IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v191y2017icp620-638.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Solar-assisted integrated biogas solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) installation in wastewater treatment plant: Energy and economic analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Mehr, A.S.
  • Gandiglio, M.
  • MosayebNezhad, M.
  • Lanzini, A.
  • Mahmoudi, S.M.S.
  • Yari, M.
  • Santarelli, M.

Abstract

A unique cogeneration system integrating a biogas fed Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and a Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) system for a reference Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Italy is proposed. Biogas – which is locally in the WWTP from the anaerobic digestion (AD) of the collected sludge – can be used to produce electricity using SOFC power modules. The thermal power recovered from the SOFC exhaust stream is used to meet part of the digester thermal load. However, the rest heat loads are provided by using the integration with the CST system and an auxiliary boiler. Energy analysis is performed to determine the effect of using the solar heating system on the system performance. Also, the economic performance is evaluated through a cash-flow analysis and the calculation of the Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). It is observed that installing 300m2, 700m2, 1100m2 of solar collectors could cover 8%, 18% and 30% of total digester heat load, respectively. Results show an overall beneficial effect of the solar installation, both from an energy and economic standpoint of view. For all the scenarios analyzed, the LCOE is lower than the grid electricity price and, with increasing solar integration, the value is further reduced showing that, despite the investment return time, the electricity production during the entire system lifetime is competitive against grid electricity prices.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehr, A.S. & Gandiglio, M. & MosayebNezhad, M. & Lanzini, A. & Mahmoudi, S.M.S. & Yari, M. & Santarelli, M., 2017. "Solar-assisted integrated biogas solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) installation in wastewater treatment plant: Energy and economic analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 620-638.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:191:y:2017:i:c:p:620-638
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.01.070
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261917300880
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.01.070?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Buonomano, Annamaria & Calise, Francesco & Ferruzzi, Gabriele & Palombo, Adolfo, 2015. "Molten carbonate fuel cell: An experimental analysis of a 1kW system fed by landfill gas," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 146-160.
    2. Pellegrino, Sandro & Lanzini, Andrea & Leone, Pierluigi, 2015. "Techno-economic and policy requirements for the market-entry of the fuel cell micro-CHP system in the residential sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 370-382.
    3. Rayegan, R. & Tao, Y.X., 2011. "A procedure to select working fluids for Solar Organic Rankine Cycles (ORCs)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 659-670.
    4. Papurello, D. & Borchiellini, R. & Bareschino, P. & Chiodo, V. & Freni, S. & Lanzini, A. & Pepe, F. & Ortigoza, G.A. & Santarelli, M, 2014. "Performance of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell short-stack with biogas feeding," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 254-263.
    5. Papurello, Davide & Lanzini, Andrea & Tognana, Lorenzo & Silvestri, Silvia & Santarelli, Massimo, 2015. "Waste to energy: Exploitation of biogas from organic waste in a 500 Wel solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 145-158.
    6. Yari, Mortaza & Mehr, A.S. & Mahmoudi, S.M.S., 2013. "Thermodynamic analysis and optimization of a novel dual-evaporator system powered by electrical and solar energy sources," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 646-656.
    7. Panepinto, Deborah & Fiore, Silvia & Zappone, Mariantonia & Genon, Giuseppe & Meucci, Lorenza, 2016. "Evaluation of the energy efficiency of a large wastewater treatment plant in Italy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 404-411.
    8. Yari, Mortaza & Mehr, Ali Saberi & Mahmoudi, Seyed Mohammad Seyed & Santarelli, Massimo, 2016. "A comparative study of two SOFC based cogeneration systems fed by municipal solid waste by means of either the gasifier or digester," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 586-602.
    9. Papadias, Dionissios D. & Ahmed, Shabbir & Kumar, Romesh, 2012. "Fuel quality issues with biogas energy – An economic analysis for a stationary fuel cell system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 257-277.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Papurello, Davide & Lanzini, Andrea & Drago, Davide & Leone, Pierluigi & Santarelli, Massimo, 2016. "Limiting factors for planar solid oxide fuel cells under different trace compound concentrations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 67-78.
    2. Papurello, Davide & Boschetti, Andrea & Silvestri, Silvia & Khomenko, Iuliia & Biasioli, Franco, 2018. "Real-time monitoring of removal of trace compounds with PTR-MS: Biochar experimental investigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 344-355.
    3. Giarola, Sara & Forte, Ornella & Lanzini, Andrea & Gandiglio, Marta & Santarelli, Massimo & Hawkes, Adam, 2018. "Techno-economic assessment of biogas-fed solid oxide fuel cell combined heat and power system at industrial scale," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 689-704.
    4. Papurello, Davide & Chiodo, Vitaliano & Maisano, Susanna & Lanzini, Andrea & Santarelli, Massimo, 2018. "Catalytic stability of a Ni-Catalyst towards biogas reforming in the presence of deactivating trace compounds," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 481-494.
    5. Marta Gandiglio & Fabrizio De Sario & Andrea Lanzini & Silvia Bobba & Massimo Santarelli & Gian Andrea Blengini, 2019. "Life Cycle Assessment of a Biogas-Fed Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Integrated in a Wastewater Treatment Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-31, April.
    6. Lee, Sanghyeok & Park, Mansoo & Kim, Hyoungchul & Yoon, Kyung Joong & Son, Ji-Won & Lee, Jong-Ho & Kim, Byung-Kook & Choi, Wonjoon & Hong, Jongsup, 2017. "Thermal conditions and heat transfer characteristics of high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells investigated by three-dimensional numerical simulations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 293-305.
    7. Chatrattanawet, Narissara & Saebea, Dang & Authayanun, Suthida & Arpornwichanop, Amornchai & Patcharavorachot, Yaneeporn, 2018. "Performance and environmental study of a biogas-fuelled solid oxide fuel cell with different reforming approaches," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 131-140.
    8. Davide Papurello & Massimo Santarelli & Sonia Fiorilli, 2018. "Physical Activation of Waste-Derived Materials for Biogas Cleaning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-12, September.
    9. Costas Athanasiou & Christos Drosakis & Gaylord Kabongo Booto & Costas Elmasides, 2022. "Economic Feasibility of Power/Heat Cogeneration by Biogas–Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Integrated Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-30, December.
    10. Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali & Tanveer, Waqas Hassan & Sayed, Enas Taha & Assad, M. El Haj & Allagui, Anis & Cha, S.W., 2019. "On the technical challenges affecting the performance of direct internal reforming biogas solid oxide fuel cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 361-375.
    11. Papurello, Davide & Lanzini, Andrea & Leone, Pierluigi & Santarelli, Massimo, 2016. "The effect of heavy tars (toluene and naphthalene) on the electrochemical performance of an anode-supported SOFC running on bio-syngas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 747-753.
    12. Saadabadi, S. Ali & Thallam Thattai, Aditya & Fan, Liyuan & Lindeboom, Ralph E.F. & Spanjers, Henri & Aravind, P.V., 2019. "Solid Oxide Fuel Cells fuelled with biogas: Potential and constraints," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 194-214.
    13. Papurello, Davide & Iafrate, Chiara & Lanzini, Andrea & Santarelli, Massimo, 2017. "Trace compounds impact on SOFC performance: Experimental and modelling approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 637-654.
    14. Muhamed Rasit Atelge & Halil Senol & Mohammed Djaafri & Tulin Avci Hansu & David Krisa & Abdulaziz Atabani & Cigdem Eskicioglu & Hamdi Muratçobanoğlu & Sebahattin Unalan & Slimane Kalloum & Nuri Azbar, 2021. "A Critical Overview of the State-of-the-Art Methods for Biogas Purification and Utilization Processes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-39, October.
    15. Gabriele Loreti & Andrea Luigi Facci & Stefano Ubertini, 2021. "High-Efficiency Combined Heat and Power through a High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell and Gas Turbine Hybrid System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-24, November.
    16. Vélez, Fredy & Segovia, José J. & Martín, M. Carmen & Antolín, Gregorio & Chejne, Farid & Quijano, Ana, 2012. "A technical, economical and market review of organic Rankine cycles for the conversion of low-grade heat for power generation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 4175-4189.
    17. Malfuzi, A. & Mehr, A.S. & Rosen, Marc A. & Alharthi, M. & Kurilova, A.A., 2020. "Economic viability of bitcoin mining using a renewable-based SOFC power system to supply the electrical power demand," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    18. Polverino, Pierpaolo & Sorrentino, Marco & Pianese, Cesare, 2017. "A model-based diagnostic technique to enhance faults isolability in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 1198-1214.
    19. Teng, Su & Hamrang, Farzad & Ashraf Talesh, Seyed Saman, 2021. "Economic performance assessment of a novel combined power generation cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    20. Krieg, Thomas & Enzmann, Franziska & Sell, Dieter & Schrader, Jens & Holtmann, Dirk, 2017. "Simulation of the current generation of a microbial fuel cell in a laboratory wastewater treatment plant," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 942-949.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:191:y:2017:i:c:p:620-638. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.