High-Temperature Valve Design for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine Hybrid System Utilizing Smart Materials
Abstract
The topic of this project includes extensive research on the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine (SOFC/GT) hybrid system located at the National Energy Technology Laboratory. The goal is to reduce pollution and generate energy by using natural gas and a combination of fuel cells, heat exchangers, bypass valves, turbines, and combustors as components working together to produce clean energy. The SOFC/GT system works by having the fuel cell pressurized by the gas turbine. The turbine then produces exhaust gas for the fuel cell, because the turbine recovers the majority of the heat and the pressurization contributes to the enhancement of fuel cell characteristics, this system is regarded as efficient. A bypass valve design is proposed to further enhance this system's efficiency, despite its effectiveness. This project aims to develop and manufacture a functioning bypass valve that will be incorporated into the SOFC/GT system to regulate gas turbine exhaust airflow. The system's efficiency is expected to rise as a result of this action. Smart materials, Shape Memory Alloys (SMA), were used to create a new valve that was available at a price that was more reasonable because, regrettably, this valve is not manufactured at a low cost in the market. The design aims to modify this new material for testing and collecting data. The project starts focusing on creating and designing a valve prototype for room temperature testing. Data was gathered by doing several trial tests before jumping into the design and manufacture of the high-temperature bypass valve. Once the room-temperature prototypes proved their functionality in controlling airflow and using SMA springs for actuation, the design for the high-temperature bypass valve was created and manufactured for laboratory testing before installation at the SOFC/GT system.
Subject Area
Mechanical engineering|Aerospace engineering
Recommended Citation
Márquez, Alba Jazmín Leyva, "High-Temperature Valve Design for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine Hybrid System Utilizing Smart Materials" (2022). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI29999593.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI29999593