MODIFICATION
99 -- STEAM METHANE REFORMER INTEGRATION WITH 1 KW SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL
- Notice Date
- 2/3/2016
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 335999
— All Other Miscellaneous Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BH
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- NNJ16574236Q
- Response Due
- 2/1/2016
- Archive Date
- 1/19/2017
- Point of Contact
- Audrey Montgomery, Phone: 281.792.7510
- E-Mail Address
-
audrey.c.montgomery@nasa.gov
(audrey.c.montgomery@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS NOTICE CONSTITUTES AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO THE COMBINED SYNOPSIS/RFQ FOR Steam Methane Reformer Integration with 1 KW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. Companies shall acknowledge all amendment(s) in their quote. This notice serves as the official amendment to subject synopsis/RFQ and a written amendment will not be issued. The due date for receipt of offers is extended to February 12, 2016. Companies shall provide the information stated in the synopsis/RFQ posted on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) on January 19, 2016 at 2:51 PM Central Standard Time. The purpose of this amendment is to answer the questions below: Question 1: The technical requirements state that when the system is purged there will be a high flow rate of methane to the reformer without any water recycle. This will result in high levels of coking during the purge cycle unless an additional source of water is provided to the reformer. Is an additional source of water a possibility for the design? Answer 1: Our concerns are mainly with getting rid of CO2 build-up in the system so that it doesn't adversely affect system efficiency. If the vendor is able to provide other recommendations to avoid CO2 build-up and avoid coking (a bypass line, etc.), we would be open to those suggestions. Question 2: Does the government require that the system be dead-ended with a purge cycle? Or would the government consider a design for a continuous flow system where purging would not be required? Answer 2: We do require a system that is dead-ended. Question 3: Is it acceptable to have liquid water present in the system? Answer 3: We are open to having liquid water in the system (if need be), but are unsure of the advantage of incorporating liquid water into the system would be versus dealing with high temperature steam. Our integrated dead-end system would be designed mainly to take the high-temperature steam produced by the SOFC, and circulate it back to the Steam Reformer. So adding liquid water might add more complexity, than is needed. Question 4: The technical requirements call for a maximum flow rate of 40 SLM of methane flow. That is far higher than typically required for a 1 kW SOFC. Is the high flow rate required only for the purge cycle? What is the minimum amount of hydrogen required for the fuel cell to produce 1 kW? Answer 4: The flow rate of 40 SLM is the maximum rate that the system shall be able to handle. The purge cycle doesn't have a required flow rate yet, since the system isn't fully designed. See answer to question #5, regarding the answer to the minimum amount of H2 required. Question 5: What is the efficiency of the SOFC? Answer 5: The efficiency of the SOFC is currently unknown, since we are in the initial phases of testing the SOFC itself. Since the SOFC has not been tested, the minimum amount of hydrogen required for it should be considered to be the theoretical amount required from a 1 kW SOFC, which is approximately 0.048 kg/hr (or ~0.54 SLPM). Question 6: Our reformer has a very low pressure drop. Is reformate at 5 psig sufficient for the SOFC? Answer 6: Yes, reformate at 5 psig is sufficient for the SOFC. Question 7: How is water cycled in the system? Is there a pump or venturi involved? Answer 7: The method in which water will be cycled will be based largely on the type of reformer that is chosen for this integrated system. If the vendor has recommendations on this, we are open to suggestions. Question 8: Will the system use high temperature check valves? The reformate temperature will be 600C or higher. Answer 8: The system will be able to use high temperature check valves. If the vendor has any recommendations for valves, we are open to suggestions. Question 9: Per the RFQ, input flow requirements for CH4 flow rate are 0 - 40 SLPM as shown in Figure 1 in the Solicitation as well as in Section 4.6.1. 40 SLPM of CH4 corresponds to ~22 kW (thermal). Is this the desired inlet CH4 flow rate for a 1 kWe stack? (Our expectation is that it should be considerably lower.) Answer 9: The system shall be able to handle a maximum rate of 40 SLPM. Since the main purpose of the Steam Reformer is to convert CH4 into H2, the amount of CH4 required can be calculated from the H2 needs of the SOFC and the conversion efficiency of the Steam Reformer (this conversion efficiency depends on the type of reformer provided by the vendor). Regarding the flow rate of H2 required from the SOFC, since NASA's SOFC stack hasn't been tested yet (we are only getting to the initial stages of testing now), we do not know the SOFC's efficiency and therefore do not have an exact desired inlet flow rate. The minimum theoretical flow rate of H2 required from a 1 kW SOFC is approximately 0.048 kg/hr (or ~0.54 SLPM). Question 10: What is the range of steam-to-carbon (S/C) ratio in the Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) feed? (Note that operating the SMR below a S/C of 2 will result in carbon buildup - equilibrium driven.) Answer 10: The expected range of the steam-to-carbon ratio is open-ended, since the system is still being designed and will be based largely on the needs of the type of the steam reformer that is selected. The expected S/C ratio is 2 or above (depending on the conversion efficiency of the Steam Reformer provided by the vendor). If necessary, NASA can install a flow controller upstream on the methane input line to help control the S/C ratio. Vendors are welcome to provide recommendations on this area. Question 11: What is the expected SMR feed composition with anode gas recycle? Answer 11: See section 4.5.3 of the Statement of Work. Ranges are given for the various inputs that could be expected. Question 12: What is the expected inlet feed temperature to the SMR? Answer 12: Depends on the type of Steam Reformer that is selected, since the type of Steam Reformer will help drive the system architecture. Generally, the inlet feed temperature can vary widely, depending on the input source (since the sources will vary): K-bottle gases that operate at approximately room temperature; Boil-off gases from liquid methane cryogenic tanks that can be ~1140 Kelvin and above (though will most likely be a bit higher since line covers a to-be-determined distance from the cryogenic tanks to the Steam Reformer); SOFC product output, which operates at 7000 Celsius (so gases can be expected to range from 7000 Celsius and below). The furnace (or heating capability) that the vendor provides (see section 4.10.4) in order to maintain the Steam Reformer's operating temperature, should be able to take all of those factors into account. Question 13: Is ASME certification required? Answer 13: ASME certification or evidence of similar industry certifications/standards. Question 14: Is insulation around SMR necessary if the SMR is to be tested inside a furnace? Answer 14: This also depends on the type of Steam Reformer, and up to the vendor. At the minimum, any and all protective features that are required for operators to safely operate the Steam Reformer should be provided (especially considering the vendor will likely have a heating capability for the Steam Reformer). Question 15: What is meant by commercially purchased SMR as stated in 1.1 in the Solicitation? (We offer our reformer as advanced prototypes with limited warranties.) Answer 15: It means a Steam Reformer that has been purchased by an eligible commercial vendor. An advanced prototype should be fine (though information about its historical performance, as well as information the limited warranty, should be provided as well). Question 16: Does NASA currently have a water/CO2 separation process at the SOFC exhaust, or would they like the vendor to provide one? Answer 16: Our main concern is obtaining a Steam Methane Reformer to convert methane into H2 to be used by the SOFC. We don't currently have a water/CO2 separation process at the SOFC exhaust; it is currently not required since we are planning on conducting purges to eliminate any residual CO2 in the system. But if the vendor would like to provide a water/CO2 separator, we are definitely open to receiving information separate from the quote for the Steam Methane Reformer. Question 17: Operation of a 1 kW SOFC will require approximately 3 - 6 slpm of methane flow. The solicitation states that the methane flow rate is 0 - 40 slpm. Should the proposal/quotation provide flow controllers for the expected SOFC flow rate of 3 - 6 slpm, or for the maximum flow rate of 40 slpm? Answer 17: The 40 SLPM rate is based on maximum limits for the flow controllers on the existing SOFC system architecture, which is referenced in the Statement of Work. If additional flow controllers are specifically required for the vendor's Steam Reformer, the vendor shall provide flow controllers that can handle 40 SLPM. Any additional flow controller provided should be capable of handling higher temperatures (especially if it is going to be placed close to the Steam Reformer). Question 18: Will the SOFC use pure oxygen, air, or both. Would the oxygen/air system be separate from this system or do you want us to include it? Answer 18: The SOFC system will be using oxygen. NASA will be providing the oxygen supply system for the SOFC. Our primary requirement is the Steam Methane Reformer, and any other components needed with it, as outlined in the Statement of Work. Question 19: How long is the expected cycle durability between blow downs? Can the water/CO2 separator be designed to simply vent or flare the CO2 and other associated gases? Answer 19: Regarding our operating cycles, since we were still in the initial stages of testing the SOFC, we plan on operating it manually for 8-10 hour periods (before adjusting to more autonomous operations later on). We plan on venting the CO2, since our facilities have the capabilities to vent gases from the testing area. Question 20: Do you prefer a fully welded, enclosed reactor, or would you prefer access to the catalyst? Answer 20: We are open to either, though a couple of things to keep in mind: for both cases, vendor needs to provide cost estimates for installation assistance, cost estimates should be provided for any operation or troubleshooting assistance, and the vendor should either be able to either provide a way for NASA to access the catalyst or provide physical on-site assistance. Question 21: The SOFC output will also have CO and H2 in it, along with water and CO2. Do you have an ability to deal with these off gases? Answer 21: The Steam Reformer provided by the vendor needs to be able to accept those outputs as stated in the Statement of Work. CO2 will at least be periodically purged from the system, by venting. Question 22: We are registered on SAM. Do we submit the proposal through SAM or do we send it through email to Audrey. Is there a standard format that you prefer? Answer 22: Follow the procedures stated in the combined synopsis/RFQ and subsequent amendments. Question 23: Our company can thermally oxidize methane. Would that be equipment that would be acceptable to quote instead of the SMR equipment requested? Answer 23: Vendor should state whether the outputs include the production of H2 (which is the main purpose for our usage of a Steam Reformer) and list the exact products which would be produced by the thermal methane oxidizer. To be deemed technically acceptable, all requirements given in the Statement of Work shall be met by the proposed equipment.
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