A Life Cycle Assessment of the PureCell Stationary Fuel Cell System ...

Air blower
The process air blower provides high capacity air flows to key components like the CSA
and the reformer in the PureCell system. Table 4-1 shows the air blower inventory
data. 1
Materials/Assemblies Amount Unit
Electric motor PureCell system 80 lb
Steel cold rolled coil IISI 50 lb
Aluminum (primary) produced in the USA (NREL) 17.5 lb
Aluminum 100% recycled ETH U PureCell
system 17.5 lb
Total 165 lb
Processes Amount Unit
Truck (single) diesel FAL (Franklin) 74 tmi 2
Rolling steel I PureCell system 50 lb
Cold transforming steel PureCell system 50 lb
Turning steel PureCell system 50 lb
Cold transforming Al I, PureCell system 35 lb
Turning aluminum I, PureCell system 35 lb
Table 4-1: Air blower inventory data
• The air blower electric motor has a power of 5 hp and is estimated to weigh 80 lb.
Internet research led to the assumption that a 5 hp electric motor weighs
approximately 80 lb. The data used to model this electric motor in SimaPro came
from a published environmental product declaration by ABB Motors [11].
• The percentage of recycled aluminum as input for the aluminum manufacturing
process is assumed to 50%. This assumption is based on the recycling rate of
aluminum cans in the United States in 2004 [12]. In the inventory table therefore
two types of aluminum appear (primary and 100% recycled) in order to include
this 50% recycled input in the LCA model.
• The approved source of supply is 900 miles from UTC Power, transporting 165
lb, which is equal to 74 tmi.
1 The origin of the processes in the inventory tables is described in more detail in Appendix A through D.
2 tmi = ton-mile; 1 tmi transports 1 ton over 1 mile. Note that this is an American ton (or short ton), which
is 2000 lb or 907.18474 kg.
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