SRI International Presents Direct Carbon Fuel Cell Technology
SRI International (Menlo Park, CA), an independent, non-profit, research and development organization, presented its new direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) technology to the fuel cell research community. The new DCFC technology produces electricity at a competitive cost from a variety of fuels, including coal, coke, tar, biomass, and organic waste. In addition, it is two times more fuel efficient than current coal-fired power plants, resulting in reduced carbon-dioxide emissions. The process produces almost pure carbon-dioxide, which can be contained in a concentrated stream and easily captured for downstream use or disposal.
SRI Vice President Lawrence Dubois stated, "A proposed energy source must meet strict criteria to overtake conventional coal-fueled power plants. The conversion system must use a low-cost domestic resource, have comparable or lower capital and operating costs, achieve higher efficiency, and capture fuel oxidation products internally to achieve zero emissions of toxic and greenhouse gases. SRI's novel DCFC approach has the potential to satisfy all of these demanding requirements."
SRI scientists are developing a DCFC system that uses inexpensive and domestically available coal for clean energy generation. SRI's Materials Research Laboratory is working with international and industrial partners to demonstrate the technical, economic, and commercial feasibility of its DCFCs. SRI's system mixes the best features of two demonstrated technologies: solid-oxide fuel cells and molten carbon-air fuel cells. The one-step, clean, high-efficiency energy conversion process transforms the chemical energy of pulverized coal (and other carbon-containing fuels) directly into electricity through the electrochemical oxidation of carbon.
