Abstract
The effects of the reformer in an internal-reforming molten carbonate fuel cell (IR-MCFC) are studied by mathematical modeling. Temperature distributions, conversion of methane and compositions of gases are analyzed through mathematical modeling of the reformer and the cell. In the reformer, the methane-reforming reaction and the water-gas shift reaction occur simultaneously and the conversion of methane to hydrogen, calculated including the thermodynamic equilibrium of the reaction, reaches 99%. Additionally, the endothermic-reforming reaction contributes to a uniform temperature distribution. The voltage and the power of the IR-MCFC are similar to those of an external-reforming molten carbonate fuel cell (ER-MCFC), when the compositions at the inlet of the ER-MCFC are set as those at the outlet of the reformer in IR-MCFC. As the molar ratio of methane to water-gas decreases at a fixed total flow rate, the working voltage decreases.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 140-147 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Power Sources |
| Volume | 104 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2002 Jan 15 |
Keywords
- MCFC
- Methane-reforming reaction
- Reformer
- Water-gas shift reaction
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
