Modelling of a CHP SOFC power system fed with biogas from anaerobic digestion of municipal wastes integrated with a solar collector and storage units

The paradigm of the sustainable energy community is recognized as the future energy approach due to its economical, technical and environmental benefits. The analysed system is a waste-to-energy combined heat and power (CHP) generation plant that perfectly fits in the sustainable energy community paradigm. The power system is divided in the following sections: a) a mesophilic - single phase anaerobic digestion of Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste for biogas production; b) a fuel treatment section with desulphurizer and pre-reformer units; c) a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) for CHP production; d) a solar collector integrated system(integrated storage system - ISS). An integrated TRNSYS/Aspen Plus model for simulating the power system behaviour during a typical reference period (day or year) was developed and presented. The proposed ISS consists of a solar collector integrated with storage systems system designed to continuously provide the thermal power required by the anaerobic digester.