CHP Based on an Internally Integrated SOFC/GT Hybrid System: A Hospital Under Spanish Legislation

Combined Heat and Power plants, with their inherent advantages and high efficiencies can offer attractive solutions on the small-scale stationary power generation industry. Gas Turbines are widely used as prime movers for small-medium size co-generation systems producing electricity and useful heat on-site. Fuel Cells appear as a promising technology for power generation showing considerably higher efficiencies than conventional heat engines. Fuel Cells operating at high temperatures are especially suitable to be matched with Gas Turbines leading to further reduction of emissions and enhanced overall cycle efficiency. The present study deals with the Internal Integration of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell into a simple Cycle GT. In such integration the SOFC replaces the combustion chamber of the conventional GT. The benefits of a CHP based on an Internally Integrated SOFC/GT Hybrid System are analysed for the case of a medium size hospital. In order to assess the feasibility of such a CHP plant, a conventional co-generation plant based on a simple Cycle Gas Turbine is analysed as well. Then, both CHP plants are compared in respect of both performance and economical. Government policies which strongly influence the overall performance of such schemes have been taken into account with the introduction of the Spanish legislation concerning co-generation, electricity tariffs and Natural Gas prices.