MW cogenerated proton exchange membrane fuel cell combined heat and power system design for eco-neighborhoods in North China

Abstract

Buildings account for most of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions causing global warming. The development of eco-neighborhood can improve the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce GHG emissions. A combined heat and power (CHP) system based on proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is designed to supply electricity and thermal for eco-neighborhood in North China with low GHG emissions. Effects of different inlet parameters, such as PEMFC inlet pressure and current density, on multi-stack CHP system performance are discussed. Coupled with a dynamic load scenario, the adaptability of the designed PEMFC-CHP system is studied through PI control with an electricity-led strategy and a thermal-led strategy. Both strategies can effectively reduce GHG emissions and the eco-neighborhood with PEMFC-CHP system is more environmental friendly compared to conventional energy supply. The electricity-led strategy can satisfy the energy consumption of the eco-neighborhood but with thermal waste. The energy consumption for most of the time during a year can be satisfied by the PEMFC-CHP system under the thermal-led strategy, but the electricity gap exists as the thermal demand is lower. Under the electricity-led strategy, the GHG emission reduction of the eco-neighborhood under electricity-led strategy and thermal-led strategy are around 7000 ton and 5000 ton per year, respectively.