Optimal design and steady-state operation of micro power generation employing fuel cells

This paper presents a methodology for the optimal design and operation of man-portable power generation devices based on fuel cells. To illustrate the methodology, we focus on a simple process that consists of a fuel processing reactor, a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and two burners in a stack. Hydrogen is produced from ammonia decomposition, while butane is catalytically oxidized to produce heat and maintain the stack at a sufficiently high …