Fuel cell power plants system

Figure 5.33 gives an overview of the scenario energy system, with annual energy flows indicated. The coverage of heat with assistance from coproduced heat from power plants and fuel cells is indicated. 

In the fuel cell/turbine hybrid power plant the fuel cell does not need to operate at the turbine pressure, instead it operates at the preferred ambient pressure and its independent of gas turbine cycle pressure ratio. The system works efficiently with a wide range of turbine compression ratio. This allows taking a system developed for integration at the multi-MW... 

Figure 6.3 provides a simplified block diagram of a fuel cell power plant system. Gasification is used to convert the solid fuel to gas, which is processed to remove sulfur compounds, tars, particulates, and trace contaminants. The clean gas is then converted to electricity in the FC. Waste heat from the FC is used to generate steam, which can be used to run the gasification process and to generate additional power in the bottoming cycle. 

M. Faroogue, "MCFC Power Plant System Verification," presentation at FE Fuel Cells and Coal-Fired Heat Engines Conference, US DOE/METC, August 3-5, 1993. 

McDermott Technology, Inc., of Alliance, OH, developed a conceptual design of a high efficiency power plant system that joins planar solid oxide fuel cell technology with microturbine technology in a combined cycle. The system was operated at atmospheric conditions. 

One method proposed for estimating the cost of fuel cell power plants is to calculate distributive (bulk) costs as a function of the equipment cost using established factors based on conventional generating technologies. When applied in such a way as to compensate for the differences associated with a fuel cell plant, this approach can yield reasonable results. NETL has elected, based on the international prominence of the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE), to utilize this approach in estimating the costs for fuel cell/turbine power plant systems currently under study. 

Hahn A. (2002) Modeling and control of solid oxide fuel cell, gas turbine power plant systems. Thesis, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering. 

Fuel cell systems have the potential to substantially reduce air and water emissions associated with electricity production. In all fuel cell systems, hydrogen is consumed at the anode and water is produced at the cathode. The higher system efficiencies for fuel cells translate into enhanced fuel utilization and therefore reduced C02 emissions compared to lower efficiency systems. Fuel cell power plants will be capable of exceeding stringent present and future environmental regulations for particulates, NOx, and SOx emissions. 

Fuel Cell Power Plant System (methane fueled)... 

Therefore, fuel cell power plant system level models, detailed component models, and their analysis are needed to determine the performance targets for the WGSMR, subject to the power plant cost, weight and performance targets set by the Department of Energy (DOE), USA, for future automotive applications with an on-board fuel processing system as shown in Table 14.1 [7]. Keeping these criteria in mind, the fuel cell power plant must now be considered. 

In order to reduce the material costs of fuel cells to meet automotive cost targets, it is necessary to lower the total amount of precious metals in the system [3]. There are several ways to reduce the amount of platinum required to deliver a unit of net power from a fuel cell power plant (1) reducing parasitic losses at the power plant level, (2) increasing the... 

INTEGRATED GASIFICATION FUEL CELL POWER PLANT SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT... 

Another key feature of fuel cells is that their performance and cost are less dependent on scale than other power technologies. Small fuel cell plants operate nearly as efficiently as large ones, with equally low emissions, and comparable cost. This opens up applications for fuel cells where conventional power technologies are not practical. In addition, fuel cell systems can be relatively quiet generators. 

Fuel cell power systems contain an assembly of electrochemical cells, which oxidize a fuel to generate direct current electricity. Balance-of-plant subsystems may include controls, thermal management, a fuel processor, and a power conditioner. Some fuel cell power systems may contain additional power generating equipment such as steam generators, gas turbine generators, or micro-turbine generators. The net power output and all the fuel input to the system shall be taken into account in the performance test calculations. 

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