Carbon recovery and re-utilization (CRR) from the exhaust of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC): Analysis through a proof-of-concept

In the context of the paradigm of Carbon Recovery and Re-utilization (or CRR), this work investigates the role of electrochemical generators (such as high-temperature fuel cells) to perform CRR as a practical secondary effect. In fact, the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) operating principle is inherently beneficial toward CO₂ separation from the exhaust gas since the fuel is electrochemically oxidized resulting in no N₂ mixing at the anode (fuel) electrode. An oxy-combustor downstream the fuel cell will complete the residual fuel (mostly H₂ and CO) oxidation to yield a stream that contains only H₂O and CO₂. After water condensation and further drying, the captured CO₂ is fed to a photobioreactor that can fix carbon into microalgae. In this work, results of the first SOFC-based poly-generation system with complete CO₂ recovery in the form of fast-growing biomass (micro-algae) are presented, as developed in the EU-funded project SOFCOM (GA 278798, www.sofcom.eu). The overall plant layout is described, and results on the performance of the proof-of-concept plant units are provided.