Canola Oil Fuel Cell Demonstration: Volume 2 - Market Availability of Agricultural Crops for Fuel Cell Applications
Abstract
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert chemical energy to electrical energy with very high efficiency, and with very low levels of environmental emissions. The reformation of vegetable oil crops for fuel cell uses is not well known; yet vegetable oils such as canola oil represent a viable alternative and complement to traditional fuel cell feedstocks. This report summarizes a study conducted to identify various Montana oil crops available for reforming as a feedstock fuel in fuel cell applications. The use of vegetable oils, or bio-fuels, in Montana alone could potentially sustain more than 6000 fuel cell units, 5.0 kW in size. Many vegetable oils were found to be viable options for production and use in fuel cells in Montana. This project was undertaken to demonstrate a year-long operation of a fuel cell in Yellowstone National Park using canola oil feedstock. This study performed a literature search to: (1) determine the market availability of agricultural crops that produce vegetable oil, and (2) determine the amount of vegetable oil that could be extracted to serve as a feedstock in fuel cell applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA457432
Entities
People
- Craig Cassarino
- Duane D. Johnson
- Franklin H. Holcomb
- Joel Lindstrom
- John W. Adams
- Lee Spangler
- Michael J. Binder
- Scott M. Lux
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center