Simulation of a Hybrid Plant with ICE/HT-PEMFC and On-Site Hydrogen Production from Methane Steam Reforming

Marco Palomba, Maria Cristina Cameretti (), Luigi Pio Di Noia and Raffaele Russo
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Marco Palomba: Department of Industrial Engineering (D.I.I.), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Napoli, Italy
Maria Cristina Cameretti: Department of Industrial Engineering (D.I.I.), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Napoli, Italy
Luigi Pio Di Noia: Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Napoli, Italy
Raffaele Russo: Department of Industrial Engineering (D.I.I.), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Napoli, Italy

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-24

Abstract: Hydrogen-based technologies, prominently fuel cells, are emerging as strategic solutions for decarbonization. They offer an efficient and clean alternative to fossil fuels for electricity generation, making a tangible contribution to the European Green Deal climate objectives. The primary issue is the production and transportation of hydrogen. An on-site hydrogen production system that includes CO 2 capture could be a viable solution. The proposed power system integrates an internal combustion engine (ICE) with a steam methane reformer (SMR) equipped with a CO 2 capture and energy storage system to produce “blue hydrogen”. The hydrogen fuels a high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cell. A battery pack, incorporated into the system, manages rapid fluctuations in electrical load, ensuring stability and continuity of supply and enabling the fuel cell to operate at a fixed point under nominal conditions. This hybrid system utilizes natural gas as its primary source, reducing climate-altering emissions and representing an efficient and sustainable solution. The simulation was conducted in two distinct environments: Thermoflex code for the integration of the engine, reformer, and CO 2 capture system; and Matlab/Simulink for fuel cell and battery pack sizing and dynamic system behavior analysis in response to user-demanded load variations, with particular attention to energy flow management within the simulated electrical grid. The main results show an overall efficiency of the power system of 39.9% with a 33.5% reduction in CO 2 emissions compared to traditional systems based solely on internal combustion engines.

Keywords: HT-PEMFC; CO 2 reduction; ICE; methane steam reformer; hybrid plan; blue hydrogen (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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