Solid oxide fuel cell operation with biomass gasification product gases: Performance- and carbon deposition risk evaluation via a CFD modelling approach

Gernot Pongratz, Vanja Subotić, Christoph Hochenauer, Robert Scharler and Andrés Anca-Couce

Energy, 2022, vol. 244, issue PB

Abstract: Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) models used in the past for biomass-to-power plant simulations are limited in their predictability of the carbon deposition risk. In this work, industrial-relevant cell designs were modeled in 2D-CFD considering detailed reaction kinetics which allowed more accurate performance simulations and carbon deposition risk assessments. Via a parametric study, the influence of varying cell operating conditions on the cell performance and carbon deposition risk was quantified when utilizing product gases from steam- and air gasification with varying steam addition. Considering the results from this parameter study and carbon deposition risk assessment, recommendations for promising gasifier-SOFC configurations and cell operating points for stable long-term operation are presented. For smaller-scale biomass-to-power systems, the utilization of product gas from air gasification in anode supported cells with Ni/zirconia-based anode can be recommended, with only moderate steam dilution of the product gas at 750°C cell operating temperature. For larger scales, steam gasification might be meaningful, offering a generally higher electrical efficiency and power output in fuel cells than air gasification. However, a higher risk for carbon deposition could be determined in comparison to air gasification. Hence, a cell temperature of 850°C besides the use of cells with Ni/ceria-based anodes is recommended.

Keywords: Solid oxide fuel cell; Biomass gasification; Combined heat and power; Carbon deposition; CFD Modelling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036054422103334X
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:244:y:2022:i:pb:s036054422103334x

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2021.123085

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().