Title: Energy and exergy analyses of an integrated fuel cell and absorption cooling system

Authors: M.A. Gadalla, T.A.H. Ratlamwala, I. Dincer

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE. ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: In this study, we carry out detailed energy and exergy analyses of a PEM fuel cell integrated with triple effect ammonia-water absorption cooling system and investigate the effect of different operating parameters such as pressure, temperature, membrane thickness and current density of the fuel cell on the outputs of the fuel cell, and COP of the cooling system. The results show that fuel cell efficiencies decrease by increasing the current density, temperature, and membrane thickness and increase by increasing cell pressure and cathode stoichiometry. Furthermore, both energetic and exergetic COPs increase with an increase in cell temperature and membrane thickness and decrease with an increase in cell pressure, current density and cathode stoichiometry.

Keywords: exergy analysis; energy analysis; exergy efficiency; energy efficiency; PEM fuel cells; absorption cooling systems; ammonia-water; cell pressure; cell temperature; membrane thickness; current density; cathode stoichiometry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2010.035518

International Journal of Exergy, 2010 Vol.7 No.6, pp.731 - 754

Received: 29 Apr 2010
Accepted: 15 May 2010
Published online: 30 Sep 2010 *

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