Investigation of startup, performance and cycling of a residential furnace integrated with micro-tubular flame-assisted fuel cells for micro-combined heat and power

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) Vol. 196; no. C; p. 117148
• Main Authors: Milcarek, Ryan J., DeBiase, Vincent P., Ahn, Jeongmin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2020; Elsevier BV; Elsevier
• Subjects: Chemical reduction; Cogeneration; Cooling rate; Energy conservation; Flame-assisted fuel cell (FFC); Fuel cells; Fuel technology; Heating rate; Low temperature; Micro-combined heat and power (μCHP); Micro-tubular SOFCs (mT-SOFCs); Natural gas; Nitrogen oxides; Oxygen reduction reactions; Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); Solid oxide fuel cells; Synthesis gas; Thermal cycling; Micro-combined heat and power (μCHP); Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC); Micro-tubular SOFCs (mT-SOFCs); Flame-assisted fuel cell (FFC)
• ISSN: 0360-5442; 1873-6785
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.117148

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) offer advantages for micro-Combined Heat and Power (μCHP), but currently suffer from slow startup (>1 h) and limited thermal cycling which reduces the applications, energy savings and economics. In this work, a micro-Tubular SOFC stack is integrated into a residential furnace to create a micro-Tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cell (mT-FFC) μCHP system. A high power density of 202 mW cm−2 is reported operating in synthesis gas generated from fuel-rich combustion of natural gas/air. Unlike previous reports, instabilities in the polarization are attributed to low temperature of the oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode. The mT-FFC stack achieved peak power density in 6 min after ignition. 200 thermal cycles at an average heating rate of 215 °C.min−1 and average cooling rate of 176 °C.min−1 were conducted and a low degradation rate of 0.0325 V per 100 cycles per fuel cell was achieved. Low NOx emissions (10 ppm) and high combined efficiency is reported. [Display omitted] •Residential furnace heat exchanger is modified for Flame-assisted Fuel Cells.•Rapid startup to peak power density is achieved in 6 min.•Rapid thermal cycling (215 °C.min−1) is sustained for 200 cycles.•Low NOx emissions of 10 ppm from the furnace flue are reported.•Significant power density of ∼202  mW cm−2 is achieved in combustion exhaust.