Thermal analysis and optimization of combined cold and power system with integrated phosphoric acid fuel cell and two-stage compression–absorption refrigerator at low evaporation temperature

Abstract

The thermal analysis and optimization of a proposed combined cold and power system with integrated phosphoric acid fuel cell and two-stage compression– absorption refrigerator at low evaporation temperature (CPAR) are conducted. The mathematical model of the CPAR system is established on the basis of the electrochemical model of the phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) and the conservation models of the two-stage compression–absorption refrigerator (TSCR). The validation of the proposed model is conducted through partial verifications of the PAFC and the TSCR subsystems. The energy conservation is verified considering the basic design condition, and the total conductance of each component is calculated and discussed. The effects of PAFC and evaporation temperatures and compression ratio on 13 operating parameters are simulated and analyzed. Four key operating parameters are optimized on the basis of the exergy perspective. The exergy conservation is also calculated and verified considering the basic design condition. The largest exergy destruction for the PAFC subsystem is caused by the electrochemical reaction. Meanwhile, heat transfer and phase change are the main reasons for exergy destructions for the TSCR subsystem.