Experimental study on the operational characteristics and coupling relationships of burners, heat exchangers, and reformers in a kerosene solid oxide fuel cell

The kerosene solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power generation system is one of the important power forms that meets the future requirements of main and auxiliary power systems for vessels. The burner, heat exchanger, and reformer are key components of this system, and their operational characteristics directly influence the system's ability to achieve efficient and stable power output. This study has established an experimental platform for a kerosene SOFC system to investigate the operational characteristics and coupling relationships of the burner, heat exchanger, and reformer. The research findings indicate that the burner operates stably with an excess air ratio of 39.4, but experiences frequent extinguishing when the methane flow rate falls below 4 SLM. Reducing both methane and water flow rates leads to a more significant temperature decrease in the burner and combined heat exchanger compared to reducing methane flow alone. Increasing the kerosene flow rate by 15 % causes a 2.5 % change in the outlet temperature of the burner, a 2.15 % change in the air heat exchanger's exhaust gas input temperature, and a 1.47 % change in the flue gas inlet and outlet pressure drop. However, due to the presence of the heater, there is no significant variation in the exit temperatures of the reformer. By elevating the reformer temperature and steam-to‑carbon ratio, it is possible to bring the hydrogen volume fraction after kerosene reforming closer to that after methane reforming. The electric heater serves as a means of thermal compensation, mitigating the intricate coupling effects among the reformer, burner, and heat exchanger.