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SOFC fuelled with reformed urea

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  • Cinti, Giovanni
  • Desideri, Umberto

Abstract

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) can be operated with a wide variety of fuels and in a large range of operating conditions. Taking advantage of high temperature and nickel based catalysts several compounds such as methane, ethanol and ammonia can be internally reformed or thermally decomposed producing hydrogen rich gas streams. In this study urea was investigated as a potential fuel for SOFC, since it is a widely available product in the fertilizers’ market, safe to be handled and used, and can be recovered from biomass or water treatment plants as a byproduct. An additional pathway for green urea can be based on green hydrogen via electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources and CO2 recovered from carbon capture plants. Urea decomposition was studied and reproduced in the experimental activity to evaluate its effect on the performance of SOFCs. A gas stream, obtained by simulating decomposed urea with technical gases mixtures, was fed into an SOFC stack, varying the operational temperature and the steam to carbon ratio. Experimental results produced efficiencies higher than 40%. Based on experimental data a 0-D model was developed and operational conditions were expanded, reaching an overall efficiency of 60%.

Suggested Citation

  • Cinti, Giovanni & Desideri, Umberto, 2015. "SOFC fuelled with reformed urea," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 242-253.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:154:y:2015:i:c:p:242-253
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.04.126
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Spiegel, R.J & Preston, J.L, 2003. "Technical assessment of fuel cell operation on landfill gas at the Groton, CT, landfill," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 397-409.
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    1. Chehrmonavari, Hamed & Kakaee, Amirhasan & Hosseini, Seyed Ehsan & Desideri, Umberto & Tsatsaronis, George & Floerchinger, Gus & Braun, Robert & Paykani, Amin, 2023. "Hybridizing solid oxide fuel cells with internal combustion engines for power and propulsion systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    2. Chen, Bin & Xu, Haoran & Tan, Peng & Zhang, Yuan & Xu, Xiaoming & Cai, Weizi & Chen, Meina & Ni, Meng, 2019. "Thermal modelling of ethanol-fuelled Solid Oxide Fuel Cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 476-486.
    3. Subotić, Vanja & Stoeckl, Bernhard & Lawlor, Vincent & Strasser, Johannes & Schroettner, Hartmuth & Hochenauer, Christoph, 2018. "Towards a practical tool for online monitoring of solid oxide fuel cell operation: An experimental study and application of advanced data analysis approaches," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 748-761.
    4. Andile Nqodi & Thapelo C. Mosetlhe & Adedayo A. Yusuff, 2023. "Advances in Hydrogen-Powered Trains: A Brief Report," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-11, September.
    5. Yan, Dong & Zhang, Chi & Liang, Linjiang & Li, Kai & Jia, Lichao & Pu, Jian & Jian, Li & Li, Xi & Zhang, Tao, 2016. "Degradation analysis and durability improvement for SOFC 1-cell stack," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 414-420.
    6. Yuan, Zhenyu & Yang, Jie & Zhang, Yufeng, 2015. "A self-adaptive supply method of micro direct methanol fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1064-1069.
    7. Radenahmad, Nikdalila & Afif, Ahmed & Petra, Pg Iskandar & Rahman, Seikh M.H. & Eriksson, Sten-G. & Azad, Abul K., 2016. "Proton-conducting electrolytes for direct methanol and direct urea fuel cells – A state-of-the-art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1347-1358.
    8. Sharifzadeh, Mahdi & Meghdari, Mojtaba & Rashtchian, Davood, 2017. "Multi-objective design and operation of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Triple Combined-cycle Power Generation systems: Integrating energy efficiency and operational safety," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 345-361.
    9. Patil, Tarkeshwar C. & Duttagupta, Siddhartha P., 2016. "Micro-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell: A multi-fuel approach for portable applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 534-543.
    10. Cavalli, A. & Kunze, M. & Aravind, P.V., 2018. "Cross-influence of toluene as tar model compound and HCl on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell anodes in Integrated Biomass Gasifier SOFC Systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 1-11.
    11. Zhang, Hanfei & Wang, Ligang & Van herle, Jan & Maréchal, François & Desideri, Umberto, 2021. "Techno-economic comparison of 100% renewable urea production processes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    12. Bargiacchi, Eleonora & Antonelli, Marco & Desideri, Umberto, 2019. "A comparative assessment of Power-to-Fuel production pathways," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1253-1265.
    13. Pasternak, Grzegorz & Greenman, John & Ieropoulos, Ioannis, 2016. "Regeneration of the power performance of cathodes affected by biofouling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 431-437.
    14. Orlando Corigliano & Leonardo Pagnotta & Petronilla Fragiacomo, 2022. "On the Technology of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Energy Systems for Stationary Power Generation: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-73, November.

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