TurboCare and Politecnico di Torino have installed a SOFC laboratory in cooperation with Envipark of Torino in order to analyze the operation, in cogenerative configuration, of the two SOFC generators (EOS and EBE projects) built by Siemens PG Stationary Fuel Cells.
In the first phase of EOS project TurboCare installed CHP100, a generator rated 100 kWe and 60 kWth. The installation was designed by Politecnico and it includes also an adsorption chiller. Today it has shown the record availability of 99.1% with more than 16,400 hours of operation in Turin and more than 36,890 operating hours in total, the longest operation for an high temperature fuel cell generator. The system runs with very high electrical efficiency of 42-44% and total efficiency of 70-80%.
In TurboCare is also installed the SFC5 SOFC generator (EBE project), Serial Number Alpha 6, built in 2005, a prototype to supply Combined Heat and Power to residential houses or small business. It produces 3.5 kWe and 3 kWth. To date, it has operated in the workshop canteen for more than 9,000 hours with very high reliability, and has produced more than 27,400 kWh (ac).
In this paper a results overview of the operation of the first three years of the plants, and of the several experimental activities performed to analyze the system behavior, are shown. In particular, the effect of the main operators parameters (stack current, fuel utilization, stack temperature, process air temperature and flow) on performance was carried on.