Nanoparticle gasifier fuel cell for sustainable energy future

A new concept for production of electricity from biomass or coal using molten carbonate fuel cells is proposed. It involves feeding fine coal particles or biomass, for sustainable energy future, with steam into the anode compartment of the fuel cell in which the waste heat from the fuel cell is used to produce synthesis gas which reacts electrochemically. This concept is illustrated using carbon nanoparticles as the fuel. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for the gasifier-fuel cell has been developed. Concentration, temperature and current density profiles have been computed. The computations show that practical current densities can be achieved. However, for the new concept to work well the carbon monoxide produced by the gasification should be allowed to react electrochemically. The computed temperature distributions for adiabatic operation show an initial drop in temperature due to gasification, followed by a rise which will have to be balanced by staggering the cells or by other means using the CFD design method.