Fuel cell cogeneration system: a case of technoeconomic analysis

Fuel Cell is the emerging technology of cogeneration, and has been applied successfully in Japan, U.S.A. and some OECD countries. This system produces electric power by an electrolytic process, in which chemical substances (t he most utilized substances are solid oxide, phosphoric acid and molten car bonate) absorb the components H-2 and O-2 of the combustion fuel. This tech nology allows the recovery of residual heat, available from 200 degrees C u p to 1000 degrees C (depending on the electrochemical substance utilized), which can be used for the production of steam, hot or cold water, or hot or cold air, depending on the recuperation equipment used. This article prese nts some configurations of fuel cell cogeneration cycles and a study of the technical and economic feasibility for the installation of the cogeneratio n systems utilizing fuel cell, connected to an absorption refrigeration sys tem for st building of the tertiary sector, subject to conditions in Brazil . (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.