Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have been considered as one of the most promising technologies for very high-efficiency electric energy generation from natural gas, both with simple fuel cell plants and with integrated gas turbine/steam turbine–fuel cell systems. The high temperature exhaust gas from SOFC can be utilized in other cycles i.e. Rankine, Brayton for additional power generation or for heating and cooling purpose (cogeneration/trigeneration). The analysis shows that the resulting maximum efficiency of this SOFC-combined system can be up to 90% depending upon the operating condition and configuration used. This paper reviews the application of SOFC technology in power generation sector. This paper also investigate the research work undertaken or going on in this field.

Application of solid oxide fuel cell technology for power generation—A review

Oxyfuel combustion for CO2 capture in power plants

The energy supply to demand narrowing down day by day around the world, the growing demand of power has made the power plants of scientific interest, but most of the power plants are designed by the energetic performance criteria based on first law of thermodynamics only. The real useful energy loss cannot be justified by the fist law of thermodynamics, because it does not differentiate between the quality and quantity of energy. The present study deals with the comparison of energy and exergy analyses of thermal power plants stimulated by coal and gas. This article provides a detailed review of different studies on thermal power plants over the years. This review would also throw light on the scope for further research and recommendations for improvement in the existing thermal power plants.

Energy and exergy analyses of thermal power plants: A review

Hybrid solid oxide fuel cells–gas turbine systems for combined heat and power: A review

Thermodynamic modeling of a gas turbine cycle combined with a solid oxide fuel cell

Analysis of the design of a pressurized SOFC hybrid system using a fixed gas turbine design

A new method for predicting performance of multistage axial flow compressors is proposed that utilizes stage performance curves. The method differs from the conventional sequential stage-stacking method in that it employs simultaneous calculation of all interstage variables (temperature, pressure and flow velocity). A consistent functional formulation of governing equations enables this simultaneous calculation. The method is found to be effective, i.e. fast and stable, in obtaining solutions for compressor inlet and outlet boundary conditions encountered in gas turbine analyses. Another advantage of the method is that the effect of changing the angles of movable stator vanes on the compressor's operating behaviour can be simulated easily. Accordingly, the proposed method is very suitable for complicated gas turbine system analysis. This paper presents the methodology and performance estimation results for various multistage compressors employing both fixed and variable vane setting angles. The ef...

Performance prediction of axial flow compressors using stage characteristics and simultaneous calculation of interstage parameters

Exergy-based performance analysis of the heavy-duty gas turbine in part-load operating conditions

This study aims to present various design aspects and realizable performance of the natural gas fired semi-closed oxy-fuel combustion combined cycle (SCOC-CC). Design parameters of the cycle are set up on the basis of component technologies of today’s state-of-the-art gas turbines with a turbine inlet temperature between 1400°C and 1600°C. The most important part in the cycle analysis is the turbine cooling which affects the cycle performance considerably. A thermodynamic cooling model is introduced to predict the reasonable amount of turbine coolant to maintain the turbine blade temperature of the SCOC-CC at the levels of those of conventional gas turbines. Optimal pressure ratio ranges of the SCOC-CC for two different turbine inlet temperature levels are searched. The performance penalty due to the CO2 capture is examined. Also investigated are the influences of the purity of oxygen provided by the air separation unit on the cycle performance. A comparison with the conventional combined cycle adopting a post-combustion CO2 capture is carried out taking into account the relationship between performance and CO2 capture rate.© 2012 ASME

Evaluation of Design Performance of the Semi-Closed Oxy-Fuel Combustion Combined Cycle

A simulation program for transient analysis of the startup procedure of heavy duty gas turbines for power generation has been constructed. Unsteady one-dimensional conservation equations are employed and equation sets are solved numerically using a fully implicit method. A modified stage-stacking method has been adopted to estimate the operation of the compressor. Compressor stages are grouped into three categories (front, middle, rear), to which three different stage characteristic curves are applied in order to consider the different low-speed operating characteristics. Representative startup sequences were adopted. The dynamic behavior of a representative heavy duty gas turbine was simulated for a full startup procedure from zero to full speed. Simulated results matched the field data and confirmed unique characteristics such as the self-sustaining and the possibility of rear-stage choking at low speeds. Effects of the estimated schedules on the startup characteristics were also investigated. Special attention was paid to the effects of modulating the variable inlet guide vane on startup characteristics, which play a key role in the stable operation of gas turbines.

Tong-Seop Kim

Papers

Analysis of the design of a pressurized SOFC hybrid system using a fixed gas turbine design

Performance prediction of axial flow compressors using stage characteristics and simultaneous calculation of interstage parameters

Exergy-based performance analysis of the heavy-duty gas turbine in part-load operating conditions

Evaluation of Design Performance of the Semi-Closed Oxy-Fuel Combustion Combined Cycle

Dynamic Simulation of Full Startup Procedure of Heavy-Duty Gas Turbines