MATHEMATICAL MODELLING AND SIMULATION OF SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL AND GAS TURBINE HYBRID SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING THERMAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Fuel cell systems are environment friendly. It is a clean energy generator but it has a low efficiency when it is used alone. Gas turbine also has a lower efficiency around 30% when working alone. Hybrid system is the combination of gas turbine and fuel cell to achieve a higher efficiency around 60-70%. The fuel cell generates the major portion of the plant power output and the gas turbine generates a fraction of total power output. The major advantage of fuel cell is that it is not a heat engine so its efficiency can be 100 % as it is not limited by the Carnot efficiency.

This Thesis work includes development of mathematical model and simulation of a Solid oxide fuel cell combined with gas turbine hybrid system using Methane as a fuel. This type of hybrid system has a wide application such as decentralised electricity supply in houses and buildings, heat and cooling energy. With the developments in the technology of commercialized fuel cell the system can be used in centralized power plant.

Program is developed to simulate this developed model. Power output, First law efficiency and second law efficiency is calculated from the simulation of the developed model. The calculated Power output is 1.488 MW, first law efficiency is 66.25 % and second law efficiency is 63.23 %.