Multidisciplinary modeling and simulation of a fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid power system

The fuel cell/gas-turbine hybrid power systems can utilize exhaust fuel and waste heat from fuel cells to increase the system efficiency. This paper considers an internally reforming solid oxide fuel cell/gas turbine (SOFC/GT) hybrid system, where the anode exhaust, which contains the remainder of the fuel, is mixed with the cathode exhaust as well as an additional supply of fuel and compressed air and then burned in a catalytic oxidizer. The hot oxidizer exhaust is expanded through the turbine section, driving an electric generator. After leaving the gas turbine, the oxidizer exhaust passes through a heat recovery unit in which it preheats the compressed air that is to be supplied to the fuel cell and the oxidizer. This paper concentrates on multidisciplinary modeling and simulation of the fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid power system. Transient response of the hybrid energy system is studied through time-domain simulation.