Performance of an improved combination unit of Pd-membrane methane steam reformer and intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (C-Pd-ITSOFC)

Abstract

The performance of an improved combination of intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (ITSOFC) and a palladium membrane reactor was investigated. This study follows our previous works which demonstrated higher performances of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems incorporated by Pd-membrane reactor over conventional SOFC when a high pressure compressor and a vacuum pump are added. Herein, three types of ITSOFCs were investigated; i.e. a conventional ITSOFC (Con-ITSOFC), an incorporated Pd-membrane reactor with ITSOFC (I-Pd-ITSOFC) and a combined Pd-membrane reactor with ITSOFC (C-Pd-ITSOFC) operated without a compressor or a vacuum pump. Both Pd-ITSOFC systems have shown attractive cell performances which were over 2–3 times higher than those of Con-ITSOFC. The performance of ITSOFC systems was found to follow the order: Con-ITSOFC < I-Pd-ITSOFC < C-Pd-ITSOFC under similar overall power generations and operating conditions.