One-Dimensional Simulation and Parameter Optimization of 200 kW Methanol Reforming Fuel Cell System

Abstract:

Methanol-reforming hydrogen production fuel cell （MRFC） systems demonstrate significant advantages in storage safety， energy density， and adaptability for distributed power generation and propulsion applications. However， existing systems below 30 kW face considerable limitations in dynamic response and power output capacity， while current research lacks comprehensive dynamic simulation methodologies and parameter optimization strategies for 100-kW-class implementations. This study establishes a 200-kW MRFC system model with several key innovations： An Integrated Thermodynamic-Kinetic Framework developed in Aspen Plus? couples essential modules （reformer， membrane separation with 65%－95% H? purification efficiency， and proton exchange membrane fuel cells （PEMFC） stack） to address technical challenges in large-scale system design. Global Sensitivity Analysis quantifies the impact of critical operating parameters—steam-to-methanol ratio （S/C=1.0－1.5）， catalytic conversion efficiency （80%－95%）， and purification efficiency （65%－95%）—revealing purification efficiency contributes 59.1% to overall system efficiency. The Dynamic Optimization Strategy， based on energy hub theory， resolves the coupling mechanism between efficiency and stability during load transitions， achieving 50%－100% load changes within 188 s （validated against 5 kW experimental data with <3% deviation）. The system's rated efficiency improved from 41.0% to 45.4% post-optimization， exceeding typical small-scale systems （<40%）. This research provides a scalable 1D dynamic simulation method that reduces extrapolation errors from >15% to <3% compared to conventional small-scale models， while implementing a hierarchical parameter sensitivity strategy that reduces system tuning cycles by 40%， offering valuable theoretical guidance for industrial-scale system design.