Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications
The paper provides a performance analysis assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) liquid desiccant tri-generation system for building applications. The work presented serves to build upon the current literature related to experimental evaluations of SOFC tri-generation systems, particular...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2016
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35063/ |
| _version_ | 1848794994941362176 |
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| author | Elmer, Theo Worall, Mark Wu, Shenyi Riffat, Saffa |
| author_facet | Elmer, Theo Worall, Mark Wu, Shenyi Riffat, Saffa |
| author_sort | Elmer, Theo |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The paper provides a performance analysis assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) liquid desiccant tri-generation system for building applications. The work presented serves to build upon the current literature related to experimental evaluations of SOFC tri-generation systems, particularly in domestic built environment applications. The proposed SOFC liquid desiccant tri-generation system will be the first-of-its-kind. No research activity is reported on the integration of SOFC, or any fuel cell, with liquid desiccant air conditioning in a tri-generation system configuration. The novel tri-generation system is suited to applications that require simultaneous electrical power, heating and dehumidification/cooling. There are several specific benefits to the integration of SOFC and liquid desiccant air conditioning technology, including; very high operational electrical efficiencies even at low system capacities and the ability to utilise low-grade thermal energy in a (useful) cooling process. Furthermore, the novel tri-generation system has the potential to increase thermal energy utilisation and thus the access to the benefits achievable from on-site electrical generation, primarily; reduced emissions and operating costs.
Using empirical SOFC and liquid desiccant component data, an energetic, economic and environmental performance analysis assessment of the novel system is presented. Significant conclusions from the work include: (1) SOFC and liquid desiccant are a viable technological pairing in the development of an efficient and effective tri-generation system. High tri-generation efficiencies in the range of 68-71% are attainable. (2) The inclusion of liquid desiccant provides an efficiency increase of 9-15% compared to SOFC electrical operation only, demonstrating the potential of the system in building applications that require simultaneous electrical power, heating and/or dehumidification/cooling. (3) Compared to an equivalent base case system, the novel tri-generation system is currently only economically viable with a government’s financial support. SOFC capital cost and stack replacement are the largest inhibitors to economic viability. Environmental performance is closely linked to electrical emission factor, and thus performance is heavily country dependent. (4) The economic and environmental feasibility of the novel tri-generation system will improve with predicted SOFC capital cost reductions and the transition to clean hydrogen production. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:25:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-35063 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:25:02Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-350632020-05-04T18:12:11Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35063/ Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications Elmer, Theo Worall, Mark Wu, Shenyi Riffat, Saffa The paper provides a performance analysis assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) liquid desiccant tri-generation system for building applications. The work presented serves to build upon the current literature related to experimental evaluations of SOFC tri-generation systems, particularly in domestic built environment applications. The proposed SOFC liquid desiccant tri-generation system will be the first-of-its-kind. No research activity is reported on the integration of SOFC, or any fuel cell, with liquid desiccant air conditioning in a tri-generation system configuration. The novel tri-generation system is suited to applications that require simultaneous electrical power, heating and dehumidification/cooling. There are several specific benefits to the integration of SOFC and liquid desiccant air conditioning technology, including; very high operational electrical efficiencies even at low system capacities and the ability to utilise low-grade thermal energy in a (useful) cooling process. Furthermore, the novel tri-generation system has the potential to increase thermal energy utilisation and thus the access to the benefits achievable from on-site electrical generation, primarily; reduced emissions and operating costs. Using empirical SOFC and liquid desiccant component data, an energetic, economic and environmental performance analysis assessment of the novel system is presented. Significant conclusions from the work include: (1) SOFC and liquid desiccant are a viable technological pairing in the development of an efficient and effective tri-generation system. High tri-generation efficiencies in the range of 68-71% are attainable. (2) The inclusion of liquid desiccant provides an efficiency increase of 9-15% compared to SOFC electrical operation only, demonstrating the potential of the system in building applications that require simultaneous electrical power, heating and/or dehumidification/cooling. (3) Compared to an equivalent base case system, the novel tri-generation system is currently only economically viable with a government’s financial support. SOFC capital cost and stack replacement are the largest inhibitors to economic viability. Environmental performance is closely linked to electrical emission factor, and thus performance is heavily country dependent. (4) The economic and environmental feasibility of the novel tri-generation system will improve with predicted SOFC capital cost reductions and the transition to clean hydrogen production. Elsevier 2016-09-15 Article PeerReviewed Elmer, Theo, Worall, Mark, Wu, Shenyi and Riffat, Saffa (2016) Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications. Energy Conversion and Management, 124 . pp. 29-41. ISSN 0196-8904 Tri-generation solid oxide fuel cell liquid desiccant air conditioning emission assessment economic assessment building application http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196890416305805 doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2016.07.010 doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2016.07.010 |
| spellingShingle | Tri-generation solid oxide fuel cell liquid desiccant air conditioning emission assessment economic assessment building application Elmer, Theo Worall, Mark Wu, Shenyi Riffat, Saffa Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications |
| title | Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications |
| title_full | Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications |
| title_short | Assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications |
| title_sort | assessment of a novel solid oxide fuel cell tri-generation system for building applications |
| topic | Tri-generation solid oxide fuel cell liquid desiccant air conditioning emission assessment economic assessment building application |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35063/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35063/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35063/ |