Thermodynamic analysis and comprehensive system optimization of the near zero emission hybrid power based on SOFC-ICE integrated system fueled with ammonia

The highly efficient heat and mass integrations fueled with ammonia of solid oxide fuel cell and reciprocating piston internal combustion engine are conducted from the viewpoints of characters of restrained / unrestrained chemical reaction and principle of energy cascade utilization. According to previous studies, we classified such integrations into serial and parallel topologies. Based on the detailed and verified models, the power matching limits of serial and parallel integrations are proposed first, showing a narrow scale of power matching of fuel cell and engines, due to the finite engine displacement. Furthermore, based on the design concepts of serial and parallel integrations, the improvement and optimization of combined systems were conducted, which showed that the possibly highest efficiency of serial and parallel systems can reach 70.53% and 68.40%, respectively. Additionally, the exergy analysis of systems could prove that such heat and mass integrations can effectively use remaining heats and fuels, leading to less exergy destructions and optimal designs and operation points achievement, while the maximum exergy destruction occurs at engine. Finally, the environmental analysis results showed that the corrected NO, NO2, N2O and NH3 emissions can reach 0.01 mg/kWh, 5.00 μg/kWh, 29.50 mg/kWh and <5 ppm, achieving near zero emissions.