Study of a fuel cell network with water electrolysis for improving partial load efficiency of a residential cogeneration system

A fuel cell energy network which connects hydrogen and oxygen gas pipes, electric power lines and exhaust heat output lines of the fuel cell cogeneration for individual houses, respectively, is analysed. As an analysis case, the energy demand patterns of individual houses in Tokyo are used, and the analysis method for minimization of the operational cost using a genetic algorithm is described. The fuel cell network system of an analysis example assumed connecting the fuel cell cogeneration of five houses. If energy is supplied to the five houses using the fuel cell energy network proposed in this paper, 9% of city gas consumption will be reduced by the maximum from the results of analysis. Two per cent included with 9% is an effect of introducing water electrolysis operation of the fuel cells, corresponding to partial load operation of fuel cell cogeneration.