September 2016