Testing of a 500 kWe liquid fuel reformer: Lessons learned

PETR 107

Lyman Frost, Lyman.Frost@inl.gov, Alternative Fuels and Energy, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, ID 11281 and Robert Carrington, Lyman.Frost@inl.gov, Idaho National Laborataory, Idaho, ID 11281.
As part of the Navy's Ship Services Program SOFCO-EFS and the Idaho National Laboratory designed, fabricated and tested a 500 kWe integrated fuel processor to convert high sulfur NATO F76 logistic fuel, up to 1% sulfur, to a PEM fuel cell grade hydrogen steam. A number of important lessons learned resulted from the testing that will influence future system design and technology selection. These changes will simplify system complexity and operation and improve overall safety and performance. The lessons learned also identified some materials issues that will affect how the fuel cell power system interfaces with the ships systems. These lessons learned have been incorporated into advanced conceptual designs using current and advanced SBIR technologies. These lessons learned are applicable to a wide variety of fuel cell systems.