Experimental Characterization and Numerical Modeling of PEMFC Stacks Designed for Different Application Fields

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is regarded as a potential future power technology for stationary and mobile applications due to its high efficiency (full and partial load), rapid start‐up, high power density, and low emissions.Depending on their particular application field (decentralized combined heat and power production, uninterrupted power supplies (UPS), or mobile applications) different operating conditions and designing parameters are required and different performance can be expected.Thus, the aim of this paper is to investigate the behavior and performance of two stacks of the same size, developed with a different approach according to their application sectors.The first PEMFC stack is designed for UPS units or mobile purpose, the second one, is designed to supply heat and power in residential applications (CHP units).The analysis of the stacks behavior has been carried out by using both experimental and numerical investigations.Experimental results have allowed: (i) to characterize the stacks; (ii) to calibrate the numerical model; (iii) to supply useful data for setting and improving the control system.

Modeling of a Plasma-Based Waste Gasification System for Solid Waste Generated Onboard of Typical Cruiser Vessels Used as a Feedstock

“…Minutillo et al (2009) developed a thermochemical model, EquiPlasmaJet [30], to study the syngas composition and energy balance of an integrated plasma gasification combined cycle (IPGCC) plant fueled by RDF (refuse derived fuel); in their work, air was used as plasma gas, heated to 4000 • C by six plasma torches with high power consumptions (4.26-2.75 MW) to produce high lower heating value (LHV) syngas (10.10-9.20 MJ/kg) at high plasma gasification efficiencies (63.6-69.1). The EquiPlasmaJet model was further developed by Minutillo et al (2011) and coupled to a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrochemical model to investigate the syngas composition produced in the plasma gasifier of an integrated plasma gasification fuel cell (IPGFC) plant fueled by RDF; the results obtained by the authors are similar to the results of their previous work [31]. Janajreh et al (2012) compared two models based on conventional and plasma gasification for eight different fuels; the models, based on the minimization of Gibbs free energy, show higher average gasification efficiencies for conventional air gasification, around 72%, compared to plasma gasification, around 42% [32].…”