Transient impacts on the performance of solid oxide fuel cell/gas turbine (SOFC/GT) hybrid systems were investigated using hardware-in-the-loop simulations (HiLSs) at a test facility located at the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory. The work focused on applications relevant to polygeneration systems, which require significant fuel flexibility. Specifically, the dynamic response of implementing a sudden change in fuel composition from syngas to methane was examined. The maximum range of possible fuel composition allowable within the constraints of carbon deposition in the SOFC and stalling/surging of the turbine compressor system was determined. It was demonstrated that the transient response was significantly impact the fuel cell dynamic performance, which mainly drives the entire transient in SOFC/GT hybrid systems. This resulted in severe limitations on the allowable methane concentrations that could be used in the final fuel composition when switching from syngas to methane. Several system performance parameters were analyzed to characterize the transient impact over the course of 2 h from the composition change.

Issue Section:
Research Papers
Keywords:
Fuels, Solid oxide fuel cells, Turbines
Topics:
Fuel cells, Fuels, Solid oxide fuel cells, Transients (Dynamics), Turbines, Hardware, Temperature, Stress, Flow (Dynamics), Methane

References

1.
Serra
,
L. M.
,
Lozano
,
M.-A.
,
Ramos
,
J.
,
Ensinas
,
A. V.
, and
Nebra
,
S. A.
,
2009
, “
Polygeneration and Efficient Use of Natural Resources
,”
Energy
,
34
(
5
), pp.
575
–
586
.10.1016/j.energy.2008.08.013
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
2.
Li
,
S.
,
Gao
,
L.
,
Zhang
,
X.
,
Lin
,
H.
, and
Jin
,
H.
,
2012
, “
Evaluation of Cost Reduction Potential for a Coal Based Polygeneration System With CO2 Capture
,”
Energy
,
45
(
1
), pp.
101
–
106
.10.1016/j.energy.2011.11.059
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
3.
Becker
,
W. L.
,
Braun
,
R. J.
,
Penev
,
M.
, and
Melaina
,
M.
,
2012
, “
Design and Technoeconomic Performance Analysis of a 1 MW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Polygeneration System for Combined Production of Heat, Hydrogen, and Power
,”
J. Power Sources
,
200
, pp.
34
–
44
.10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.10.040
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
4.
Qian
,
Y.
,
Liu
,
J.
,
Huang
,
Z.
,
Kraslawski
,
A.
,
Cui
,
J.
, and
Huang
,
Y.
,
2009
, “
Conceptual Design and System Analysis of a Poly-Generation System for Power and Olefin Production From Natural Gas
,”
Appl. Energy
,
86
(
10
), pp.
2088
–
2095
.10.1016/j.apenergy.2008.12.014
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
5.
Chen
,
Y.-H.
,
Chen
,
C.-Y.
, and
Lee
,
S.-C.
,
2011
, “
Technology Forecasting and Patent Strategy of Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell Technologies
,”
Int. J. Hydrogen Energy
,
36
(
12
), pp.
6957
–
6969
.10.1016/j.ijhydene.2011.03.063
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
6.
McLarty
,
D.
,
Brouwer
,
J.
, and
Samuelsen
,
S.
,
2013
, “
Hybrid Fuel Cell Gas Turbine System Design and Optimization
,”
ASME J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol.
,
10
(4), p.
041005
.10.1115/1.4024569
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
7.
Traverso
,
A.
,
Magistri
,
L.
, and
Massardo
,
A. F.
,
2010
, “
Turbomachinery for the Air Management and Energy Recovery in Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid Systems
,”
Energy
,
35
(2), pp.
764
–
777
.10.1016/j.energy.2009.09.027
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
8.
Haynes
,
C.
, and
Wepfer
,
W. J.
,
2000
, “
Design for Power of a Commercial Grade Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
,”
Energy Convers. Manage.
,
41
(11), pp.
1123
–
1139
.10.1016/S0196-8904(99)00160-0
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
9.
Adams
,
T. A.
,
Nease
,
J.
,
Tucker
,
D.
, and
Barton
,
P. I.
,
2012
, “
Energy Conversion With Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems: A Review of Concepts and Outlooks for the Short- and Long-Term
,”
Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.
,
52
(
9
), pp.
3089
–
3111
.10.1021/ie300996r
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
10.
Tucker
,
D.
,
Lawson
,
L.
, and
Gemmen
,
R.
,
2005
, “
Characterization of Air Flow Management and Control in a Fuel Cell Turbine Hybrid Power System Using Hardware Simulation
,”
ASME
Paper No. PWR2005-50127.10.1115/PWR2005-50127
11.
Tucker
,
D.
,
Lawson
,
L.
,
Gemmen
,
R.
, and
Dennis
,
R.
,
2005
, “
Evaluation of Hybrid Fuel Cell Turbine System Startup With Compressor Bleed
,”
ASME
Paper No. GT2005-68784.10.1115/GT2005-68784
12.
Tucker
,
D.
,
Liese
,
E.
, and
Gamman
,
R.
,
2009
, “
Determination of the Operating Envelope for a Direct Fired Fuel Cell Turbine Hybrid Using Hardware Based Simulation
,”
Proceedings of the International Colloquium on Environmentally Preferred Advanced Power Generation (ICEPAG
2009), Newport Beach, CA, Feb. 10–12, Paper No. ICEPAG2009-1021.
13.
Hughes
,
D.
,
Wepfer
,
W. J.
,
Davies
,
K.
,
Ford
,
J. C.
,
Haynes
,
C.
, and
Tucker
,
D.
, 2011, “
A Real-Time Spatial SOFC Model for Hardware-Based Simulation of Hybrid Systems
,”
ASME
Paper No. FUELCELL2011-54591.10.1115/FUELCELL2011-54591
14.
Eguchi
,
K.
,
Kojo
,
H.
,
Takeguchi
,
T.
,
Kikuchi
,
R.
, and
Sasaki
,
K.
,
2002
, “
Fuel Flexibility in Power Generation by Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
,”
J. Solid State Ionics
,
152–153
, pp.
411
–
416
.10.1016/S0167-2738(02)00351-X
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
15.
Yi
,
Y.
,
Rao
,
A. D.
,
Brouwer
,
J.
, and
Samuelsen
,
G. S.
,
2005
, “
Fuel Flexibility Study of an Integrated 250kW SOFC Reformer System
,”
J. Power Sources
,
144
(
1
), pp.
67
–
76
.10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.11.068
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
16.
Tucker
,
D.
,
Smith
,
T. P.
, and
Haynes
,
C.
,
2006
, “
Evaluation of Cathodic Air Flow Transients in a Hybrid System Using Hardware Simulation
,”
ASME
Paper No. FUELCELL2006-97107.10.1115/FUELCELL2006-97107
17.
Pezzini
,
P.
,
Tucker
,
D.
, and
Traverso
,
A.
,
2013
, “
Avoiding Compressor Surge During Emergency Shut-Down Hybrid Turbine Systems
,”
ASME J. Gas Turbines Power
,
135
(10), p.
102602
.10.1115/1.4025036
18.
Saravanamuttoo
,
H.
,
Rogers
,
G.
,
Cohen
,
H.
, and
Straznicky
,
P.
,
2009
,
Gas Turbine Theory
,
Pearson Education Ltd
., Upper Saddle River, NJ, pp.
47
–
69
.
Copyright © 2014 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.