National Fuel Cell Research Center Researchers Publish Definitive Encyclopedia Chapter on Tri-Generation

Tri-Generation of power, heat and hydrogen from a high temperature fuel cell is a novel and revolutionary concept for efficiently and cleanly producing hydrogen in a distributed fashion. NFCRC researchers have been studying and advancing the concept of tri-generation since 2001. Recently, a definitive book chapter on this topic has been published by NFCRC researchers in the Springer “Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology” [Brouwer and Margalef, 2012].

The chapter, titled “Hydrogen Production by High Temperature Fuel Cells,” thoroughly describes the technology and performance characteristics of Tri-Generation with high temperature fuel cells such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC). Such fuel cells have the capability of converting methane into hydrogen by external reforming and/or internal reforming (in the fuel cell stack) through steam methane reformation and water-gas shift reactions. Heat and water produced by the fuel cell electrochemical reactions is synergistically used directly in the endothermic fuel processing reactions.

This definitive chapter explains the scientific and technical foundations of tri-generation in a manner that well complements the current experimental verification of the concept that NFCRC is accomplishing with Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and FuelCell Energy at the Orange County Sanitation District.



May 20, 2013