Comparative performance assessment of 5kW-Class Solid Oxide Fuel cell engines integrated with single/dual-spool turbochargers

The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance of 5kW-Class Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine (SOFC/GT) hybrid systems with two typical turbine configurations widely used in the gas turbine industry, namely single and dual-spool gas turbines. Even though their operations are based on the same physical principles, their performance characteristics and operation parameters vary considerably due to different designs. As the most relevant results of an SOFC/GT performance analysis, the comparison of the load operation regime and the dependence of some crucial variables (such as power, SOFC temperature, and turbine shaft speed) on control variables are presented. The part-load operation and load transition are also analyzed to provide guidelines in developing safe and optimal load transition strategies.