Efficiency enhancement by integration of fuel cells in downstream of power plants: Next step in energy generation systems

Improving the efficiency of existing power plants is a critical challenge. This study aims to address this issue by exploring the integration of high-temperature fuel cells, such as solid oxide fuel cells and molten carbonate fuel cells, into the downstream of thermal power plants. The main objective is to utilize the waste heat from turbines to enhance the overall efficiency and reduce energy loss. Additionally, molten carbonate fuel cells can serve as an effective carbon capture system, capturing up to 90% of carbon emissions while generating electricity. The findings indicate that using solid oxide fuel cells in direct bottoming cycles with gas turbines can increase power plant electrical efficiency by up to 68%, whereas integrating molten carbonate fuel cells downstream can improve efficiency by 20%. This review comprehensively investigates the design and implementation of fuel cells in downstream integration to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impact. Recommendations are provided for the future development and commercialization of these hybrid systems. • Using fuel cells downstream of thermal power plants can improve efficiency. • A hybrid cycle in power plants is one way to increase their efficiency. • Molten carbonate fuel cells can be utilized for carbon capturing. • Microbial fuel cells can treat wastewater and generate extra power simultaneously.