Experimental Operation of a PEFC-System as a Co-Generation Plant for the Energy Supply of a Single-Family-House

In 1997 DLRs’ Institute of Technical Thermodynamics in Stuttgart began the experimental operation of its Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell test facility PEMA. The facility was designed to answer questions of two main technical aspects of the PEFC-technology, the examination and approval of PEFC-system concepts for stationary and dynamic applications and the operation and scientific evaluation of the operation behavior of PEFC stacks within an approved system concept. PEMA can operate PEFC stacks of maximum 100 cells in series with and without internal gas humidification, an electric output power between 0.5 and 16 kW and a thermal output power of up to 20 kW. In the course of a detailed stack examination program with a new humidification concept in a 3 kWe PEFC stack from the Italian manufacturer Nuvera, the test facility has been operated in co-generation mode with the energy demands of a Single-Family-House for about 600 hours. As a model for these energy demands a standard single-family-house with a base area of 100 m, 2 floors and full basement following the actual German regulations for insulation against loss of heat of 1995 (WschVO95) has been defined. After an introduction to the technical details of DLR's test facility PEMA, the technical concept of the co-generation plant, the experimental operation of PEMA and its results will be presented in this paper.