APC 400kW1MW User Manual download pdf (Page 60)

CHAPTER 8 - Conclusions

Fuel cells are an exciting technology that many design engineers are just now learning

about. To end the report, recommendations on the fuel cell system design procedure are made

to the benefit of engineers contemplating the use of fuel cells in a data center application.

8.1 Fuel Cell System Design Procedure Recommendations

When considering a fuel cell system to power a data center, the design engineer must

make considerations for all that a fuel cell system requires. There are many questions that must

be asked and answered when designing a data center’s electrical and HVAC systems. In the

case of an electrical and/or HVAC engineer that has never worked with a fuel cell system, many

more questions are sure to arise. Which type of fuel cell should be used? Is cogeneration

applicable? Should the fuel cell be used for primary power, secondary power, or both? How

much more is this system going to cost? These are all viable questions that must be considered

when selecting and designing a fuel cell system. This section of the report provides engineers

with several recommendations on the fuel cell system design procedure based on the

information that has been presented in this report. Refer to Appendix A for relevant codes and

standards to be followed in the design and installation of stationary fuel cells.

To begin the design procedure, a decision must be made as to what systems will provide

primary and secondary power, whether it be the utility grid, fuel cells, or generators. High tariffs

enforced by local utilities may push an owner to avoid using a utility grid connection to supply

either primary power or secondary power, as discussed in section 3.3.1. In the case that fuel

cells are used for primary power, the engineer must research the local regulations on

interconnection and possibilities for net metering. As mentioned previously in section 3.3.2,

large, mega-watt fuel cells are not recommended to be used for backup power because it would

be expensive, inefficient, and the system would have a long start up time. Alternatively, rack-

mounted, quick-starting PEMFCs are recommended as a secondary power source for server

racks.

In the beginning stages of design, the engineer must research and determine what type

of fuel cell they would like to use. With data center applications, reliability certainly plays an

important role. As of the writing of this report, the PAFC has the longest record for stationary

applications. The information gained from this fuel cell’s history would aid in calculating the

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APC 400kW1MW User Manual Page 60