Fuel Cell Module Developed by Japanese Companies Achieves World's Top-Level Electrical Conversion Efficiency

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), Toho Gas Co. and Sumitomo Precision Products Co. announced on April 20, 2009, that their co-developed 3-kilowatt solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) module for commercial use has achieved a world's highest level of energy conversion efficiency on its test generation fueled by city gas.

Fuel cell systems draw a highly efficient and stable supply of electricity from a wide variety of fuels including city gas, regardless of their power generation capacities. SOFC systems, in particular, are expected to achieve the highest level of generation efficiency ranging from 45 to 60 percent. The systems can also utilize the heat given off during generation and they need no noble metal catalysts.

By employing technologies such as high performance stacks and designs that allow advanced heat flow and enhanced heat insulation, the newly-developed power generation module demonstrated its thermally self-sustainable, stable operation for several hundreds of hours with an electrical conversion efficiency of 56 percent. It also achieved a world-leading efficiency level of 59 percent for a short period of time. It was calculated based on the lower heating value that excludes the latent heat of vaporization of water in the fuel.

The three companies will further develop the power module, conduct demonstration tests as an SOFC system for commercial use and verify performance, aiming to put the system in practical use in a few years.

Breakthrough in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/025283.html
Japanese Institute Develops Highly Efficient Micro Fuel Cell (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026315.html
Development of power generation module with solid oxide fuel cells for commercial use
http://www.ntt.co.jp/news/news09e/0904/090420a.html

Posted: 2009/07/15 06:00:15 AM