Modeling and performance analysis of a new integrated solid oxide fuel cell and photovoltaic-thermal energy supply system by heat current method

Efficient and reliable utilization of renewable energy at the user's end is the key to achieving a low-carbon life. This paper proposed a new distributed energy system around the comprehensive utilization of solar energy by integrating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), energy storage equipment, photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collector, and heat pump. By integrating the use of SOFC and PVT, we can further minimize reliance on fossil fuels, while employing the coupling of PVT and heat pump effectively mitigates the inherent challenges of solar energy's variability and intermittency, all while enhancing overall system efficiency. On this basis, we apply the heat current method to construct a cross-scale heat current model of the components and the system by considering the energy transfer, conversion, and storage characteristics of the system. By employing this model, we simulate the system's operation throughout an entire typical day, assess the COP enhancement of the PVT-coupled heat pump system, analyze the influence of diverse operating conditions on daily system performance, and evaluate the economy of the energy storage devices in the system.