Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of ISME

Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of ISME

Thermodynamic and thermoechonomic performance analysis of a small combined heat and power system with solid oxide fuel cell generator

Authors
Jamasb Pirkandi
Majid Ghasemi
Mohammad Hosein Hamedi
Abstract
In this article, first, a CHP system based on the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) has been introduced and then, the influences of several effective parameters such as temperature, pressure, current density in the cell, and the rate of air-to-fuel ratio in the system on its performance have been investigated. For the purpose of studying the system, electrochemical and thermodynamic models have been presented in the cell and then, power and voltage diagrams under different working conditions, have been obtained. of the significant achievements of this research is the determination of optimum air-to-fuel ratio, and also the optimum fuel utilization coefficient in the proposed CHP system. The final results indicate an overall system efficiency of about 70-75% for the investigated SOFC-CHP system. By studying the operation of this system, it can be concluded that, the selection of system operating conditions is made on the basis of thermal and electrical needs of a building.  
Keywords
Simultaneous production
Fuel cell
Economic Analysis
Performance
Entropy
[1] Hawkes, A.D., and Leach, M.A., “Cost-effective Operating Strategy for Residential Micro-combined Heat and Power”, Journal of Energy, Vol. 32, pp. 711-723, (2007).
 
[2] Williams, M.C., “Fuel Cell Handbook, U.S Department of Energy”, Virginia, (2002).
 
[3] Hawkes, A.D., and Aguiar, P., “Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Micro Combined Heat and Power System Operating Strategy: Options for Provision of Residential Space and Water Heating”, Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 164, pp. 260-271, (2007).
 
[4] Akkaya, A.V., Sahin, B., and Erdem, H.H., “Exergetic Performance Coefficient Analysis of a Simple Fuel Cell System”, Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 32, pp. 4600-4609, (2007).
 
[5] Akkaya, A.V, Sahin, B., and Erdem, H.H., “An Analysis of SOFC/GT CHP System Based on Exergetic Performance Criteria”, Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 33, pp. 2566-2577, (2008).
 
[6] Zink, F., Lu, Y., and Schaefer, L., “A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System for Buildings”, Journal of Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 48, pp. 809-818, (2007).
 
[7] Farhad, S., Hamdullahpur, F., and Yoo, Y., "Performance Evaluation of Different Configurations of Biogas-fuelled SOFC Micro-CHP Systems for Residential Applications", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 35, pp. 3758-3768, (2010).
 
[8] Liu, Z., Li, X., and Liu, Z., “Thermodynamic Modelling and Analysis of the Ratio of Heat to Power Based on a Conceptual CHP System”, HVAC Technologies for Energy Efficiency, Vol. IV-6-1, China, ICEBO2006, (2006).
 
[9] Braun, R.J., Klein, S.A., and Reindl, D.T., "Evaluation of System Configurations for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-based Micro-combined Heat and Power Generators in Residential Applications", Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 158, pp. 1290-1305, (2006).
[10] Fontell, E., Kivisaari, T., Christiansen, N., Hansen, J.B., and Pålsson, J., “Conceptual Study of a 250kW Planar SOFC System for CHP Application”, Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 131, pp. 49-56, (2004).
 
[11] Barelli, L., Bidini, G., Gallorini, F., and Ottaviano, A., “An Energetic-exergetic Comparison between PEMFC and SOFC-based Micro-CHP Systems”, Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 36, pp. 3206-3214, (2011).
 
[12] Pirkandi, J., Ghassemi, M., Hamedi, M.H., and Mohammadi, R., “Electrochemical and Thermodynamic Modeling of a CHP System using Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC-CHP)”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 29-30, pp. 151-162, (2012).
 
[13] Chan, S.H., Khor, K.A. and Xia, Z.T., “A Complete Polarization Model of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and its Sensitivity to the Change of Cell Component Thickness”, Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 93, pp. 130-140, (2001).
 
[14] Chan, S.H., Ho, H.K., and Tian, Y., “Modeling of Simple Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and Gas Turbine Power Plant”, Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 109, pp. 111-120, (2002).
 
[15] Volkan Akkaya, A., “Electrochemical Model for Performance Analysis of a Tubular SOFC”, International Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 31, pp.79-98, (2007).
 
[16] Ghannadan, M., Ghassemi, M., and  Mollayi Barzi, Y., " Performance Analysis of a Tubular Sofc using a Simple and Efficient Thermal and Electrochemical Model", 18th Annual International Conference on Mechanical Engineering-ISME2010, 11-13 May, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, (2009).
 
[17] Bo, C., Yuan, C., Zhao, X., Wu, C., and Qing Li, M., “Parametric Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell”, Clean Techn Environ Policy, Springer-verlag, (2009).
 
[18] Haseli,Y., Dincer, I., and Naterer, G.F., “Thermodynamic Analysis of a Combined Gas Turbine Power System with a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Through Exergy”, Journal of Thermochimica Acta, Vol. 480, pp. 1-9, (2008).
 
[19] See at www.nt.ntnu.no/users//magnehi/cepci_2011_py.pdf.
 
[20] Bejan, A., Tsatsaronis, G., and Moran, M., "Thermal Design and Optimization", John Wiley & Sons INC, New York, (1996).
 
[21] Cheddie, D.F., “Thermo-economic Optimization of an Indirectly Coupled Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/gas Turbine Hybrid Power Plant”, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 36, pp. 1702-1709, (2011).
 
[22] Singhal, S.C., “Advances in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells”, Journal of Solid State Ionic, Vol. 135, pp. 305-313, (2000).
 
[23] Ciesar, J. A., ”Hybrid Systems Development by the Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation”, Presented by Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation, Natural Gas/Renewable Energy Hybrids Workshop, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA,  August, (2001).
Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of ISME
Volume 14, Issue 4 - Serial Number 29
Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
Winter 2012
Pages 29-54

  • Receive Date 19 February 2013