Development and Verification of a Steady-State Internal Reforming Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Model for Tri-generation of Hydrogen, Electricity, and Heat

A steady-state molten carbonate fuel cell 0-D model was constructed in Aspen PlusRTM. The model simulated the tri-generation of hydrogen, electricity, and heat using a Direct FuelCellRTM molten carbonate fuel cell technology developed by FuelCell Energy. The simulation incorporated operating data from an actual installation. The internal reforming MCFC model was uniquely integrated with hydrogen concentrating and purifying equipment to facilitate tri-generation of hydrogen, electricity, and heat.;A parametric study for the fuel utilization and recovered hydrogen were performed and presented. The tri-generation system performance was characterized for two different fuels, natural gas and anaerobic digester gas, and varying hydrogen recoveries. The optimal range for fuel utilization for each fuel at a particular hydrogen recovery percentage was found. The operating fuel utilization range at a current density of 1200 A/m2 for a thermally-balanced tri-generation MCFC system operating on NG was found to be: 0.90 for a hydrogen recovery of 90 percent; 0.87--0.90 for a hydrogen recovery of 80 percent; 0.81--0.90 for a hydrogen recovery of 70 percent; and 0.5--0.90 for a hydrogen recovery of 60 percent. The operating fuel utilization range at a current density of 1200 A/m2 for a thermally-balanced tri-generation MCFC system operating on ADG was found to be: 0.82--0.90 for a hydrogen recovery of 90 percent; 0.78--0.90 for a hydrogen recovery of 80 percent; 0.69--0.90 for a hydrogen recovery of 70 percent; and 0.5--0.90 for a hydrogen recovery of 60 percent.