A Case Study Analysis of System Efficiency, Viability and Energy Values of SOFC Based Fuel Cell Micro-CHP for Office Buildings

Abstract

A case study analysis of economical and energy values of SOFC based fuel cell micro-CHP for residential homes. Dr Alem Tesfai, Dr Anastasia Mylona and Professor John T S Irvine KTP Associate Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers222 Balham High RoadLondonSW12 9BS Tel: +44 (0) 20 8772 3699 at61@st-andrews.ac.uk, ATesfai@cibse.org This work presents the experimental and CFD model analysis of a 1.5 kW prototype SOFC micro-CHP system. The potential application of Fuel cell micro-CHP in a typical office building is investigated experimentally. With the current fuel cell technology the use of such systems in office buildings has the potential to be more efficient and reliable than in a single family home. This study documents the economic and energy related values of the fuel cell micro-CHP. This study will also look at how to optimise the operating conditions of the system in different climate conditions i.e. during the winter, autumn and the summer. To optimise and compere the experimental data a typical single family apartment heated by radiators will be analysed using a three-dimensional CFD model. Different heat transfer coefficients for the outer wall, the window and for the doors were considered. The seasonal heat requirements were also considered and heat recovery of the fuel cell micro CHP system was optimised. Different options i.e. whether to use the hot water supplied by the fuel cell micro CHP for domestic appliances or for space heating possibly by adding a combination boiler as a booster was also considered.