Thermodynamic analysis and performance optimization of solid oxide fuel cell and refrigerator hybrid system based on H₂ and CO

Abstract

A hybrid system consisting of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and absorption refrigerator is established, where hydrogen and carbon monoxide are the reactant in electrochemical reactions of SOFC, and air conditioning is derived for the residence due to the utilization of waste heat from the SOFC. On the basis of electrochemistry and thermodynamics, the electric voltage and power of the SOFC, the cooling rate of refrigerator under given flow rate of high-temperature heat, and the equivalent energy conversion efficiency and power of the hybrid system are obtained. The effect of some of the key parameters including molar ratio of carbon monoxide to hydrogen consumed in the electrochemical reactions, the working temperature of the SOFC on the performance of the hybrid system is investigated. The optimal operation strategy is explored to achieve the high equivalent energy conversion efficiency of the hybrid system, for example, the molar ratio of carbon monoxide to hydrogen consumed in the electrochemical reactions is suggested 0.053 to attain the optimal equivalent energy conversion efficiency of the hybrid system. The maximum equivalent energy conversion efficiency of the SOFC and refrigerator hybrid system will reach 87%.