Work

Simulation of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell with Dry Reforming of Methane (DR-MCFC)

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study proposes a novel system integrating a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) with a dry reforming process (DR-MCFC) and develops a corresponding simulation model. In a DR-MCFC, the reacting gases from the dry reforming of methane (DRM) process are fed into a molten carbonate fuel cell. CH4 and CO2 were used as the reaction gases, while N2 was employed as the carrier gas and introduced into the DRM. Following the DRM, the reformed gases were humidified and injected into the anode of the MCFC. A simulation model combining the dry reforming process and the MCFC was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics to evaluate the system’s performance and feasibility. The mole fraction of H2 after the DRM ranged from 0.181 to 0.214 under five different gas conditions. The average current density of the fuel cell varied between 1321.5 and 1444.9 A·m−2 at a cell voltage of 0.8 V, which was up to 27.07% lower than that of a conventional MCFC operating at 923 K due to the lower hydrogen concentration in the anode. Based on these results, the integration of dry reforming with the MCFC’s operation did not cause any operational issues, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed DR-MCFC system.

Source: Energies

DOI: 10.3390/en18071863

Authors: Kyu-Seok Jung, Young-Bae Jun, Jung-Sik Yoon, Sung-Pil Yoon, Chang-Whan Lee

Institutions: Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Advancements in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137