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Title: Techno-Economic Feasibility of Highly Efficient Cost-Effective Thermoelectric-SOFC Hybrid Power Generation Systems

Abstract

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems have the potential to generate exhaust gas streams of high temperature, ranging from 400 to 800 C. These high temperature gas streams can be used for additional power generation with bottoming cycle technologies to achieve higher system power efficiency. One of the potential candidate bottoming cycles is power generation by means of thermoelectric (TE) devices, which have the inherent advantages of low noise, low maintenance and long life. This study was to analyze the feasibility of combining coal gas based SOFC and TE through system performance and cost techno-economic modeling in the context of multi-MW power plants, with 200 kW SOFC-TE module as building blocks. System and component concepts were generated for combining SOFC and TE covering electro-thermo-chemical system integration, power conditioning system (PCS) and component designs. SOFC cost and performance models previously developed at United Technologies Research Center were modified and used in overall system analysis. The TE model was validated and provided by BSST. The optimum system in terms of energy conversion efficiency was found to be a pressurized SOFC-TE, with system efficiency of 65.3% and cost of $390/kW of manufacturing cost. The pressurization ratio was approximately 4 and the assumed ZTmore » of the TE was 2.5. System and component specifications were generated based on the modeling study. The major technology and cost barriers for maturing the system include pressurized SOFC stack using coal gas, the high temperature recycle blowers, and system control design. Finally, a 4-step development roadmap is proposed for future technology development, the first step being a 1 kW proof-of-concept demonstration unit.« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
United Technologies Corporation, Farmington, CT (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
967360
DOE Contract Number:  
FC26-05NT42626
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; 30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; BLOWERS; BOTTOMING CYCLES; COAL GAS; DESIGN; EFFICIENCY; ENERGY CONVERSION; MAINTENANCE; MANUFACTURING; PERFORMANCE; POWER CONDITIONING CIRCUITS; POWER GENERATION; POWER PLANTS; PRESSURIZATION; SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS; SPECIFICATIONS

Citation Formats

Zhang, Jifeng, and Yamanis, Jean. Techno-Economic Feasibility of Highly Efficient Cost-Effective Thermoelectric-SOFC Hybrid Power Generation Systems. United States: N. p., 2007. Web. doi:10.2172/967360.
Zhang, Jifeng, & Yamanis, Jean. Techno-Economic Feasibility of Highly Efficient Cost-Effective Thermoelectric-SOFC Hybrid Power Generation Systems. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/967360
Zhang, Jifeng, and Yamanis, Jean. 2007. "Techno-Economic Feasibility of Highly Efficient Cost-Effective Thermoelectric-SOFC Hybrid Power Generation Systems". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/967360. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/967360.
@article{osti_967360,
title = {Techno-Economic Feasibility of Highly Efficient Cost-Effective Thermoelectric-SOFC Hybrid Power Generation Systems},
author = {Zhang, Jifeng and Yamanis, Jean},
abstractNote = {Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems have the potential to generate exhaust gas streams of high temperature, ranging from 400 to 800 C. These high temperature gas streams can be used for additional power generation with bottoming cycle technologies to achieve higher system power efficiency. One of the potential candidate bottoming cycles is power generation by means of thermoelectric (TE) devices, which have the inherent advantages of low noise, low maintenance and long life. This study was to analyze the feasibility of combining coal gas based SOFC and TE through system performance and cost techno-economic modeling in the context of multi-MW power plants, with 200 kW SOFC-TE module as building blocks. System and component concepts were generated for combining SOFC and TE covering electro-thermo-chemical system integration, power conditioning system (PCS) and component designs. SOFC cost and performance models previously developed at United Technologies Research Center were modified and used in overall system analysis. The TE model was validated and provided by BSST. The optimum system in terms of energy conversion efficiency was found to be a pressurized SOFC-TE, with system efficiency of 65.3% and cost of $390/kW of manufacturing cost. The pressurization ratio was approximately 4 and the assumed ZT of the TE was 2.5. System and component specifications were generated based on the modeling study. The major technology and cost barriers for maturing the system include pressurized SOFC stack using coal gas, the high temperature recycle blowers, and system control design. Finally, a 4-step development roadmap is proposed for future technology development, the first step being a 1 kW proof-of-concept demonstration unit.},
doi = {10.2172/967360},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/967360}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2007},
month = {Sun Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2007}
}