WVU researchers develop nanomaterial coatings to improve fuel efficiency and stability of fuel cells to reduce carbon emissions in aviation
Emissions from air travel are a significant contributor to a warming planet, and yet advancements in carbon-free flights are still decades away. With a newly patented process, researchers at West Virginia University in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources are working with GE Aerospace to utilize nanoparticles to improve fuel cell efficiency and lower carbon emissions.
Story by Kaley LaQuea, Communications Specialist
Photos by Savanna Leech, Graphic Arts Designer
Funded through U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E), the FLyCLEEN project aims to utilize carbon-neutral biofuel, or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), within the jet turbine to propel the aircraft and generate electricity via fuel cells embedded in the engine.
WVU is collaborating with GE Aerospace to incorporate nanomaterial coatings within these embedded solid-oxide fuel cells. The aim is to mitigate potential degradation from use of these biofuels and improve their performance.
“Our goal is to reduce the environmental impact from commercial aviation,” said materials science PhD candidate and graduate researcher Saad Waseem. “It produces a lot of carbon emissions, about a billion tons of CO2 a year, so we’re trying to limit that.”
But before hybrid aviation can be perfected and implemented, some engineering hurdles like added mass and recharging options for long-haul flights must be addressed. The WVU research team, now in phase two of the project, is working to modify cells to utilize the biofuel more efficiently and reduce carbon output.
“There is a huge amount of energy lost when a plane is powering up and idling. Even during flight, there's a lot of fuel used for all the other systems besides just propelling the airplane,” said mechanical, materials and aerospace department professor Edward Sabolsky. He says DOE programs have been looking at how to fully electrically power flights for years. “But before we get there, we want to see if we can replace the dirty jet fuel with biofuel and implement the use of fuel cells to produce more efficient and cleaner electricity to the aircraft support systems."
Used in commercial transportation, buildings and emergency backup power, SOFCs produce electricity by direct electrochemical oxidation of the fuel. Solid oxide fuel cell stacks are composed of metal oxide (ceramic) plates, tightly stacked on top of one another and electrically connected in a series. As externally-reformed hydrocarbon fuel is pushed through the cell, the anode electrode, which contains nickel, reacts with the resulting hydrogen and light hydrocarbon fuel to produce electricity. The unreformed hydrocarbon fuel reacts with the nickel to produce unwanted carbon impurities, causing the nickel electrode to deactivate which degrades the SOFC over time.
In order to prevent this carbon degradation effect, researchers developed a method of applying a bio-derived coating inspired by nature. This bio-polymer coating, modeled after the same chemical that allows many shellfish to stick to all kinds of surfaces, is mixed into water then applied to the SOFC.
When the bio-coated SOFC is then exposed to nanomaterial suspensions or solutions, the bio-coating attracts the nanomaterials producing an even distribution of nanoparticles within the SOFC. After the initial application, the bio-coating burns away at high temperatures, leaving a coating of nanoparticles within the electrodes. The process allows for better stability, less degradation and higher performance for the SOFC electrode.
In phase two, researchers speculate that this type of hybrid system could achieve up to 20% reduction in fuel consumption.
Waseem hopes to make SOFCs more versatile in the future. He’s looking to test this catalytic protective layer with direct hydrocarbon fuel sources such as natural gas.
Carbon-rich fuels tend to destroy SOFCs pretty quickly. Waseem is working on implementing multi-component nano-catalysts that will allow for internal reformation of the hydrocarbons.
As fuel cells are currently one of the most efficient conversions of fuel to electricity, he hopes this modification will increase the fuel flexibility of commercially-available SOFCs. The technology could be applied in fuel cell systems used to generate electricity for commercial buildings and auxiliary power units.
“Energy production is always something that will take technological advancement to the next level. That’s how we move forward,” said Waseem. “We’re trying to produce energy in a more efficient and environmentally friendly manner, so if we can get there that would be really cool."
Zero-carbon air travel may be further down the road, but new initiatives in the Mountain State hold promise for the future of renewables in the energy sector. As part of a $925 million dollar federal infrastructure funding package, the DOE announced in October that West Virginia will be the new home of the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub.
Utilizing processes like polymer and nanoparticle applications to advance clean conversions of fossil fuels to hydrogen are especially relevant as energy technology ramps up to address pressing climate change issues.