Modeling and optimization of a 1 kWe HT-PEMFC-based micro-CHP residential system

A high temperature-proton exchange membrane (HT-PEMFC)-based micro-combined-heat-and-power (CHP) residential system is designed and optimized, using a genetic algorithm (GA) optimization strategy. The proposed system consists of a fuel cell stack, steam methane reformer (SMR) reactor, water gas shift (WGS) reactor, heat exchangers, and other balance-of-plant (BOP) components. The objective function of the single-objective optimization strategy is the net electrical efficiency of the micro-CHP system. The implemented optimization procedure attempts to maximize the objective function by variation of nine decision variables. The value of the objective function for the optimum design configuration is significantly higher than the initial one, with a 20.7% increase.

► A HT-PEMFC micro-CHP system is optimized using a GA optimization strategy.
► The net electrical efficiency of the system is 0.41 (20.7% improvement).
► The thermal and total system efficiencies are 0.50 and 0.91, respectively.