Thermal integration of solid oxide fuel cell with ethanol reformer through a heat exchanger network

• Published in: Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering 2024-10, Vol.46 (10), Article 629
• Main Authors: Siqueira, Igor S. F., Oechsler, Bruno F., Catapan, Rafael C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Technical Paper
• ISSN: 1678-5878; 1806-3691
• DOI: 10.1007/s40430-024-05192-3

The integration of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with an ethanol reformer through a heat exchanger network was investigated aiming at improving the system’s energy efficiency. This study employs lumped models and 1D modeling techniques, which, despite their simplifications, provide a good balance between computational speed and accuracy. A parametric analysis was performed focusing on the impact of temperature variations (600–900 ∘ C ) and O 2 : C 2 H 5 OH molar ratios (0–1) on the system’s performance, particularly regarding efficiency, electrical power output, and heat exchange schemes. A heat exchanger network was proposed to recovery heat wasted by the SOFC exhausted gases. Results indicated that higher temperatures enhanced hydrogen production in the reformer, thereby increasing both SOFC electrical power and system efficiency. Without heat integration, the system’s overall efficiency was 44% under specific operational conditions. Implementing a heat exchanger network, designed via pinch analysis to recuperate exhausted energy, elevated the system’s efficiency to 61%, marking a significant improvement over the non-integrated setup. This efficiency gain was achieved with minimal external heating, highlighting the potential of thermal integration in optimizing SOFC systems.