scholarly journals The Effect of Biogas Origin on the Electricity Production by Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 3112
Author(s):  
George N. Prodromidis ◽  
Frank A. Coutelieris
Keyword(s):  
Research Study ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Feed Stream ◽  
Operational Parameters ◽  
Energy And Exergy

This work simulates electricity production in a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)-based power plant, fed by biogas of various compositions. Steam reforming of the gas feed stream is used to produce the required supply for the SOFC. Given the constraints of the feed stream compositions, resulting from the origin of biogas, i.e., by the biomass from which the biogas has been produced as well as by the operating conditions selected for its production, the overall plant performance is modelled in terms of energy and exergy. The model provides results on the efficiency, power output and thermal behavior of the system, thus presenting the potential to offer great advantages in generating electricity from biogas and reducing the environmental impact. This research study presents the efficiency of such a system in terms of energy and exergy, by considering several values of the operational parameters (extensions of reactions that take place in the apparatus, temperatures, feed stream compositions, etc.). It is found that moving towards a methane richer fuel, the energy and exergy efficiency can remain almost constant at high levels (around 70%), while in absolute value the electric energy can increase up to 35% according to the system’s needs. Therefore, under this prospect, the present research study reveals the usefulness of low content methane fuels, which through the optimization process can succeed identical energy management compared to high content methane fuels.

scholarly journals A 2-D model for Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Preliminarily Validated on Local Values

Catalysts ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Conti ◽  
Barbara Bosio ◽  
Stephen John McPhail ◽  
Francesca Santoni ◽  
Davide Pumiglia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Intermediate Temperature ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Local Concentration ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Molten Carbonate ◽  
Experimental Apparatus ◽  
Set Up

Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (IT-SOFC) technology offers interesting opportunities in the panorama of a larger penetration of renewable and distributed power generation, namely high electrical efficiency at manageable scales for both remote and industrial applications. In order to optimize the performance and the operating conditions of such a pre-commercial technology, an effective synergy between experimentation and simulation is fundamental. For this purpose, starting from the SIMFC (SIMulation of Fuel Cells) code set-up and successfully validated for Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells, a new version of the code has been developed for IT-SOFCs. The new release of the code allows the calculation of the maps of the main electrical, chemical, and physical parameters on the cell plane of planar IT-SOFCs fed in co-flow. A semi-empirical kinetic formulation has been set-up, identifying the related parameters thanks to a devoted series of experiments, and integrated in SIMFC. Thanks to a multi-sampling innovative experimental apparatus the simultaneous measurement of temperature and gas composition on the cell plane was possible, so that a preliminary validation of the model on local values was carried out. A good agreement between experimental and simulated data was achieved in terms of cell voltages and local temperatures, but also, for the first time, in terms of local concentration on the cell plane, encouraging further developments. This numerical tool is proposed for a better interpretation of the phenomena occurring in IT-SOFCs and a consequential optimization of their performance.

scholarly journals An experimental investigation of solid oxide fuel cell performance at variable operating conditions

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 1421-1433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismet Tikiz ◽  
Imdat Taymaz
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Cell Performance ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Nitrogen Flow ◽  
Cell Temperature ◽  
Hydrogen Flow ◽  
Fuel Cell Performance

Cell temperature and selection of the reactant gases are crucial parameters for the design and optimization of fuel cell performance. In this study, effect of operating conditions on the performance of Solid Oxide Fuel (SOFC) has been investigated. Application of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize operations conditions in SOFC. For this purpose, an experimental set up for testing of SOFC has been established to investigate the effect of Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen flow rates and cell temperature parameters on cell performance. Hydrogen flow rate, oxygen flow rate, nitrogen flow rate and cell temperature were the main parameters considered and they were varied between 0.25 and 1 L/min, 0.5 and 1 L/min, 0 and 1 L/min and 700-800 oC in the analyses respectively. The maximum power density was found as 0.572 W/cm2 in the experiments.

A Simulation of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrochemical Light Off Phenomenon

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Comas L. Haynes ◽  
J. Chris Ford
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Thermal Cycling ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Heat Generation ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Cell Potential ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Electrochemical Transport

During latter-stage, “start-up” heating of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack to a desired operating temperature, heat may be generated in an accelerating manner during the establishment of electrochemical reactions. This is because a temperature rise in the stack causes an acceleration of electrochemical transport given the typical Arrhenius nature of the electrolyte conductivity. Considering a potentiostatic condition (i.e., prescribed cell potential), symbiosis thus occurs because greater current prevalently leads to greater by-product heat generation, and vice versa. This interplay of the increasing heat generation and electrochemistry is termed “light off”, and an initial model has been developed to characterize this important thermal cycling phenomenon. The results of the simulation begin elucidating the prospect of using cell potential as well as other electrochemical operating conditions (e.g., reactants utilization) as dynamic controls in managing light off transients and possibly mitigating thermal cycling issues.

Increase in Availability of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Means of Parallel Connection of Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanno Stagge ◽  
Lars Doerrer ◽  
Ralf Benger ◽  
Beck Hans-Peter
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Parallel Connection ◽  
In Series ◽  
Storage Technologies

Fuel cells consist of single cells that are connected in series to form a stack. This increases output voltage and therefore decreases current-dependent power losses, but the electric current of the stack has to flow through each single cell. In case of an increase of resistance or a failure of just one single cell the whole stack is affected. The failure tolerance of a parallel connection is higher. The serial and parallel connection of single solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) is compared under the aspects of failure probability, power drop and stress on the single cells. With both a highly linearized and a complex SOFC model simulations have been accomplished of the connection of two single cells in parallel and in serial configuration. Additionally different connection concepts of 16 single cells were examined. Finally, an outlook on different other source or storage technologies for electric energy like batteries and photovoltaic cells is given.

Mass Transfer in Functionally Graded Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrodes

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric S. Greene ◽  
Wilson K. S. Chiu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Functionally Graded ◽  
Porous Electrodes ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Operational Parameters ◽  
Internal Reforming ◽  
Ohmic Losses ◽  
Physical Phenomena

A 1-D computational model is presented in which performance of a solid oxide fuel cell with functionally graded electrodes can be predicted. The model calculates operational cell voltages with varying geometric and operational parameters. The model accounts for losses from mass transport through the porous electrodes, ohmic losses from current flow through the electrodes and electrolyte, and activation polarization. It also includes a model for the full or partial internal reforming of methane. The model was applied to investigate the effect of electrode porosity distribution on performance. Specifically the physical phenomena that occur when the electrode is designed with a change in microstructure along its thickness is studied. The general trends that occur are investigated to find the arrangement for which the minimal polarization occurs. Both diluted hydrogen fuel and partially reformed methane streams are investigated. It is concluded that performance benefits are seen when the electrodes are given an increase in porosity near the electrolyte interface.

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