Control Oriented Analysis of a Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and Gas Turbine System

Author(s):  
Vasilis Tsourapas ◽  
Jing Sun ◽  
Anna Stefanopoulou

The goal of this work is to investigate the feasibility of a hybrid solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and gas turbine (GT) system for mobile power production. A system consisting of a gas turbine, a burner, and an SOFC is examined to gain fundamental understanding of the system dynamics. A control oriented dynamic model is developed to provide the critically needed tool for system feasibility analysis and control strategy design. System optimization and transient analysis are performed based on the system model to determine the desired operating conditions and load following limitations. It is shown that the open loop system will shut down in the case of a large load step. Based on the insights learned from the open loop analysis, a feedback control scheme is proposed. The feedback scheme is based on a reference governor, which modifies the load applied to the generator to guarantee stability and fast tracking during transients.

Author(s):  
Aristide F. Massardo ◽  
Loredana Magistri

The aim of this work is to investigate the performance of Internal Reforming Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (IRSOFC) and Gas Turbine (GT) combined cycles. A mathematical model of the IRSOFC steady-state operation was presented in Part A of this work (Massardo and Lubelli, 1998), coupled to the thermodynamic analysis of a number of proposed IRSOFC-GT combined cycles, taking into account the influence of several technological constraints. In the second part of this work, both an exergy and a thermoeconomic analysis of the proposed cycles have been carried out using the TEMP code developed by the Author (Agazzani and Massardo, 1997). A suitable equation for IRSOFC cost evaluation based on cell geometry and performance has been proposed and employed to evaluate the electricity generation cost of the proposed combined systems. The results are presented and the influence of several parameters is discussed: external reformer operating conditions, fuel to air ratio, cell current density, compressor pressure ratio, etc. Diagrams proposed by the Author (Massardo and Scialo’, 2000) for cost vs. efficiency, cost vs. specific work, and cost vs. system pressure are also presented and discussed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 171-172 ◽  
pp. 319-322
Author(s):  
Hong Bin Zhao ◽  
Xu Liu

The simulation and analyses of a “bottoming cycle” solid oxide fuel cell–gas turbine (SOFC–GT) hybrid system at the standard atmospheric condition is presented in this paper. The fuel cell model used in this research work is based on a tubular Siemens–Westinghouse–type SOFC with 1.8MW capacity. Energy and exergy analyses of the whole system at fixed conditions are carried out. Then, comparisons of the exergy destruction and exergy efficiency of each component are also conducted to determine the potential capability of the hybrid system to generate power. Moreover, the effects of operating conditions including fuel flow rate and SOFC operating temperature on performances of the hybrid system are analyzed.


Author(s):  
Kousuke Nishida ◽  
Toshimi Takagi ◽  
Shinichi Kinoshita

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is expected to be applied to the distributed energy systems because of its high thermal efficiency and exhaust gas utilization. The exhaust heat from the SOFC can be transferred to the electric power by a gas turbine, and the high efficiency power generation can be achieved by constructing the SOFC and gas turbine hybrid system. In this study, the local processes in the electrodes and electrolyte of unit SOFC are analyzed taking into account the heat conduction, mass diffusion, electrode reactions and the transport of electron and oxygen ion. The temperature and concentration distributions perpendicular to the electrolyte membrane are shown. The effects of the operating conditions on the cell performance are also shown. Furthermore, the entropy generation and exergy loss of each process in the electrodes and electrolyte are analyzed and the reason for generating the exergy loss in the SOFC is clarified. It is noted that two electrode reactions are responsible for the major exergy loss.


2002 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Massardo

The aim of this work is to investigate the performance of internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell (IRSOFC) and gas turbine (GT) combined cycles. A mathematical model of the IRSOFC steady-state operation was presented in Part I of this work coupled to the thermodynamic analysis of a number of proposed IRSOFC-GT combined cycles, taking into account the influence of several technological constraints. In the second part of this work, both an exergy and a thermoeconomic analysis of the proposed cycles have been carried out using the TEMP code developed by the author. A suitable equation for IRSOFC cost evaluation based on cell geometry and performance has been proposed and employed to evaluate the electricity generation cost of the proposed combined systems. The results are presented and the influence of several parameters is discussed: external reformer operating conditions, fuel-to-air ratio, cell current density, compressor pressure ratio, etc. Diagrams proposed by the author for cost versus efficiency, cost versus specific work, and cost versus system pressure are also presented and discussed.


Author(s):  
K. J. Bosch ◽  
N. Woudstra ◽  
K. V. van der Nat

In conventional gas turbine systems combustion results in high exergy losses (∼30%) of fuel exergy input. Replacing the combustor with a high temperature fuel cell, like the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC), will significantly reduce these exergy losses. As the SOFC electrochemically converts the natural gas, exergy losses are far lower (∼10%) compared to combustion. Natural gas entering a SOFC system has to be reformed first to hydrogen and carbon monoxide by steam reforming. Here it is chosen to use the heat generated by the fuel cell to drive the endothermic reforming reactions: internal reforming. The SOFC-GT system has the advantage that both fuel cell and gas turbine technology contribute to power production. In earlier work [1] several fuel cell system configurations with PEMFC, MCFC or SOFC, were analyzed studying the exergy flows. Here is focused on the SOFC-GT configuration, to get a detailed understanding of the exergy flows and losses through all individual components. Several configurations, combining the SOFC with the GT are possible. The selected operating conditions should prevent carbon deposition. Systems studies are performed to get more insight in the exergy losses in these combined systems. Exergy analysis facilitates the search for the high efficient SOFC-GT hybrid systems. Using exergy analysis, several useful configurations are found. Exergy losses are minimized by varying pressure ratio and turbine inlet temperature. Sensitivity studies, of equivalent cell resistance and fuel cell temperature, show that total system exergy efficiencies of more than 80% are conceivable, without using a bottoming cycle.


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