Title: Exergy and industrial ecology: an application to an integrated energy system

Authors: Mikhail Granovskii, Ibrahim Dincer, Marc A. Rosen

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada. ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada. ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: Exergy analysis can help integrate separate technologies following the principles of industrial ecology. An application of exergy analysis to calculate depletion numbers, which relate exergy destruction and total exergy use, is demonstrated for a gas turbine cycle combined with a hydrogen generation unit. The design includes a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) with internal natural gas reforming and a Membrane Reactor (MR) in place of a combustion chamber. The depletion number for the separate technologies is found to be more than two times greater than for the combined system, implying the latter is more environmentally benign and like an ecosystem.

Keywords: exergy analysis; industrial ecology; gas turbine cycle; hydrogen generation; solid oxide fuel cells; SOFC; natural gas reforming; membrane reactor.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2008.016012

International Journal of Exergy, 2008 Vol.5 No.1, pp.52 - 63

Published online: 02 Dec 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article