Fuel Cells and Cogeneration

Although historically grown as independent energy technologies, fuel cell and cogeneration may adequately work to each other’s benefit. Some fuel cells deliver heat at sufficiently high temperatures, which can be certainly used as heat sources for cogeneration or trigeneration schemes. The paper presents an overview of the innumerable combinations of the simultaneous production, with fuel cells, of (i) heat and power, (ii) cold and electricity, and (iii) cold, heat and electricity, in its multiple varieties. The survey included combined power cycles (also called hybrid systems) where the fuel cell works together with other thermodynamic cycles to produce, with a high fuel-to-electricity efficiency, electricity alone. A large number of cogeneration arrangements are mentioned. Some are described in detail. A brief analysis of benefits and drawbacks of such systems was undertaken. The review was limited to articles published in archival periodicals, proceedings and a few technical reports, theses and books.