Analysis of Direct Carbon Fuel Cell (DCFC) based coal fired power cycles with CO2 capture

Stefano Campanari*, Matteo Gazzani, Matteo C. Romano

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This work presents an analysis of the application of Direct Carbon Fuel Cells (DCFC) to large scale, coal fuelled power cycles. DCFCs are a type of high temperature fuel cell featuring the possibility of being fed directly with coal or other heavy fuels, with high tolerance to impurities and contaminants (e.g. sulphur) contained in the fuel. Different DCFC technologies of this type are developed in laboratories, research centres or new startup companies, although at kW-scale, showing promising results for their possible future application to stationary power generation. This work investigates the potential application of two DCFC categories, both using a "molten anode medium" which can be (i) a mixture of molten carbonates or (ii) a molten metal (liquid tin) flowing at the anode of a fuel cell belonging to the solid oxide electrolyte family. Both technologies can be considered particularly interesting for the possible future application to large scale, coal fuelled power cycles with CO2 capture, since they both have the advantage of oxidizing coal without mixing the oxidized products with nitrogen, thus releasing a high CO2 concentration exhaust gas. After a description of the operating principles of the two DCFCs, it is presented a lumped-volume thermodynamic model which reproduces the DCFC behaviour in terms of energy and material balances, calibrated over available literature data. We consider then two plant layouts, using a hundred-MW scale coal feeding, where the DCFC generates electricity and heat recovered by a bottoming steam cycle, while the exhaust gases are sent to a CO2 compression train, after purification in appropriate cleaning processes. Detailed results are presented in terms of energy and material balances of the proposed cycles, showing how the complete system may surpass 65% LHV electrical efficiency with nearly complete (95%+) CO2 capture, making the system very attractive, although evidencing a number of technologically critical issues.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationASME Turbo Expo 2012: Turbine Technical Conference and Exposition, GT 2012
Pages385-394
Number of pages10
Volume3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes
EventASME Turbo Expo 2012: Turbine Technical Conference and Exposition, GT 2012 - Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 11 Jun 201215 Jun 2012

Conference

ConferenceASME Turbo Expo 2012: Turbine Technical Conference and Exposition, GT 2012
Country/TerritoryDenmark
CityCopenhagen
Period11/06/1215/06/12

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Analysis of Direct Carbon Fuel Cell (DCFC) based coal fired power cycles with CO2 capture'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this