Investigations on Integrating SOFC with Gas Turbine for Performance Enhancement and Sustainable Energy

Abstract

Direct energy conversion systems offer advantage over indirect energy systems in terms of their impact on environment but their limited capacity acts as a deterrent. Present work deals with the solid oxide fuel cell based direct energy conversion system integrated with conventional gas turbine based power generation system. It deals with thermodynamic modelling and analysis based on first law of thermodynamics. Here solid oxide fuel cell is integrated with intercooled and reheat type gas turbine for performance augmentation. Based on thermodynamic modelling the performance of considered SOFC-GT integrated system has been analyzed in respect to the fuel utilization factor, cycle pressure ratio and turbine inlet temperature. Results are obtained for arriving at optimal operating condition. The SOFC-GT integrated system under study offers 60.42 % efficiency and specific work output of 966.84 kJ/kg at cycle pressure ratio of 10, turbine inlet temperature of 1473 K and fuel utilization factor of 0.85.