Abstract
A hybrid fuel cell system (~10 kWe) for an average family house including heating is proposed. The investigated system comprises a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) on top of a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC). Hydrogen produced from the off-gases of the SOFC can be fed directly to the PEFC. Simulations for the proposed system were conducted using different fuels. Here, results for natural gas (NG), dimethyl ether (DME) and ethanol as a fuel are presented and analysed. Behaviour of the proposed system is further investigated by comparing the effects of key factors such as utilisation factor, operating conditions, oxygen-to-carbon (O/C) ratios and fuel preheating effects on these fuels. The combined system improves the overall electrical conversion efficiency compared with standalone PEFC or SOFC systems. For the combined SOFC and PEFC system, the overall power production was increased by 8%–16% and the system efficiency with one of the fuels is found to be 12% higher than that of the standalone SOFC system.
Highlights
High temperature fuel cells have shown significant potential as a viable solution for power production
The Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) system is the most mature of the many options. It operates in the range of 750–1000 °C, which allows it to combine with other conventional thermal
The hybrid SOFC system is considered to be a key technology in achieving the goals of the future on account of the many advantages it offers over other systems
Summary
High temperature fuel cells have shown significant potential as a viable solution for power production. The Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) system is the most mature of the many options. It operates in the range of 750–1000 °C, which allows it to combine with other conventional thermal. SOFCs can operate on a variety of fuels and are more resistant to electrode poisoning. They can tolerate sulphur compounds at concentrations higher than other types of fuel cells [2]. Due to the abovementioned advantages, SOFCs are considered a strong candidate for hybrid systems or integration into currently deployed technologies
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