aspen Fuel Cell

Engineering Solution
The leading modeling technology for fuel cell systems.
nterprise B

ency digital marketplace decision support availabble-to-promise speed

llaboration profitable-to-trade support supply chain execution manage

ocess integrat
ort scalable connectivity supply chain execution efficiency digital marketpl

ecision support monitor analyze real time data = betteer decisions

A flexible and comprehensive modeling system enabling development of efficient and

reliable fuel cell systems in the shortest possible time.

Increasing efficiency to meet market needs

Fuel cell technology offers both economic and environmental advantages over traditional power generation
technologies. But to meet the demands of the market, fuel cell systems must be designed for maximum
sponsive supplier collaborate beyond the en

efficiency and reliability.

trading partners collaborative workflow business pro

Fuel cell solutions are currently used in:

Transportation providing a cleaner, more efficient alternative to the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)

Portable power powering military and consumer equipment, including mobile phones and video cameras

Residential and industrial power replacing generators and providing solutions for remote locations.
The utopian vision: every home will have a fuel cell and will sell electricity back to the grid

Fuel cell power system markets presently exceed $3 billion worldwide, and global demand for transportation
fuel cells is expected to reach $9 billion by 2007.

The Challenge: Integrating fuel cell components

Fuel cell system developers face a number of challenges:

Fuel cell systems consist of many equipment components working together. The overall energy efficiency
and performance of the system requires tight integration of these components. Commercially viable fuel
cell systems require systematic analysis of a multitude of combinations of equipment components

Experimental pilot testing of every potential configuration and operating scenario is too expensive and time
consuming. Alternative analysis methods are therefore essential to reducing time-to-market for fuel cell
technology

Hydrogen gas is not an acceptable fuel source for fuel cell systems because it has a low energy density
and causes safety concerns. One of the major challenges in fuel cell systems is to generate H2 as needed
from a portable, available, high-density fuel. Fuel cell systems therefore generally include fuel-processing
technology such as reformers and water shift reactors that add to the complexity and heat integration
requirements of the fuel cell system

The reformed gas will contain chemical species including carbon monoxide that may act as a poison to the
fuel cell stack. Processing technologies including partial oxidation and various hydrogen gas purification
technologies are therefore required to purify and condition the hydrogen gas prior to delivery to the fuel
cell unit to ensure long stack life

The various equipment components must operate at different temperatures to achieve conversions and to
produce electricity. These temperature requirements must be achieved by exchange of heat between the
many process streams in the system in order to maximize the overall system energy efficiency. The
strategy for energy integration requires careful and systematic analysis of the options
 The reformer and water shift reactors of the fuel cell system
Dow has a strategic alliance with consume water while the fuel cell stack produces water. The
AspenTech as our solution provider for challenge is to determine how best to recover water from the
process manufacturing systems. We have stack exhaust such that the fuel stack system is not a net
standardized on AspenTechs tools, consumer of water. The objective here is to avoid requiring water
including Aspen Plus, to improve our replenishment for transportation and portable fuel cell systems
business processes. Some of our real
The demand for power from fuel cell systems will vary with
results in applying Aspen Plus throughout
automobile speed, residential power load, etc. The challenge
the process lifecycle include a 12 percent
for fuel cell systems is to ensure that the system can respond
reduction in project cycle time, 67 percent
to the varying power demand reliably over a wide range of
reduction in process engineering and
operating scenarios. This requires careful design of the system
12 percent reduction in design
engineering. control strategy and thorough analysis of the system transient
performance and safety
Manufacturing Manager for Information
Technology
The Dow Chemical Company The Solution: AspenTech simulation
technology accelerates design
Simulation offers an essential weapon in the race to find solutions to these challenges and develop efficient and
reliable fuel cell systems in the shortest possible time. This is where AspenTech provides superior and efficient
solutions to fuel cell technology leaders.

AspenTechs Fuel Cell Engineering Solution (FCES), the leading fuel cell modeling system, accelerates the design
and refinement of fuel cell systems. In addition to providing steady-state, dynamic, and property capabilities, the
solution is open and flexible, enabling our many customers to model many different types of fuel cells for diverse
applications. AspenTechs solution has been adopted by a number of fuel cell developers, including:

major automobile manufacturers in North America, Europe and Japan

power system developers

fuel cell customers who have replaced internally developed software with AspenTech software tools

Key benefits of the AspenTech Fuel

Cell Engineering Solution
There are several reasons why fuel cell
technology developers are rapidly adopting
AspenTech solutions.

Easy-to-use software tools enable engineers

and scientists to get results fast. This allows
our customers to achieve maximum
productivitya critical factor in improving time-
to-market. The Fuel Cell Engineering Solution
offers plug-and-play fuel cell system building.
From a library of standard and custom
components, you can:

graphically construct a system including the

fuel processor, fuel cell, and recovery
systems

select the fuel to feed the system

select your reactor kinetics based on the

catalyst selected

perform sensitivity (parametric) studies and Fuel Cell System Model includes heat and power integration.
optimizations
 create a test-bed of operating scenarios and automate the testing with your benchmark heat-up, cool-down,
and operating profiles

A system-wide approach enables component-to-component interactions in fuel cell design to be explored

systematically. AspenTech offers an integrated and open environment for modeling the entire fuel cell system
including fuel processing, hydrogen purification, fuel cell, heat recovery, and water recovery. This modeling
solution addresses all design aspects including steady-state material balances, heat integration, and dynamic
analysis of heat-up, cool-down, power ramping, and safety analysis.

Reactor models and physical property

systems are comprehensive and
rigorous. Our software allows fuel cell
developers to simulate reformers, water
shift, and selective oxidation reactors.
AspenTechs reactor models can simulate
your fuel processing operations in the
level of detail needed for technology
option assessment, material balance,
heat integration, and detailed dynamics
analysis including catalyst heat-up
behavior. Kinetic parameter regression is
also a key feature of AspenTechs Fuel
Cell Engineering Solution.

Flowsheeting technology simulates the

tightly integrated fuel cell system,
including heat integration between the
exothermic oxidizers and the endothermic
reformer, water recycle, and hydrogen
recovery and recycle. AspenTech is the
Detailed Fuel Cell Stack Model predicts composition and current density along leader in the field of integrated flowsheet
the length of the fuel cell channels. simulation with proven methods to
converge tough applications automatically
and with the flexibility for user-specified
convergence options.

A custom model building capability is essential in modeling the unique performance of a proprietary fuel cell
system. The Fuel Cell Engineering Solution enables engineers and scientists to quickly define the engineering
equations in the language of engineers. In the produce-or-perish world of fuel cell development, there is no time
for engineers to code in C, C++, Microsoft Excel, or Fortran. FCES allows engineers and scientists to focus on
engineering and science without worrying about coding, solvers, or how to connect their fuel cell codes with their
fuel processor codes.

A dynamic simulation and control capability is required before,

during, and after prototyping to rigorously analyze all operating Using models isnt just for the experts any
scenarios. It is used to model the start-up of a new fuel cell power more. At the end of each of my studies, I can
plant, the 0-60 mph time for a fuel cell automobile, and safety of a deliver the simulation to my internal customer,
residential fuel cell system. Dynamic modeling is the single most knowing that he can derive additional value
important type of simulation required to work out the kinks in the fuel from it with minimum help from me.
cell system and to accelerate the development cycle. The dynamic
David Drew
modeling from AspenTech handles the thermodynamics, reactor
Consultant, Process Modeling & Dynamics
performance, heat integration, and controllers simultaneously
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
and rigorously.
 A thermodynamic properties facility is essential to the design of a
tightly heat-integrated fuel cell. It enables engineers to predict the With Aspen Dynamics we can quickly and
heats of reaction, viscosity, and thermal conductivity as a function of easily create dynamic simulations of our
composition, temperature, and pressure. The thermodynamic processes. We have successfully used these
system is commonly viewed as the heart of any flowsheet simulator, dynamic simulations to help us implement
and AspenTech holds the honor of providing the leading advanced control on a number of our plants.
thermodynamic system within a flowsheet simulator. The
Jos Luis Pea Dez
thermodynamic properties are critical in fuel cell development in
Process Engineer, R&D
accurately assessing the chemical potential in the fuel cell
Repsol-YPF
component and in assessing the heat integration opportunity.

Hydrogen purification by adsorption

solves the problem of CO and CO2
removal. The FCES includes adsorption
process modeling and enables you to
assess the adsorption technology as one
alternative for reducing the CO and CO2
in the feed to the fuel cell component.
Similarly, our adsorption modeling
technology can be used to assess the
opportunity to recover and recycle
hydrogen from the anode exhaust.

Full and efficient product support is

available to all our customers through
AspenTech offices around the world.
Mission-critical projects are professionally
executed by highly experienced
AspenTech consultants who work with
your project teams to complete projects
in the specified time.

System Model predicts dynamic response of reformer temperature and fuel cell Solution Components
power output. AspenTechs Fuel Cell Engineering
Solution includes the following software
products:

Aspen Plus
enabling detailed analysis of tightly integrated process units in fuel cell systems. Aspen Plus is the world leader for
steady state analysis and simulation of large flowsheets with recycles

Aspen Dynamics
dynamic modeling for examining fuel cell system performance.
Aspen Dynamics simulates transient performance of catalyst Aspen Custom Modeler provides an easy way
reactors including thermal inertia during cold start as well as to use the environment for both capturing
control system and load following. Aspen Dynamics is integrated and validating our process knowledge. As a
with Aspen Plus, enabling seamless and consistent dynamic standard modeling tool it also gives us a
analysis of the flowsheet common language for sharing and exploiting
this knowledge across our enterprise.
Aspen Custom Modeler
enabling rapid creation of custom models for simulating Recai Artan
proprietary process equipment. Companies have used Aspen Process Engineer/Engineering, Stamicarbon
DSM Services
Custom Modeler to simulate their unique reactors, fuel stacks,
heat exchangers and membrane systems
 Aspen ADSIM
SunKyong has applied Aspen ADSIM to a for modeling of adsorption processes used to purify the
number of PSA processes, including fuel gas in the fuel conditioning section. Aspen ADSIM
hydrogen production. We validated Aspen provides the capability to predict the performance of the
ADSIM with actual process data. Using adsorbents as well as their regeneration efficiency
Aspen ADSIM, we have been able to rapidly
Aspen Properties
examine numerous process alternatives. The
for physical properties calculations. Features extensive
result is significant improvements in the
physical property databanks and models used for
process design.
representing thermodynamic and transport properties
Dr. Jay-Woo Chang
Manager, R&D Technology Center
SunKyong Engineering and Construction Ltd
Our Promise
AspenTech customers have experienced a substantial cycle
time reduction in fuel cell development. The key to our
customers successes has been the rapid system-wide integration of fuel cell components. AspenTech has
validated this system-wide approach through 10 years of helping our customers accelerate development and
deployment of fuel cell technologies.

AspenTechs Fuel Cell Engineering Solution for fuel cell development will enable you to achieve the best design
with substantial reduction in cycle time. Your engineers and technologists will work with the most complete,
up-to-date, powerful, and user-friendly tools. AspenTech tools will also remove the cost of development and
maintenance of in-house packages and provide state-of-the-
art software tools.

To support business decisions, BP Amoco

Chemicals needs the consistent use of
physical property packages that are
validated for our processes throughout the
organization. These packages, as well as
physical properties in general, must be
easily accessible to all our technologists for
use within their applications, including
Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. We have
found Aspen Properties to be the easiest to
use property calculation system available
within Excel. We also get the consistency we
require with our process simulation tools.
Malcolm Woodman
Engineering Technology Manager,
Process Simulation
BP Amoco Chemicals
About AspenTech
AspenTech is the only supplier of real-time value chain
management solutions and a process industry veteran with
exclusive focus on the process industry for over two decades.
We have deployed solutions for 46 of the 50 largest chemical
companies, 23 of the 25 largest refining companies and 18 of
the 20 largest pharmaceutical companies. This experience
assures customers that our Aspen ProfitAdvantage solution,
developed in partnership with the world s leading companies,
is time-tested, best-in-class and provides a payback period of
months, not years.
The Aspen ProfitAdvantage solution provides your company
with a competitive advantage by optimizing business
processes between the value chain components of demand,
supply, production, assets, and value chain design and by
linking strategic vendors, trading partners, and customers.
Hardware and Software System Requirements
Intel Pentium (or compatible) CPU, 166MHz or faster

Minimum 64MB RAM (128MB to 256MB recommended)

Minimum 256MB of virtual memory (RAM plus paging file)

200MB of disk space for installation (Additional disk space for calculation files)

CD-ROM drive

SVGA or higher resolution color display

Mouse or other pointing device

Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 operating system

IIS server (version 4 Option Pack) for Web application

[world wide web] www.aspentech.com

worldwide headquarters
Aspen Technology, Inc. [phone] +1 617 949 1000
Ten Canal Park [fax] +1 617 949 1030
Cambridge, MA 02141-2201 USA [e-mail] info@aspentech.com

houston office
1293 Eldridge Parkway [phone] +1 281 584 1000
Houston, TX 77077 USA [fax] +1 281 584 4329
[e-mail] info@aspentech.com
europe headquarters
AspenTech Europe S.A./N.V. [phone] +32 2 701 94 50
Avenue Reine Astrid 92 [fax] +32 2 701 95 00
1310 La Hulpe BELGIUM [e-mail] ATE_info@aspentech.com

asia headquarters
AspenTech Asia Ltd. [phone] +852 2838 6077
Copyright 2001 AspenTech, Aspen Fuel Cell
Suites 3312-14, 33rd floor, [fax] +852 2836 0165 Engineering Solution, Aspen Dynamics, Aspen
Shell Tower, Times Square [e-mail] info@aspentech.com Plus, Aspen Properties, Aspen Custom Modeler,
1 Matheson Street, Aspen ProfitAdvantage, and the aspen leaf logo
Causeway Bay, HONG KONG are trademarks or registered trademarks of Aspen
Technology, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts USA.
japan headquarters All rights reserved. All other brand and product
names are trademarks or registered trademarks of
AspenTech Japan Co., Ltd. [phone] +81 3 3262 1710 their respective companies.
Atlas Building 5 Ichibancho [fax] +81 3 3264 5425
Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 102 JAPAN [e-mail] info@aspentech.com PB 120 08/01 US