scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of a Biogas-Fed Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Integrated in a Wastewater Treatment Plant

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Gandiglio ◽  
Fabrizio De Sario ◽  
Andrea Lanzini ◽  
Silvia Bobba ◽  
Massimo Santarelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Waste Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Cogeneration System

This work assesses the environmental impacts of an industrial-scale Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) plant fed by sewage biogas locally available from a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). Three alternative scenarios for biogas exploitation have been investigated and real data from an existing integrated SOFC-WWTP have been retrieved: the first one (Scenario 1) is the current scenario, where biogas is exploited in a boiler for thermal-energy-only production, while the second one is related to the installation of an efficient SOFC-based cogeneration system (Scenario 2). A thermal energy conservation opportunity that foresees the use of a dynamic machine for sludge pre-thickening enhancement is also investigated as a third scenario (Scenario 3). The life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) has shown that producing a substantial share of electrical energy (around 25%) via biogas-fed SOFC cogeneration modules can reduce the environmental burden associated to WWTP operations in five out of the seven impact categories that have been analyzed in this work. A further reduction of impacts, particularly concerning global warming potential and primary energy demand, is possible by the decrease of the thermal request of the digester, thus making the system independent from natural gas. In both Scenarios 2 and 3, primary energy and CO2 emissions embodied in the manufacture and maintenance of the cogeneration system are neutralized by operational savings in less than one year.

Design and Balance-of-Plant of a Demonstration Plant With a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Fed by Biogas From Waste-Water and Exhaust Carbon Recycling for Algae Growth

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gandiglio ◽  
A. Lanzini ◽  
P. Leone ◽  
M. Santarelli
Keyword(s):  
Waste Water ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Waste Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Balance Of Plant ◽  
Outlet Stream ◽  
Demonstration Plant

The design and balance-of-plant of an integrated anaerobic digestion (AD) biogas solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) demonstration plant is presented. A notable feature of the plant is the CO2 capture from the SOFC anode exhaust via an oxy-combustion reactor. The captured CO2 is fed to a photobioreactor installation downstream of the SOFC where C is fixed in an algae bio-fuel. The main plant sections are described in detail including the gas cleaning unit, fuel processing, SOFC ‘hot-box’, oxy-combustor, CO2/H2O condensation unit and finally algae bioreactor. The demonstration plant is fed with biogas from AD of the by-product sludge of the greatest waste-water treatment plant in Italy, serving over 2 million population equivalents in the Torino metropolitan area. In this work, the main BoP components and engineering issues concerning the design of the SOFC plant are detailed. The as-produced biogas is firstly treated to remove moisture and then filtered to remove sulfur, halogens and siloxanes. Dry clean biogas (roughly 60–65% CH4, 35–40% CO2) is sent to a steam-reformer. The reformate gas is thus used to feed a 2 kWe SOFC module (operated at ∼ 800 °C). The cathode off-gas is kept separated from the anode and is used to pre-heat inlet fresh air; the anode outlet stream is sent first to an oxy-combustor to yield an almost pure H2O-CO2 mixture that is eventually cooled down to 300–400 °C. Steam is condensed and separated in a dedicated condenser unit. The resulting pure CO2 is thus pressurized (8 bar) and available for sequestration or other uses. Due to the limited size of the demo plant, the choice was to feed it to bioreactors with algae, where the latter are grown with sunlight and CO2 indeed. A tubular photo-bioreactor has been chosen with a productivity of 20 g/day/m2 of dry algae. The outlet stream will be an algae purge that, due to its low mass flow, could be re-sent to the biogas digesters. A system analysis of a scaled-up version of the biogas fed SOFC power plant, with heat integration included, is also carried out with a calculated overall electrical efficiency exceeding 55% (LHV basis).

Life Cycle Assessment of microtubular solid oxide fuel cell based auxiliary power unit systems for recreational vehicles

2017 ◽  
Vol 165 ◽  
pp. 312-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Benveniste ◽  
Martina Pucciarelli ◽  
Marc Torrell ◽  
Michaela Kendall ◽  
Albert Tarancón
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Unit ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Auxiliary Power Unit ◽  
Auxiliary Power ◽  
Recreational Vehicles

scholarly journals Techno-energy-economic sensitivity analysis of hybrid system Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine

AIMS Energy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 934-990
Author(s):  
O. Corigliano ◽  
◽  
G. De Lorenzo ◽  
P. Fragiacomo
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Levelized Cost ◽  
Main System ◽  
Cost Of Energy

<abstract> <p>The paper presents a wide and deep analysis of the techno-energy and economic performance of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine hybrid system fed by gas at different compositions of H<sub>2</sub>, CO, H<sub>2</sub>O, CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4, </sub> and N<sub>2</sub>. The layout of the system accounts for pressurizing of entering fluids, heat up to the set Solid Oxide Fuel Cell inlet conditions, Solid Oxide Fuel Cell thermo-electrochemical processing, Solid Oxide Fuel Cell—exhaust fluids combustion, turbo-expansion after heat up, and final recovery unit for cogeneration purposes.</p> <p>An ad hoc numerical modeling is developed and then run in a Matlab calculation environment. The influence on the system is evaluated by investigating the change of the fuel composition, and by managing the main operating parameters such as pressure and the fuel utilization factor. The analysis reports on the specific mass flowrates necessary to the purpose required, by assessing the SOFC outlet molar compositions, specific energies (work) at main system elements, specific thermal energies at main system elements, energy and technical performance for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell energy unit; the performance such as electric and thermal efficiency, temperatures at main system elements. A final sensitivity analysis on the performance, Levelized Cost of Energy and Primary Energy Saving, is made for completion. The first simulation campaign is carried out on a variable anodic mixture composed of H<sub>2</sub>, CO, H<sub>2</sub>O, considering the H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio variable within the range 0.5-14, and H<sub>2</sub>O molar fraction variable in the range 0.1-0.4; used to approach a possible syngas in which they are significantly high compared to other possible compounds. While other simulation campaigns are conducted on real syngases, produced by biomass gasification. The overall Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine system showed a very promising electric efficiency, ranging from 53 to 63%, a thermal efficiency of about 37%, an LCOE ranging from 0.09 to 0.14 ＄·kWh<sup>-1</sup>, and a Primary Energy Saving in the range of 33-52%, which resulted to be highly affected by the H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio.</p> <p>Also, real syngases at high H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio are noticed as the highest quality, revealing electric efficiency higher than 60%. Syngases with methane presence also revealed good performance, according to the fuel processing of methane itself to hydrogen. Low-quality syngases revealed electric efficiencies of about 51%. Levelized Cost of Energy varied from 0.09 (for high-quality gas) to 0.19 (for low-quality gas) ＄·kWh<sup>-1</sup>, while Primary Energy Saving ranged from 44 to 52%.</p> </abstract>

scholarly journals Electrochemical Modeling and Techno -Economic Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Residential Applications

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadegh Safari ◽  
Hassan Ali Ozgoli
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Efficiency ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
System Efficiency ◽  
Purchasing Cost ◽  
Cogeneration System ◽  
Legal Constraints

In this paper, an electrochemical model was developed to investigate the performance analysis of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). The curves of voltage, power, efficiency, and the generated heat of cell have been analyzed to accomplish a set of optimal operating conditions. Further, a sensitivity analysis of major parameters that have a remarkable impact on the economy of the SOFC and its residential applications has been conducted. The results illustrate that the current density and cell performance temperature have vital effects on the system efficiency, output power and heat generation of cell of the SOFC. The best system efficiency is approached up to 53.34 % while implementing combined heat and power generation might be further improved up to 86 %. The economic evaluation results indicate that parameters such as overall efficiency, natural gas price and additional produced electricity that has prone to be sold to the national power grid, have a significant impact on the SOFC economy. The results indicate the strong reduction in the purchasing cost of the SOFC, i.e. not more than $2500, and improving the electrical efficiency of SOFC, i.e. not less than 42 %, can be the breakeven points of investment on such systems in residential applications. Also, it is found that the target of this SOFC cogeneration system for residential applications in Iran is relying on considerable technological enhancement of the SOFC, as well as life cycle improvement; improvement in governmental policies; and profound development in infrastructures to mitigate legal constraints.

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