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Uday B. Pal Department of Mechanical Engineering Division of Materials Science and Engineering

Green Technology Research at Boston University. Uday B. Pal Department of Mechanical Engineering Division of Materials Science and Engineering Boston University. Clean Energy Week: University Research Briefing Day NOVEMBER 11, 2009. Problems with solid waste 10 lb per person/day of SW (US)

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Uday B. Pal Department of Mechanical Engineering Division of Materials Science and Engineering

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  1. Green Technology Research at Boston University Uday B. Pal Department of Mechanical Engineering Division of Materials Science and Engineering Boston University Clean Energy Week: University Research Briefing Day NOVEMBER 11, 2009

  2. Problems with solid waste 10 lb per person/day of SW (US) 170 million tons/yr is landfilled Energy value 6.4 MJ/lb of SW Green Processing Research at BUWaste to Energy ConversionCurrent BU Team: Pal and Gopalan • BU Technology (SOM Electrolyzer) • Meet up to 5-10 % of US annual energy consumption • Solve waste disposal problem • Reduce carbon foot print • Production of High Purity H2 • Expensive $120/kg • Based on fossil fuel/electrical energy • Net negative environmental impact • BU Technology (SOM Electrolyzer) • Less Expensive • Does not use fossil fuel (more energy efficient) • Facilitate hydrogen economy Ideal for Potential Start-ups Teaming with Municipalities and Large Companies Potential Internal Collaborators: ITEC and SMG Funding Sources: DOE, NSF, and VCs

  3. MTTC Sponsored Green Processing Research at BU Syn–Gas Out Liquid Metal Anode Waste In Solid Oxide Membrane Combustion/ Gas Turbine O2- O2- V DC Fuel Cell Porous Cermet Cathode Steam In Pure H2 Out

  4. ADVANTAGES : SOLID OXIDE MEMBRANE (SOM) ELECTROLYZER • Electrochemical conversion of H2O(g) High purity H2 • - Efficient way of converting energy value in waste

  5. Coal Methane Natural Gas Any hydrocarbon source! SOM Feedstock Candidates Wood/Lumber Plastics Food Bio-mass Oil Animal Carcasses Biological Wastes Cardboard Chemicals

  6. Experimental H2O ( Entry) Pure H2 exit Syn Gas (Exit) Waste In Iron Crucible Ni-YSZ Cathode tube YSZ coating Refractory separator Liquid Metal + Waste

  7. SOM Reactor for Lab Scale Production of Hydrogen

  8. Green Processing of Energy Intensive Metals (Si, Ti, Mg, Ta, and Al)Current BU Team: Pal and Powell Existing Electrolytic Process • Chloride feed preparation • Higher dissociation potential • Lower efficiency • Environmentally Hazardous • Chlorine and its byproducts form at the anode BU Technology (SOM Electrolyzer) • Oxide feed (little or no feed preparation) • Lower dissociation potential • Higher efficiency • Environmentally friendly • Oxygen evolution at the anode Potential External Collaborators: MIT, WPI, Primary Metals Industries, DOE Labs Potential Internal Collaborators: ENG (BME and ME) Funding Sources: DOE, ARPA-E, VCs

  9. Anode O2– O2– Solid-Oxide Oxygen Ion Conducting Membrane(YSZ)‏ O2–(melt)O2–(YSZ)Ionic Melt with Dissolved MeOMe2+(melt)+ 2e– Me‏ DC V Cathode DOE/NSF/Industry Sponsored ResearchSchematic of the BU Electrolyzer for Green Processing of Metals O2- ½ O2(g) + 2e

  10. Experimental SOM Reactor • Stainless Steel construction • Single Tubular YSZ membrane • Separate chamber for Electrolysis and Condenser • 15 g/hr of Mg at 1 Amp/cm2 • 10 w% MgO in 55.5 w% MgF2- CaF2 at 1150 oC • Argon used as carrier and diluent for Magnesium vapor

  11. 1 cm Setup 3 cm

  12. Potentiodynamic Sweep at 1150 0C MgO Dissociation

  13. SOM Electrolysis of MgO Potentiostatic Hold at 4.0 Volts MgO concentration is decreasing 1150 oC

  14. SOM Electrolysis of MgO Condensed Magnesium

  15. MgO Feed Tubular YSZ COE Anode Hydrogen Inlet Tube & Anode connection Argon Bubbling Tube Reactor Mg(g) + Ar Condenser Cathode Connection Ar SOM Design with Three Tube Arrangement (0.5-1 Kg/day)

  16. Top and Side Views of the Possible Scale-up Version of the SOM Electrolytic Cell Mg Vapor Steel Cathode SOM Anode Sujit Das, “Primary Magnesium Production Costs for Automotive Applications,” J. of Metals, 60(11), 2008, p. 63.

  17. SOM Features for Mg Production • Cost Effective & Environmentally friendly • Direct reduction of Magnesium oxide • Minimize pre-processing, reduce capital and operating cost • High Current Density ( >1 Amp/cm2) – with high applied voltages  Good Scale up Potential • Reformation of Natural gas due to high temperature operation • Specific Energy consumption of MgO reduction is 10 KWh/Kg

  18. BU: Clean Energy Patent Applications • Waste to Hydrogen • 60/760,906 (Provisional Converted) • SOM Process • 09/002,581(5976345 Issued) • 2,277,8472277847 Issued • 60/699,970 (Provisional Converted) • PCT/US06/027255 (PCT Entered National Phase) • 11/994,806 (Filed)

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