The Mathematical Modeling and Efficiency Research of a Power Supply System with Biogas-powered SOFC’s

The article is devoted to the issues of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) on biogas integration into the power supply system of a livestock enterprise. The problem of the optimal SOFC’s capacity selecting is being solved. The object of the research is the power supply system of a livestock enterprise. A mathematical model of a power supply system operation with the biogas-powered SOFC has been developed. Using a computer program based on Microsoft Excel and a SOFC’s database, a study of the effectiveness of SOFC’s integration into the power supply system has been carried out. The dependences of energy, economic and environmental efficiency SOFC application indicators (installed capacity utilization factor (ICUF), levelized cost of energy (LCOE), total costs for power supply, discounted total costs for power supply, volume of used biogas) on the SOFC’s capacity have been determined. A methodology for selecting the optimal SOFC’s capacity taking into account the criteria of economic and environmental efficiency has been developed.