Performance and Efficiency Analysis of an HT-PEMFC System with an Absorption Chiller for Tri-Generation Applications
Geonhui Gwak,
Minwoo Kim,
Dohwan Kim,
Muhammad Faizan,
Kyeongmin Oh,
Jaeseung Lee,
Jaeyoo Choi,
Nammin Lee,
Kisung Lim,
Hyunchul Ju
Affiliations
Geonhui Gwak
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Minwoo Kim
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Dohwan Kim
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Muhammad Faizan
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Kyeongmin Oh
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Jaeseung Lee
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Jaeyoo Choi
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Nammin Lee
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Kisung Lim
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
Hyunchul Ju
WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) of the Green Battery Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Korea
An absorption chiller model for tri-generation (combined cooling, heating, and power) is developed and incorporated with the high temperature- (HT-) proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system model that was developed in our previous study. We employ a commercially available flow simulator, Aspen HYSYS, for solving the energy and mass balances of various system components, including an HT-PEMFC stack that is based on a phosphoric acid-doped PBI membrane, natural gas-fueled reformer, LiBr-H2O absorption chiller, balance of plant (BOP) components, and heat exchangers. Since the system’s operating strategy for tri-generation must be changed, depending on cooling or heating loads, a major focus of this study is to analyze system performance and efficiency under different requirements of electricity generation, cooling, and heating conditions. The system simulation results revealed that high-current fuel-cell operation is essential in raising the cooling capacity, but the overall system efficiency is slightly reduced as a result. Using a lower fuel-air ratio for the burner in the reforming module is one alternative that can minimize the reduction in the overall system efficiency under high-current fuel-cell operation and large cooling-capacity modes.
