Perspectives on the Use of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells with Renewable Energy Sources

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umberto Desideri
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

This paper presents the state of the art and the perspectives of the use of molten carbonate fuel cells with renewable energy sources. The molten carbonate fuel cell is the only technology that can use fuels containing carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in the anode gas. It has been even shown in experimental tests in single cells that carbon monoxide can be considered as a fuel in this type of fuel cell. The fuels that can be used in MCFC are landfill gas, biogas from anaerobic digestion processes and syngas from gasification of biomass and waste. The commercial size of MCFC stacks (125 to 250 kW) is the right size for use with such fuels which are generally not available for power plants with output larger than some MW. All the above fuels are characterized by the presence of contaminants that need be removed before their use in the fuel cell. Among the contaminants hydrogen sulfide and chlorine compounds seem to cause the worst damage. To be used with such fuels, MCFC still need to be deeply investigated and duration tests are needed to determine the highest tolerable concentrations in the anode gases.

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells for Retrofitting Postcombustion CO2 Capture in Coal and Natural Gas Power Plants

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Spinelli ◽  
Stefano Campanari ◽  
Stefano Consonni ◽  
Matteo C. Romano ◽  
Thomas Kreutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Co2 Capture ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Co2 Separation ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

The state-of-the-art conventional technology for postcombustion capture of CO2 from fossil-fueled power plants is based on chemical solvents, which requires substantial energy consumption for regeneration. A promising alternative, available in the near future, is the application of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) for CO2 separation from postcombustion flue gases. Previous studies related to this technology showed both high efficiency and high carbon capture rates, especially when the fuel cell is thermally integrated in the flue gas path of a natural gas-fired combined cycle or an integrated gasification combined cycle plant. This work compares the application of MCFC-based CO2 separation process to pulverized coal fired steam cycles (PCC) and natural gas combined cycles (NGCC) as a “retrofit” to the original power plant. Mass and energy balances are calculated through detailed models for both power plants, with fuel cell behavior simulated using a 0D model calibrated against manufacturers' specifications and based on experimental measurements, specifically carried out to support this study. The resulting analysis includes a comparison of the energy efficiency and CO2 separation efficiency as well as an economic comparison of the cost of CO2 avoided (CCA) under several economic scenarios. The proposed configurations reveal promising performance, exhibiting very competitive efficiency and economic metrics in comparison with conventional CO2 capture technologies. Application as a MCFC retrofit yields a very limited (<3%) decrease in efficiency for both power plants (PCC and NGCC), a strong reduction (>80%) in CO2 emission and a competitive cost for CO2 avoided (25–40 €/ton).

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells as Means for Post-Combustion CO2 Capture: Retrofitting Coal-Fired Steam Plants and Natural Gas-Fired Combined Cycles

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Spinelli ◽  
Stefano Campanari ◽  
Matteo C. Romano ◽  
Stefano Consonni ◽  
Thomas G. Kreutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Co2 Capture ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Co2 Separation ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells ◽  
Combined Cycles

The state-of-the-art conventional technology for post combustion capture of CO2 from fossil-fuelled power plants is based on chemical solvents, which requires substantial energy consumption for regeneration. Apromising alternative, available in the near future, is the application of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC) for CO2 separation from post-combustion flue gases. Previous studies related to this technology showed both high efficiency and high carbon capture rates, especially when the fuel cell is thermally integrated in the flue gas path of a natural gas-fired combined cycle or an integrated gasification combined cycle plant. This work compares the application of MCFC based CO2 separation process to pulverized coal fired steam cycles (PCC) and natural gas combined cycles (NGCC) as a ‘retrofit’ to the original power plant. Mass and energy balances are calculated through detailed models for both power plants, with fuel cell behaviour simulated using a 0D model calibrated against manufacturers’ specifications and based on experimental measurements, specifically carried out to support this study. The resulting analysis includes a comparison of the energy efficiency and CO2 separation efficiency as well as an economic comparison of the cost of CO2 avoided under several economic scenarios. The proposed configurations reveal promising performance, exhibiting very competitive efficiency and economic metrics in comparison with conventional CO2 capture technologies. Application as a MCFC retrofit yields a very limited (<3%) decrease in efficiency for both power plants (PCC and NGCC), a strong reduction (>80%) in CO2 emission and a competitive cost for CO2 avoided (25–40 €/ton).

scholarly journals Current status of national integrated gasification fuel cell projects in China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suping Peng
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Coal Gasification ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells ◽  
Integrated Gasification

AbstractCoal has been the main energy source in China for a long period. Therefore, the energy industry must improve coal power generation efficiency and achieve near-zero CO2 emissions. Integrated gasification fuel cell (IGFC) systems that combine coal gasification and high-temperature fuel cells, such as solid oxide fuel cells or molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs), are proving to be promising for efficient and clean power generation, compared with traditional coal-fired power plants. In 2017, with the support of National Key R&D Program of China, a consortium led by the China Energy Group and including 12 institutions was formed to develop the advanced IGFC technology with near-zero CO2 emissions. The objectives of this project include understanding the performance of an IGFC power generation system under different operating conditions, designing master system principles for engineering optimization, developing key technologies and intellectual property portfolios, setting up supply chains for key materials and equipment, and operating the first megawatt IGFC demonstration system with near-zero CO2 emission, in early 2022. In this paper, the main developments and projections pertaining to the IGFC project are highlighted.

scholarly journals Analyzing Trade in Continuous Intra-Day Electricity Market: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3860
Author(s):  
Priyanka Shinde ◽  
Ioannis Boukas ◽  
David Radu ◽  
Miguel Manuel de Manuel de Villena ◽  
Mikael Amelin
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Electricity Market ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Agent Based Modeling ◽  
Market Liquidity ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Agent Based

In recent years, the vast penetration of renewable energy sources has introduced a large degree of uncertainty into the power system, thus leading to increased trading activity in the continuous intra-day electricity market. In this paper, we propose an agent-based modeling framework to analyze the behavior and the interactions between renewable energy sources, consumers and thermal power plants in the European Continuous Intra-day (CID) market. Additionally, we propose a novel adaptive trading strategy that can be used by the agents that participate in CID market. The agents learn how to adapt their behavior according to the arrival of new information and how to react to changing market conditions by updating their willingness to trade. A comparative analysis was performed to study the behavior of agents when they adopt the proposed strategy as opposed to other benchmark strategies. The effects of unexpected outages and information asymmetry on the market evolution and the market liquidity were also investigated.

Power Cycles of Generation III and III+ Nuclear Power Plants

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexey Dragunov ◽  
Eugene Saltanov ◽  
Igor Pioro ◽  
Pavel Kirillov ◽  
Romney Duffey
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Thermal Efficiency ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Thermal Power Plants

It is well known that the electrical-power generation is the key factor for advances in any other industries, agriculture and level of living. In general, electrical energy can be generated by: 1) non-renewable-energy sources such as coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear; and 2) renewable-energy sources such as hydro, wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and marine. However, the main sources for electrical-energy generation are: 1) thermal - primary coal and secondary natural gas; 2) “large” hydro and 3) nuclear. The rest of the energy sources might have visible impact just in some countries. Modern advanced thermal power plants have reached very high thermal efficiencies (55–62%). In spite of that they are still the largest emitters of carbon dioxide into atmosphere. Due to that, reliable non-fossil-fuel energy generation, such as nuclear power, becomes more and more attractive. However, current Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) are way behind by thermal efficiency (30–42%) compared to that of advanced thermal power plants. Therefore, it is important to consider various ways to enhance thermal efficiency of NPPs. The paper presents comparison of thermodynamic cycles and layouts of modern NPPs and discusses ways to improve their thermal efficiencies.

Kazakhstan: Assessment of Renewable Energy Support and a Green Economy

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 631
Author(s):  
Sergey BESPALYY
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
The State ◽  
Green Economy ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

The growth of renewable energy sources (RES) shows the desire of the government of Kazakhstan to meet challenges that affect the welfare and development of the state. National targets, government programs, policies influence renewable energy strategies. In the future, renewable energy technologies will act as sources of a green economy and sustainable economic growth. The state policy in the field of energy in Kazakhstan is aimed at improving the conditions for the development and support of renewable energy sources, amendments are being made to provide for the holding of auctions for new RES projects, which replaces the previously existing system of fixed tariffs. It is expected that the costs of traditional power plants for the purchase of renewable energy will skyrocket, provided that the goals in the field of renewable generation are achieved. This article provides an assessment of international experience in supporting renewable energy sources, as well as analyzes the current situation in the development of renewable energy in Kazakhstan and the impact on sustainable development and popularization of the «green» economy. The study shows that by supporting the development of renewable energy sources, economic growth is possible, which is achieved in an environmentally sustainable way.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANTS ON THE OVERALL ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Kanevče ◽  
Igor Tomovski ◽  
Ljubčo Kocarev
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Electric Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Electric Power System ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Republic Of Macedonia ◽  
Photovoltaic Power ◽  
The Republic

In this paper we analyze the impact of the renewable energy sources on the overall electric power system of the Republic of Macedonia. Specifically, the effect of the photovoltaic power plants is examined. For this purpose we developed an electricity production optimization model, based on standard network flow model. The renewable energy sources are included in the model of Macedonia based on hourly meteorological data. Electricity producers that exist in 2012 are included in the base scenario. Two more characteristic years are analyzed, i.e. 2015 and 2020. The electricity producers planned to be constructed in these two years (which include the renewable energy sources) are also included. The results show that the renewable energy sources introduce imbalance in the system when the minimum electricity production is higher than the electricity required by the consumers. But, in these critical situations the production from photovoltaic energy sources is zero, which means that they produce electricity during the peak load, and do not produce when the consumption is at minimum.

scholarly journals Improvement of turbogenerators as a technical basis for ensuring the energy independence of Ukraine

2021 ◽  
pp. 19-30
Author(s):  
V. V. Shevchenko ◽  
A. N. Minko ◽  
M. Dimov
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Electric Power ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Electric Power Industry ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
The World ◽  
Energy Independence

The paper defines the directions of improving turbogenerators as the basis for ensuring the energy independence of Ukraine. The analysis of the state, problems and prospects for the development of modern electric power industry. Goal of the work is to identify promising directions for sustainable development of the national electric power industry in order to ensure energy security of Ukraine, to conduct a comparative analysis of electricity sources, to confirm the need to improve the main sources – turbogenerators. Methodology. During the research, an analytical analysis of the electricity sources, which are installed at power plants in Ukraine and the world, was carried out, taking into account the growth of the planet's population and its energy activity. Cyclic theory was chosen as the theoretical basis for forecasting. On the basis of this theory, global development trends, advantages and disadvantages of currently used sources of electricity - thermal (including nuclear) power plants and stations that operate from renewable energy sources - have been established. A review of literary sources on the methods of the energy sector forecasting the development, including the development of the energy sector in Ukraine, has been carried out. Originality. It has been established that due to the active growth of the planet's population, with the increase in its energy activity, obtaining electricity from renewable energy sources is not enough, that for the next 20-30 years nuclear power plants will be the main sources of electricity. The internal and external threats to the energy security of Ukraine, directions of development of turbogenerator construction, ways to improve turbogenerators, to increase their energy efficiency, power per unit of performance, to increase the readiness and maneuverability factors, and overload capacity have been identified. Practical significance. The need to continue the modernization and improvement of the turbogenerators of nuclear power plant units, as the main sources of electricity, has been proved. The directions of their improvement are established: increasing the power in the established sizes, making changes to the design of the turbogenerators inactive elements, replacing the cooling agent to keep Ukrainian turbogenerators at the world level, improving auxiliary systems, improving and increasing the reliability of the excitation system, introduction of automatic systems for monitoring the state turbogenerators. Possible limits of use, advantages, disadvantages and problems of using renewable energy sources for Ukraine have been established.

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