{"id":52263,"date":"2023-10-10T10:28:56","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T14:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/?p=52263"},"modified":"2026-03-26T06:32:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T10:32:21","slug":"solid-oxide-fuel-cell-system-simulation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/simcenter\/solid-oxide-fuel-cell-system-simulation\/","title":{"rendered":"Technical and economical assessment of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Combined Heat and Power residential system using System Simulation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In today\u2019s global race for energy decarbonization for a net-zero target in 2050, governments and industries are facing the challenge of finding achievable and cost-effective solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the emergence of hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel, the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is seen as a promising power generation technology, especially for residential applications that are already connected to the natural gas network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To achieve high efficiencies, SOFCs are usually part of a Combined Heat and Power system (CHP), thanks to their operation at high temperatures, thus enabling to use waste heat for water and space heating but also cooling if linked to an absorption and adsorption machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The capability of SOFCs to run with different fuels such as natural gas, methanol, or directly hydrogen, offers a high flexibility and adaptability of the solution in terms of fuel usage, local supply specificities as well as evolution in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The objective of this article is to show a system model of a complete SOFC m-CHP (micro-CHP) residential system based on a yearly consumption profile to compare the cost and emissions of such a system with different energy mix scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SOFC principle and main characteristics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A fuel cell, whatever the technology used, is a system producing electricity through an electrochemical reaction. In this redox reaction, hydrogen and oxygen are combined, generating electricity, heat, and water. The 2 electrodes, i.e. anode and cathode are separated by an electrolyte enabling the transport of ions from one electrode to the other. Figure 1 below illustrates this principle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Figure1
Figure 1: oxidation-reduction reaction in a SOFC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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While main fuel cells are directly fed with pure hydrogen, SOFCs are fuel flexible and can be fed for instance with biofuels (e.g., methanol, ethanol), biogas, syngas but also with more traditional fossil fuels such as natural gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that case, a catalytic fuel reforming process (internal or external) is part of the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another key characteristic of SOFCs is the high operating temperature, which is between 700 and 1000\u00b0C, thus giving extended possibilities for cogeneration or CHP. This increases the system efficiency up to 90%. On the other hand, it adds a transient constraint, especially when considering the start-up time and variable loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A non-neglectable advantage though, is the capability of SOFCs to be reversible and to work consequently in electrolyzer mode. In that case, we talk of reversible Solid Oxide Cell (rSOC) and this is what will be released in the upcoming SimcenterTM<\/sup> AmesimTM<\/sup> 2310 version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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rSOC and reformers models overview in Simcenter Amesim<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In order to handle SOFC-based systems, 3 components will be released in Simcenter Amesim 2310 (see Figure 2):<\/p>\n\n\n\n