MGT/HTFC Hybrid System Emulator Test Rig: Experimental Investigation on the Anodic Recirculation System

The Thermochemical Power Group (TPG) of the University of Genoa designed and installed a complete hybrid system emulator test rig equipped with a 100 kW recuperated micro gas turbine, a modular cathodic vessel located between recuperator outlet and combustor inlet, and an anodic recirculation system based on the coupling of a single stage ejector with an anodic vessel. The layout of the system was carefully designed, considering the coupling between a planar SOFC stack and the 100 kW commercial machine installed at TPG laboratory. A particular pressurized hybrid system was studied to define the anodic side properties in terms of mass flow rates, pressures, and temperatures. In this work, this experimental facility is used to analyze the anodic ejector performance from fluid dynamic and thermal points of view. The attention is mainly focused on the recirculation factor value in steady-state conditions. For this reason, a wide experimental campaign was carried out to measure the behavior of this property in different operative conditions with the objective to avoid carbon deposition in the anodic circuit, in the reformer, and in the fuel cell stack.