Study of Trends in System Efficiency for a Biomass Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell Gas Turbine System when Carbon Dioxide Content is Enhanced

The performance of a 30-kW gasifier–SOFC–GT system was evaluated using thermodynamic calculations. Nickel/Gadolinia Doped Ceria (Ni/GDC) anodes were utilized for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). These systems can achieve high electrical efficiencies of above 50%. The goal of the study is to evaluate trends in system efficiency when carbon dioxide as a gasifier agent is increased in enhanced carbon dioxide system. Carbon dioxide content was increased in both systems, leading to variants of both systems as compositions changed until they could no longer function efficiently. The trends in system variants were monitored. Although the gross efficiency increased, the net efficiency of the enhanced carbon dioxide system dropped. Absorbed heat and delivered gross which deals with flow of energy in sources / sinks was lower in enhanced scheme. Auxiliary power consumed was higher in enhanced carbon dioxide system variants, indicating that the compressors consume more power. Delivered net power was dropping for the enhanced case variants. Enhanced carbon dioxide system variants seem to have a slightly higher total electrical efficiency by a close range of less than 1%.