Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybridization Using a Sterling Engine
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The project that you see here is one of my most challenging projects that I have had to date. The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (F.C) Sterling Engine (S.E) Hybridization was done as a part of my Polymer Electrolyte (PE) F.C Engines course and replaced the final exam for the semester. Though we were made aware that there would be a project at the end of the semester at the beginning of the class we were not told much else. Therefore when we were told what kind of project it was and what we had to do we had just under 2 months to complete it.
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The project was to investigate a topic discussed in class but had not been explored in detail. Our project decided to investigate the efficiency of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell in a group of two. The goal was to determine if the theoretical efficiency that had been documented could be increased by changing the components of the system such as the materials. This in turn would allow solid state fuel cells, a cell that has less inherent problems than other fuel cells, to become a viable alternate energy source.
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After much searching and number crunching it was determined that it was not possible with the current materials to significantly affect the efficiency of the system. The system was limited by the fact that not only did the materials affect the efficiency of the system but the fact that voltage and power output of the system changed as well as efficiency as the operating temperature changed. Because the fact that the sterling engine was apart of the system the power and efficiency may have been increase but at the same time the limitation to the voltage and therefore application prevents the system from going beyond the documented max efficiency.
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This project help me not only to learn more about a subject that I had little knowledge in but also pushed me to my limit and possibly beyond on time management and how to work efficiently on a project. As I stated before there was just under 2 months in order to create and complete this project. When considering that I also had other homework and classes it can be seen that there was a lot of work to be done. But in the end I learned how to know what to focus on since it was important to the project and what was not. I believe that the end product was also not all that bad in terms of quality.
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