Impact of steam reformer on the design and control of an energy integrated solid oxide fuel cell system

Abstract

Energy integrated fuel cell systems show the potential for highly efficient and enviromentally friendly power generation. In this study, an energy integrated system with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a methane steam reformer is considered. The effect of the reformer design parameters (steam-to-carbon (S/C) ratio and operating temperature) on the steady-state performance of the entire SOFC system is studied. Additionally, the effect of the S/C ratio on the open-loop behavior is also analyzed under small and large steps in the current. Lastly, the closed-loop performance of the entire energy system for a decentralized control scheme is evaluated under a large disturbance in load current.