Air Products, FCE building trigeneration hydrogen energy station
C onstruction work has begun on an advanced hydrogen energy demonstration station designed to demonstrate a 'trigeneration' energy system capable of providing low-cost hydrogen, electric power and heat from one integrated unit. The station is being developed by Air Products, a global leader in hydrogen fueling station technology and the world's largest producer of hydrogen, and power plant manufacturer FuelCell Energy, funded in part by the Department of Energy.
The system will combine FCE's Direct FuelCell power plants with Air Products' advanced gas separation technologies. The DFC system produces reliable ultra-clean electric power and heat for cogeneration, as well as hydrogen for industrial applications and fuel cell vehicles. The system is designed to produce more than 250 kW of 'green' power and more than 135 kg (300 lb) per day of hydrogen. The system could provide hydrogen for smaller industrial users who routinely purchase liquid or gaseous hydrogen that currently must be delivered by truck. The DFC system could also be equipped to provide daily hydrogen fueling for approximately 35 FCVs.
The trigeneration system (hydrogen, electricity and heat) is designed to operate on renewable fuel sources, such as anaerobic digester gas from industrial or municipal wastewater treatment facilities, as well as readily available fuels, including natural gas and propane. The overall cost of on-site generation of hydrogen via this process has the potential to be significantly lower than other currently available production options, and thus could provide hydrogen and energy at reduced costs.
The design phase was completed last year, with system construction expected to be complete in 2007. The unit will be tested at FCE and shipped to Air Products for subsequent field demonstrations. Several locations are being evaluated for the field test, which is scheduled to occur before the end of 2008.
Air Products is the lead contractor and system integrator for this DOE demonstration project, titled 'Validation of an integrated system for a hydrogen fueled power park.' Subcontractor FCE is responsible for building the customized power plant component and providing the hydrogencontaining stream for separation. Air Products will construct the equipment needed to separate hydrogen and compress it to the desired pressures.