The Development and Evaluation of a Low-Emission, Fuel-Flexible, Modular, and Interchangeable Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System Architecture for Combined Heat and Power Production: The SO-FREE Project

Within the framework of the SOCIETAL CHALLENGES—Secure, Clean, and Efficient Energy objective under the European Horizon 2020 research and innovation funding program, the SO-FREE project has developed a future-ready solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system with high-efficiency heat recovery. The system concept prioritizes low emissions, fuel flexibility, modular power production, and efficient thermal management. A key design feature is the interchangeability of two different SOFC stack types, allowing for operation under different temperature conditions. The system was developed with a strong emphasis on simplicity, minimizing the number of components to reduce overall plant costs while maintaining high performance. This paper presents the simulation results of the proposed flexible SOFC system, conducted using Aspen Plus® software version 11 to establish a baseline architecture for real plant development. The simulated layout consists of an autothermal reformer (ATR), a high-temperature blower, an SOFC stack, a burner, and a heat recovery system incorporating four heat exchangers. Simulations were performed for two different anodic inlet temperatures (600 °C and 700 °C) and three fuel compositions (100% CH4, 100% H2, and 50% H2 + 50% CH4), resulting in six distinct operating scenarios. The results demonstrate a system utilization factor (UFF) exceeding 90%, electrical efficiency ranging from 60% to 77%, and an effective heat recovery rate above 60%. These findings were instrumental in the development of the Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) required for the design and implementation of the real system. The proposed SOFC system represents a cost-effective and adaptable energy conversion solution, contributing to the advancement of high-efficiency and low-emission power generation technologies.