Performance and efficiency analysis of an HT-PEMFC system with an absorption chiller for tri-generation applications

An absorption chiller model for tri-generation (combined cooling, heating, and power) is developed and incorporated with the high temperature- (HT-) proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system model that was developed in our previous study. We employ a commercially available flow simulator, Aspen HYSYS, for solving the energy and mass balances of various system components, including an HT-PEMFC stack that is based on a phosphoric acid-doped PBI membrane, natural gas-fueled reformer, LiBr-H ₂ O absorption chiller, balance of plant (BOP) components, and heat exchangers. Since the system’s operating strategy for tri-generation must be changed, depending on cooling or heating loads, a major focus of this study is to analyze system performance and efficiency under different requirements of electricity generation, cooling, and heating conditions. The system simulation results revealed that high-current fuel-cell operation is essential in raising the cooling capacity, but the overall system efficiency is slightly reduced as a result. Using a lower fuel-air ratio for the burner in the reforming module is one alternative that can minimize the reduction in the overall system efficiency under high-current fuel-cell operation and large cooling-capacity modes.