An investigation on the efficiency of solid oxide fuel cells

• Main Author: Fraser James Forbes Hancock.
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Power resources
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/54032
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Power generation companies and large scale industries, due to current legislation, are under pressure to generate electricity more efficiently and with less carbon emissions. Fuel cells and in particular solid oxide fuel cells in combined heat and power cycles could be a viable method to achieve this. The aim of this project was to investigate the operational conditions of the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and find the optimum operating efficiency. A mathematical model was developed of a tubular SOFC, using MATLAB, to evaluate the steady state operation of the fuel cell under various conditions, including changing temperature and cell pressure. A maximum operating efficiency of 58% was found at 1253K whilst operating at a pressure of 10 bar. The theoretical and empirical efficiencies found by other organisations and research groups for Hybrid systems have also been detailed.