Holistic Approach to Design, Test, and Optimize Stand-Alone SOFC-Reformer Systems

• Main Authors: Michael Höber, Benjamin Königshofer, Philipp Wachter, Gjorgji Nusev, Pavle Boskoski, Christoph Hochenauer, Vanja Subotić
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Processes
• Subjects: stand-alone system; solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); reforming processes; electrochemical analysis; sector coupling; chemical equilibrium calculations
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/9/2/348
• ISSN: 2227-9717

Reliable electrical and thermal energy supplies are basic requirements for modern societies and their food supply. Stand-alone stationary power generators based on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) represent an attractive solution to the problems of providing the energy required in both rural communities and in rurally-based industries such as those of the agricultural industry. The great advantages of SOFC-based systems are high efficiency and high fuel flexibility. A wide range of commercially available fuels can be used with no or low-effort pre-treatment. In this study, a design process for stand-alone system consisting of a reformer unit and an SOFC-based power generator is presented and tested. An adequate agreement between the measured and simulated values for the gas compositions after a reformer unit is observed with a maximum error of 3 vol% (volume percent). Theoretical degradation free operation conditions determined by employing equilibrium calculations are identified to be steam to carbon ratio (H₂O/C) higher 0.6 for auto-thermal reformation and H₂O/C higher 1 for internal reforming. The produced gas mixtures are used to fuel large planar electrolyte supported cells (ESC). Current densities up to 500 mA/cm² at 0.75 V are reached under internal reforming conditions without degradation of the cells anode during the more than 500 h long-term test run. More detailed electrochemical analysis of SOFCs fed with different fuel mixtures showed that major losses are caused by gas diffusion processes.