Performance and economic evaluation of methanol steam reforming high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells with carbon dioxide absorption via calcium oxide

In this study, a methanol steam reforming high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell coupled with carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption via calcium oxide (MSRHFC-CaO) was proposed to reduce CO2 emissions. Calcium oxide (CaO) absorbent was prepared via a limestone hydrogenation reaction, and its carbonation rate reached 60.2 %. A mathematical model of MSRHFC-CaO was established, and the simulation results revealed that the output power of MSRHFC-CaO increased from 3.79 kW to 4.21 kW with an increase in the CO2 absorption rate from 0 to 50 %, considering that the CO2 absorption heat utilization rate was 80 % and the methanol (CH3OH) feeding flow rate was 50.4 mol h−1. For MSRHFC-CaO, the optimal output power, system efficiency, and average CO2 absorption mass reached 3.41 kW, 46.5 %, and 0.96 kg h−1, respectively, on the basis of multiobjective optimization via non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). A technoeconomic–environmental analysis of MSRHFC-CaO revealed that the LCOE (levelized cost of electricity) and MSM (mass-specific emission) of MSRHFC-CaO via green CH3OH synthesized from renewable hydrogen (H2) and captured CO2 reached 0.46 $·kW h−1 and 0.077 kg CO2-eq·kWh−1, respectively, with an operating time of 5000 h and under optimal operating conditions. The excellent performance indicates the commercial potential of MSRHFC-CaO in the field of mobile energy.