Demonstration of the First European SOFC APU on a Heavy Duty Truck

Within the EU-FCH JU funded project DESTA the partners AVL, Eberspächer, Topsoe Fuel Cell, Volvo and Forschungszentrum Jülich are collaborating since January 2012 to demonstrate the first European Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit (SOFC APU) on a heavy duty truck. The APU is used to provide the truck with electrical energy during vehicle standstill to power comfort functions like A/C, TV, refrigerator & PCs. To facilitate these functionalities typically, the main diesel engine is idled which causes significant emissions and operating cost. The APU is used with conventional diesel fuel and provides about 3 kW of electrical power at 30% electrical efficiency. To enable the usage of conventional fuel, SOFC technology is used. Main advantage of the SOFC stack technology is the use and operation with synthesis gas generated out of conventional fuels. Hence DESTA SOFC APU systems can be operated with conventional road Diesel fuel. Within the APU system, the Diesel fuel is reformed to a hydrogen and carbon monoxide containing synthesis gas. The SOFC technology allows the conversion of this hydrogen and also carbon monoxide with oxygen of the air directly into electricity. This creates a significant benefit in comparison to other fuel cell technologies like PEM or HT PEM. This process also allows significantly higher electrical efficiencies than conventional solutions like a diesel gen-set. Additionally the fuel cell APU is extremely silent and doesn’t emit other harmful emissions like NOx, THC or PM.