Design and Analysis of HT-PEMFC Systems with Different Fuel Processors for Stationary Applications

Abstract

Due to its high CO tolerance,the high-temperature polymer  electrolyte  membrane  fuel  cell  (HT-PEMFC)  has  a  simpler   fuel   processing   than   a   low-temperature   polymer   electrolyte   fuel   cell   (LT-PEMFC)   system.   In   this   study,   a   performance of the HT-PEMFC integrated with a glycerol steam reformer   system   with/without   a   water   gas   shift   reactor   is   examined  and  compared  with  the  LT-PEMFC  system.  The  HT-PEMFC  system  shows  good  performance  over  the  LT-PEMFC  system  at  the  operational  condition  of  high  current  density  condition (>6000 A/m2). The presence of high CO concentration is the main problem of operation of HT-PEMFC system without the  water  gas  shift  reactor  at  high  current  density.  At  the  same  time,   the   LT-PEMFC   suffers   from   CO   poisoning   and   low   oxygen    concentration    at    high    current    density    as    well.    Considering the system efficiency, the HT-PEMFC system with the  water  gas  shift  reactor  in  the  glycerol  processor  shows  the  highest overall system efficiency.