Integrated Biomass – Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cogeneration (WoodGas-SOFC)
Ceramic candle filter for hot ash cleaning of raw woodgas, after 400 h of operation (480 kg wood).
Scope of project
Biomass conversion, via gasification of solid fuel (wood), typically achieves 25 to 30% electrical efficiency
and 50% thermal efficiency in engines or turbines. With high temperature fuel cells, capable
of direct conversion and of thermal integration of process steps like the gasification, an electrical
efficiency of up to 50% is possible. Part of the remaining heat fraction is available at useful temperature
levels for cogeneration applications. It is a particular challenge to achieve this for small scale
application (< 1MWe), where biomass exploitation could be widespread.
The strategic goal is to prove the techno-economical feasibility of wood gas as representative case
of a (renewable) fuel obtained by gasification fed to a temperature-compatible, emerging Combined
Heat and Power (CHP) system like the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), and identify optimal scales of
such integrated systems. The aim of the project is the development of competence (understanding)
and technologies (methods, tools).
