Thermodynamic analysis of power generation system based on solid oxide fuel cell with external reforming

Due to the capability of using exhausted gases of power plants directly in reforming process and producing high quality syngas, the tri-reforming process is a considerable kind of reforming process. In the present study, a power generation system based on solid oxide fuel cell with specific capacity and equipped to the external reforming is proposed and investigated form the viewpoint of thermodynamics. In order to conduct the external reforming process, exhausted gases from the system including the steam, carbon dioxide and oxygen are recycled and utilized as the reforming agents in the reactor. In order to model the proposed system thermodynamically, the principals of mass and energy balance are applied in Engineering Equation Software (EES). Effects of such important parameters as the current density and solid oxide fuel cell operating temperature on the system performance indicators including the various voltages, fuel mass flow rate, power generation and the energy as well as the exergy efficiencies of the system are investigated. The parametric study results shows that for the lower values of the current density and higher values of the SOFC operating temperature as well as the fuel utilization factor, the system energy and exergy efficiencies enhances.