Power Electronics Based MW SOFC System Design for Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell (IGFC)

The integrated gasification fuel cell cycle technology (IGFC) could not only improve the efficiency of coal power generation but realize zero emission of CO2 and pollutants. Constrained by the state of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology, IGFC is not widely commercially or demonstrated a lot yet. This paper presents a power electronics based MW SOFC system design for IGFC, which could overcome the un-guaranteed lifetime and unsatisfactory uniformity of SOFC stacks. A multi-branch and high voltage ratio power electronics system (PES) is presented to suitable for various type of SOFC with a wide range of output parameters. A centralized battery compensation scheme is presented to improve the dynamic response of SOFC. The control scheme is also discussed in the paper. Especially, with consideration of the interaction between power control and process control, the control principle of PES for safety operation SOFC is presented. Finally, feasibility and correctness of the PES based MW SOFC system design presented in the paper is verified through simulation.