Performance and Efficiency Analysis of an HT-PEMFC System with an Absorption Chiller for Tri-Generation Applications

Geonhui Gwak, Minwoo Kim, Dohwan Kim, Muhammad Faizan, Kyeongmin Oh, Jaeseung Lee, Jaeyoo Choi, Nammin Lee, Kisung Lim and Hyunchul Ju
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Geonhui Gwak: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Minwoo Kim: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Dohwan Kim: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Muhammad Faizan: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Kyeongmin Oh: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Jaeseung Lee: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Jaeyoo Choi: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Nammin Lee: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Kisung Lim: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Hyunchul Ju: WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: An absorption chiller model for tri-generation (combined cooling, heating, and power) is developed and incorporated with the high temperature- (HT-) proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system model that was developed in our previous study. We employ a commercially available flow simulator, Aspen HYSYS, for solving the energy and mass balances of various system components, including an HT-PEMFC stack that is based on a phosphoric acid-doped PBI membrane, natural gas-fueled reformer, LiBr-H 2 O absorption chiller, balance of plant (BOP) components, and heat exchangers. Since the system’s operating strategy for tri-generation must be changed, depending on cooling or heating loads, a major focus of this study is to analyze system performance and efficiency under different requirements of electricity generation, cooling, and heating conditions. The system simulation results revealed that high-current fuel-cell operation is essential in raising the cooling capacity, but the overall system efficiency is slightly reduced as a result. Using a lower fuel-air ratio for the burner in the reforming module is one alternative that can minimize the reduction in the overall system efficiency under high-current fuel-cell operation and large cooling-capacity modes.

Keywords: tri-generation; phosphoric acid-doped PBI membrane; steam reforming; absorption chiller; fuel cell system modeling (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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