Design and tests of DAC-FC electrodes

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Facts

About the project

Challenge

The overarching challenge of the green transition is to ensure green, stable, and affordable energy, so that we can become independent of fossil fuels. Various initiatives have been taken to achieve this goal, including the expansion of renewable energy facilities and the search for ways to store excess energy.

So far, fuel cells have proven to be too expensive to become an integrated part of the energy system. This is partly due to the CAPEX costs and their limited lifespan. For the fuel cell technology known as Alkaline Fuel Cell (AFC), the problem is that CO2 from the air reacts with the electrolyte, leading to reduced efficiency and lifespan.

Therefore, AFC technology has been used where it can be supplied with pure O2, such as in the Apollo and Columbia space shuttles, or in smaller applications like emergency power generators.

Solution

A potential solution to this is the DAC-FC technology, which combines the principles of Alkaline Fuel Cells with Direct Air Capture. DAC-FC addresses the Achilles' heel of AFC, namely CO2 contamination, as the DAC part of the technology separates and captures CO2 from the process.

Thus, DAC-FC produces energy from green H2 and air, while also capturing CO2 as a byproduct. Preliminary calculations from AU-MPE indicate that DAC-FC is cost-competitive with backup power solutions like gas-fired power plants.

Impact

AFC and DAC are well-known technologies at TRL 8; however, the combination of DAC-FC is at an early stage, approximately TRL 3. A small stack design and a laboratory prototype have been developed, which are intended for further testing during this project.

This project focuses on a detailed part of DAC-FC, specifically the electrodes. By the end of this short concept study, the technology is expected to be elevated to TRL 4, and the results will be compiled into a small report. This is expected to act as a catalyst for a subsequent project aimed at detailing the complete DAC-FC design and constructing a full-scale single cell as the next step.