Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Units for Heavy Duty Trucks

This paper explores the potentials of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) as 3 kW auxiliary power units for trucks and military vehicles operating on diesel fuel. Various issues are discussed, e.g., the requirements and specifications for the unit as well as the advantages, challenges, and development issues for SOFCs in such applications. System design and analysis are carried out. The major component of the system is the fuel cell stack. The calculations are performed for two voltage systems 12/14 V and 36/42 V, respectively. The influences of others parameters like the mass flow rates of air and gases, water production and heat production are also evaluated for the two voltage systems.