The Infona portal uses cookies, i.e. strings of text saved by a browser on the user's device. The portal can access those files and use them to remember the user's data, such as their chosen settings (screen view, interface language, etc.), or their login data. By using the Infona portal the user accepts automatic saving and using this information for portal operation purposes. More information on the subject can be found in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By closing this window the user confirms that they have read the information on cookie usage, and they accept the privacy policy and the way cookies are used by the portal. You can change the cookie settings in your browser.
Fuel cells are still undergoing intense development, and the combination of new and optimized materials, improved product development, novel architectures, more efficient transport processes, and design optimization and integration are expected to lead to major gains in performance, efficiency, reliability, manufacturability and cost-effectiveness. Computational fuel cell engineering (CFCE) tools...
In order to make fuel cells with high power density the structure and morphology for the three-dimensional gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) are very important. A preparation technique for GDEs for phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) is presented. Teflon treatment of the backing material was found to be beneficial for the performance of the electrodes, and explained by higher total porosity...
The idling of heavy-duty trucks results in additional emissions, fuel consumption, and cost. Small fuel cell auxiliary power units (APUs) (now in development) are promising alternatives to idling the main engine. A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) APU is particularly attractive, because in conjunction with a reformer, it could operate on widely available diesel fuel. Because fuel cell APUs may not only...
In this work, a dynamic model of an integrated autothermal reformer (ATR) and proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM FC) system and model-based evaluation of its dynamic characteristics are presented. The ATR reforms JP5 fuel into a hydrogen rich flow. The hydrogen is extracted from the reformate flow by a separator membrane (SEP), then supplied to the PEM FC for power generation. A catalytic burner...
During the project Clean Urban Transport for Europe (CUTE), which ended in May 2006, 27 fuel cell buses were operated in nine European cities. In this paper key performance parameters from the operation of the fuel cell buses in the project are reported, the energy system of the bus is analysed and drive cycle tests in five cities are presented and analysed. The focus of the paper is on fuel consumption...
The objective of this paper is to develop a methodology to determine how many houses could be fueled from the solar energy captured by a number of solar Stirling modules (with a fixed dish area per module) and also to determine the minimum necessary area of the fuel cell to ensure the amount of power needed to meet daily energy use requirements. The detailed method includes the effect of the fuel...
Fuel cells are clean generators that provide both electrical and thermal energy with a high global efficiency level. The characteristics of these devices depend on numerous parameters such as: temperature, fuel and oxidizer pressures, fuel and oxidizer flows, etc. Therefore, their influence should be evaluated to appropriately characterize behaviour of the fuel cell, in order to enable its integration...
Simulation models for a variety of new water heater systems were developed and the models were integrated into a city-level residential energy end-use model for Osaka City. Using the model, the potential of energy conservation and CO 2 emission-reduction by introducing new residential water heaters was evaluated at the city-level. Optimal water-heating systems for each household category for...
Plant characteristics of a system containing a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cycle on the top of a Rankine cycle were investigated. A desulfurization reactor removes the sulfur content in the fuel, while a pre-reformer broke down the heavier hydrocarbons in an adiabatic steam reformer (ASR). The pre-treated fuel then entered to the anode side of the SOFC. The remaining fuels after the SOFC stacks entered...
A three-dimensional, two-phase, non-isothermal model has been developed to explore the interaction between heat and water transport in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Water condensate produced from the electrochemical reaction may accumulate in the open pores of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and retard the oxygen transport to the catalyst sites. This study predicts the enhancement of...
The objective of this paper is to assess the techno-economic viability of the use of fuel cell as an alternative technology for landfill gas energy recovery. The case of an Italian municipal solid waste landfill is analyzed. The landfill was opened in 1998 and in 2001 the energy recovery facility started operation. The current landfill gas conversion system is based on internal combustion engine technology...
This paper presents a dynamic simulation of an innovative polygeneration system based on solar heating and cooling and PEM fuel cells technologies. The polygeneration system is based on the following main components: evacuated solar collectors, single-stage LiBr–H 2 O absorption chiller and a PEM fuel cell. The fuel cell operates at full load producing electrical energy which is in part consumed...
This study investigates the performance of hybrid renewable microgeneration systems in load sharing application between a detached residential house and a small office building. Two renewable energy systems are investigated: a ground source heat pump (GSHP) system and a hybrid GSHP/fuel cell (FC) system. The renewable systems performance is compared to a conventional system that utilizes boiler and...
The control of the use of fossil fuels, major cause of greenhouse gas emissions and climate changes, in present days represents one of Governments' main challenges; particularly, a significant energy consumption is observed in buildings and might be significantly reduced through sustainable design, increased energy efficiency and use of renewable sources.At the moment, the widespread use of renewable...
A novel hybrid power system (∼10 kW) for an average family home is proposed. The system investigated contains a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) on top of a Stirling engine. The off-gases produced in the SOFC cycle are fed to a bottoming Stirling engine, at which additional power is generated. Simulations of the proposed system were conducted using different fuels, which should facilitate the use of a...
The DCFC (direct carbon fuel cell) technology, based on the direct electrochemical oxidation of carbon, has the potential to double the electric efficiency and half the CO 2 emissions compared to conventional coal fired power plants. In order to assess the scalability of the technology in terms of fabrication and fuel feed system, and to elucidate the possible causes of the cell degradation,...
In a cold region during winter, energy demand for residential heating is high and energy saving, the discharge of greenhouse gases, and air pollution are all of significant concern. We investigated the fundamental characteristics of an energy storage system with a GHB (gas hydrate battery) in which heat cycle by a unique change in state of gas hydrate operates using the low-temperature ambient air...
Thermodynamic and thermoeconomic investigations of a small-scale integrated gasification solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and Stirling engine for combined heat and power (CHP) with a net electric capacity of 120kWe have been performed. Woodchips are used as gasification feedstock to produce syngas, which is then utilized to feed the anode side of the SOFC stacks. A thermal efficiency of 0.424 LHV (lower...
An integrated gasification solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and Stirling engine for combined heat and power application is analyzed. The target for electricity production is 120 kW. Woodchips are used as gasification feedstock to produce syngas, which is then used to feed the SOFC stacks for electricity production. Unreacted hydrocarbons remaining after the SOFC are burned in a catalytic burner, and the...
The impact of the sampling time interval for energy demands on the optimal operational planning of residential cogeneration systems without electric power export was analyzed. To improve their operational flexibility, focus was also placed on battery installation. First, an optimal operational planning problem was modeled on the basis of a mixed-integer linear programming. The features of the model...
Set the date range to filter the displayed results. You can set a starting date, ending date or both. You can enter the dates manually or choose them from the calendar.