Performance analysis of a gas-to-power system based on protonic-ceramic electrochemical compressor

Abstract

In this study, two scenarios are considered to evaluate the performance of a protonic ceramic electrochemical hydrogen compressor (EHC) and reformer integrated with a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). First scenario includes integration of an EHC with PEMFC and in the second scenario, steam methane reforming (SMR) is replaced by an EHC. Results show that the highest energy and exergy efficiencies of the system in the first scenario is achieved when the area-specific resistance (ASR) in EHC is 1.5 Ωcm2. An increase in the working temperature of EHC causes a considerable rise in the exergy destruction and an increase of energy efficiency by 7% in the first scenario, while the temperature of the reformer affects the exergy destruction, negligibly. The parametric study indicates that the best value of the current density of PEMFC is 0.8481 A/cm2 and 0.8324 A/cm2 and the best current density of PEM-EHC value is 0.4468 A/cm2 and 0.11 A/cm2 in the 1st and 2nd scenarios, respectively. Under the same conditions, energy and exergy efficiencies for the first scenario are 61.63% and 54.9% and for the second scenario are 42.48% and 14.61%, respectively.