IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v292y2024ics0360544224003281.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Modeling, thermodynamic performance analysis, and parameter optimization of a hybrid power generation system coupling thermogalvanic cells with alkaline fuel cells

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Mingli
  • Ruan, Jiafen
  • Zhang, Jian
  • Jiang, Yefan
  • Gao, Fei
  • Zhang, Xin
  • Rahman, Ehsanur
  • Guo, Juncheng

Abstract

During the operation of alkaline fuel cells (AFCs), a significant amount of waste heat is generated, which has negative impacts on energy utilization and the environment. To improve energy efficiency, cost savings, environmental sustainability, and industrial practices, an effective approach is proposed to employ thermogalvanic cells (TGCs) for electric power generation by harvesting low-grade exhaust heat produced in AFCs. A mathematical model of the AFC-TGC hybrid system is established, taking into account the three overpotential losses in AFCs and the irreversible heat losses in TGCs. Based on this thermal-electric coupled model, we investigate the hybrid system’s output performance characteristics and optimal parameter design. The calculated results indicate that the hybrid system achieves a considerable increase of 19.72% in maximum power density from 247.07 W m−2 to 295.80 W m−2 and 5.71% in conversion efficiency from 10.16% to 10.74% compared to a single AFC, respectively. In addition, the output performance of the hybrid system can be further improved by adjusting system parameters such as the AFC’s operating temperature, the length of each TGC cell, the heat sink temperature, and the thermal convection coefficient. More importantly, a comparative study of the maximum power density of AFC-based cogeneration systems reveals that the TGC demonstrates a remarkable ability to economically recover waste heat from the AFC, surpassing previously reported thermal energy utilization devices. This study provides important theoretical guidance for the optimal design and parametric analysis of AFC-TGC hybrid systems, thereby facilitating the development of high-performance energy cascade utilization systems based on AFC devices.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Mingli & Ruan, Jiafen & Zhang, Jian & Jiang, Yefan & Gao, Fei & Zhang, Xin & Rahman, Ehsanur & Guo, Juncheng, 2024. "Modeling, thermodynamic performance analysis, and parameter optimization of a hybrid power generation system coupling thermogalvanic cells with alkaline fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:292:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224003281
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.130557
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544224003281
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2024.130557?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. Ashwin Rode & Tamma Carleton & Michael Delgado & Michael Greenstone & Trevor Houser & Solomon Hsiang & Andrew Hultgren & Amir Jina & Robert E. Kopp & Kelly E. McCusker & Ishan Nath & James Rising & Ji, 2021. "Author Correction: Estimating a social cost of carbon for global energy consumption," Nature, Nature, vol. 600(7889), pages 17-17, December.
    2. Hinnerk Ossmer & Manfred Kohl, 2016. "Elastocaloric cooling: Stretch to actively cool," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 1(10), pages 1-2, October.
    3. Zhao, Qin & Zhang, Houcheng & Hu, Ziyang & Li, Yangyang, 2021. "An alkaline fuel cell/direct contact membrane distillation hybrid system for cogenerating electricity and freshwater," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    4. Han, Yuan & Lai, Cong & Li, Jiarui & Zhang, Zhufeng & Zhang, Houcheng & Hou, Shujin & Wang, Fu & Zhao, Jiapei & Zhang, Chunfei & Miao, He & Yuan, Jinliang, 2022. "Elastocaloric cooler for waste heat recovery from proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PA).
    5. Srikhirin, Pongsid & Aphornratana, Satha & Chungpaibulpatana, Supachart, 2001. "A review of absorption refrigeration technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 343-372, December.
    6. Ashwin Rode & Tamma Carleton & Michael Delgado & Michael Greenstone & Trevor Houser & Solomon Hsiang & Andrew Hultgren & Amir Jina & Robert E. Kopp & Kelly E. McCusker & Ishan Nath & James Rising & Ji, 2021. "Estimating a social cost of carbon for global energy consumption," Nature, Nature, vol. 598(7880), pages 308-314, October.
    7. Zhang, Xin & Rahman, Ehsanur, 2022. "Thermodynamic analysis and optimization of a hybrid power system using thermoradiative device to efficiently recover waste heat from alkaline fuel cell," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 1240-1250.
    8. Zhang, Xin & Cai, Ling & Liao, Tianjun & Zhou, Yinghui & Zhao, Yingru & Chen, Jincan, 2018. "Exploiting the waste heat from an alkaline fuel cell via electrochemical cycles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 983-990.
    9. Wang, Qiang & Dong, Zequn & Li, Rongrong & Wang, Lili, 2022. "Renewable energy and economic growth: New insight from country risks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PC).
    10. Guo, Xinru & Zhang, Houcheng, 2020. "Performance analyses of a combined system consisting of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and thermally regenerative electrochemical cycles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    11. Andújar, J.M. & Segura, F., 2009. "Fuel cells: History and updating. A walk along two centuries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(9), pages 2309-2322, December.
    12. Zhu, Huichao & Zhang, Houcheng, 2023. "Upgrading the low-grade waste heat from alkaline fuel cells via isopropanol-acetone-hydrogen chemical heat pumps," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    13. Zhang, Xin & Ang, Yee Sin, 2022. "Conceptual design and performance optimization of a nighttime electrochemical system for electric power generation via radiative cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    14. Chen, Lingen & Lorenzini, Giulio, 2023. "Heating load, COP and exergetic efficiency optimizations for TEG-TEH combined thermoelectric device with Thomson effect and external heat transfer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    15. Xiong Peng & Devashish Kulkarni & Ying Huang & Travis J. Omasta & Benjamin Ng & Yiwei Zheng & Lianqin Wang & Jacob M. LaManna & Daniel S. Hussey & John R. Varcoe & Iryna V. Zenyuk & William E. Mustain, 2020. "Using operando techniques to understand and design high performance and stable alkaline membrane fuel cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Chen, Wei & Chenbin, Xu & Wu, Haibo & Li, Zoulu & Zhang, Bin & Yan, He, 2021. "Thermal analysis and optimization of combined cold and power system with integrated phosphoric acid fuel cell and two-stage compression–absorption refrigerator at low evaporation temperature," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    17. Olabi, A.G. & Wilberforce, Tabbi & Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali, 2021. "Fuel cell application in the automotive industry and future perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    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. Zhang, Xin & Li, Jingwen & Xiong, Yi & Ang, Yee Sin, 2022. "Efficient harvesting of low-grade waste heat from proton exchange membrane fuel cells via thermoradiative power devices," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    2. Zhu, Huichao & Zhang, Houcheng, 2023. "Upgrading the low-grade waste heat from alkaline fuel cells via isopropanol-acetone-hydrogen chemical heat pumps," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    3. Zhao, Qin & Li, Pengcheng & Zhang, Houcheng, 2024. "Dually boosting the performance of photovoltaic module via integrating elastocaloric cooler," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    4. Zhu, Huichao & Xiao, Liusheng & Kuang, Min & Wang, Jiatang & Zhang, Houcheng, 2024. "Innovative use of air gap membrane distillation to harvest waste heat from alkaline fuel cell for efficient freshwater production: A comprehensive 4E study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    5. Zhang, Boling & Wang, Qian & Wang, Sixia & Tong, Ruipeng, 2023. "Coal power demand and paths to peak carbon emissions in China: A provincial scenario analysis oriented by CO2-related health co-benefits," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    6. Hao, Xinyu & Sun, Wen & Zhang, Xiaoling, 2023. "How does a scarcer allowance remake the carbon market? An evolutionary game analysis from the perspective of stakeholders," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    7. Seung Choi, Han & Hur, Sunghoon & Kumar, Ajeet & Song, Hyunseok & Min Baik, Jeong & Song, Hyun-Cheol & Ryu, Jungho, 2023. "Continuous pyroelectric energy generation with cyclic magnetic phase transition for low-grade thermal energy harvesting," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 344(C).
    8. Auffhammer, Maximilian, 2022. "Climate Adaptive Response Estimation: Short and long run impacts of climate change on residential electricity and natural gas consumption," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    9. Zaiter, Issa & Ramadan, Mohamad & Bouabid, Ali & El-Fadel, Mutasem & Mezher, Toufic, 2023. "Potential utilization of hydrogen in the UAE's industrial sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    10. Tan-Soo, Jie-Sheng & Li, Jun & Qin, Ping, 2023. "Individuals' and households' climate adaptation and mitigation behaviors: A systematic review," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    11. Linsenmeier, Manuel, 2023. "Temperature variability and long-run economic development," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    12. Colelli, Francesco Pietro & Wing, Ian Sue & De Cian, Enrica, 2023. "Intensive and extensive margins of the peak load: Measuring adaptation with mixed frequency panel data," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    13. Zappalà, Guglielmo, 2024. "Adapting to climate change accounting for individual beliefs," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    14. Zhang, Xin & Ang, Yee Sin, 2022. "Conceptual design and performance optimization of a nighttime electrochemical system for electric power generation via radiative cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    15. Ong, Samuel & Al-Othman, Amani & Tawalbeh, Muhammad, 2023. "Emerging technologies in prognostics for fuel cells including direct hydrocarbon fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    16. Abdollahipour, Armin & Sayyaadi, Hoseyn, 2021. "Thermal energy recovery of molten carbonate fuel cells by thermally regenerative electrochemical cycles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    17. Wu, Junnian & Li, Xue & Jin, Rong, 2022. "The response of the industrial system to the interrelationship approaching to carbon neutrality of carbon sources and sinks from carbon metabolism: Coal chemical case study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    18. Chen, Fanglin & Chen, Zhongfei & Zhang, Xin, 2024. "Belated stock returns for green innovation under carbon emissions trading market," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    19. Zhang, Yong & He, Shirong & Jiang, Xiaohui & Xiong, Mu & Ye, Yuntao & Yang, Xi, 2023. "Three-dimensional multi-phase simulation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance considering constriction straight channel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).

    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:energy:v:292:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224003281. 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.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    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.