System optimization for residential SOFC 5 kW heat and electricity management

A demonstration project will be presented using a 5 kW Solid Oxyde Fuel Cell for residential application in the region of Liège, Belgium.
The current stage of the project is to evaluate the thermal management of a single house with, at the present time, 45 MW.h (thermal 25 MW.h, electrical 20 MW.h) annual consumptions. The changes needed from a classical gas boiler heating of 20 kW to a 6 kW (thermal) plus 5 kW (electrical) system will be studied and detailed.
Evaluation of CO2 reduction in the two systems will be presented considering the Belgium mix of electricity production.
The heat and electricity local storage to cover peak demand in both energy demands will be discussed in relation with a grid-connected fuel cell.
In particular the detailed analysis of this home demand will be analysed for the last three years.
An original thermal circuit will be proposed, including its regulation. The experimental result of the behaviour of our proposal during 2003-2004 winter will be presented using a “virtual” SOFC (actually replaced by “equivalent” 6 kWth boiler) which is intended to be used in the same environment after this testing period. Constrains related to SOFC typical behaviour will be taken into account in our proposal for regulation.
Depending on our development, it may be possible that up-to-date results may be given at the conference with a real system using a true SOFC 5 kW which would be in service after Septembre 2004.