<p>The changes on the energy sector towards a cleaner energy production require new approaches for the development process of innovative cycles. One example is the development of a hybrid power plant consisting of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a micro gas turbine (MGT). This hybrid power plant is a promising concept to reach the demands of efficiency, emissions and flexibility for future power plants. Here, highest efficiencies can be reached by integrating the SOFC into the MGT cycle in between recuperator and combustion system. But such a concept also bears a lot of unknown challenges. E.g. while the MGT is a very fast reacting device capable to deal with high pressure and temperature gradients, the SOFC demands for slower temperature gradients and low pressure differences between its fuel and air side. Besides that, experimental data of the transient behavior of an SOFC reactor under pressurized conditions are scarce. To mitigate the risk of failure, both subsystems (MGT &amp; SOFC) were investigated separately to analyze their influences on each other before coupling. In the past it was shown by various research institutions that cyber-physical systems allow for this approach. Following this methodology one subsystem is coupled to emulation devices incorporating models or at least lookup tables of measurement data of the other subsystem. At the DLR Institutes for Combustion Technology and Engineering Thermodynamics two cyber physical test rigs were developed for the investigation and the development of a hybrid power plant in the range of 30&nbsp;kW electrical power output. In the so called SOFC system a real planar SOFC reactor from the manufacturer Sunfire is coupled to devices emulating the MGT. Here, the emulators are driven using simple models and lookup tables. In the MGT system the EnerTwin MGT from the manufacturer MTT with an electrical power output of 3&nbsp;kW is coupled to several devices for the emulation of the SOFC, by e.g. heaters, pressure vessels, etc. The control system is linked to a Matlab model of the SOFC driving the emulation devices. With this approach the influence of coupling on the subsystems was investigated and the control system could be developed. This presentation will give an overview of the setup and capabilities of the test rigs showing the potential of how they can be used for the development of future innovative cycles.</p>

Sofc and Mgt Based Cyber-Physical Test Rigs for the Development of Innovative Cycles

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/POWER/POWER2021/volume/85109

ASME 2021 Power Conference (POWER2021)

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