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Biomass - integrated gasification fuel cell (B - IGFC) systems represent an interesting alternative to state of the art fossil-fuel based power plants due to their high overall efficiency and low emissions in terms of pollutants and greenhouse-gas (GHG). The aim of this study is the improvement of a B - IGFC system, composed by a biomass updraft gasifier, a high temperature gas-cleaning unit (GCU) and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) by acting on overall efficiency, system cost and its complexity. The focus of the study is on the possibility to reform tar internally in the SOFC and on the cross-influence of another contaminant present in syngas, HCl, which may influence SOFC performance and internal reforming. Higher tolerability level might result in less stringent cleaning requirements, thus increasing the system efficiency and reducing its complexity and costs.

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Del Carlo, Tommaso
Tommaso Del Carlo, born in Viareggio (Italy) in 1989, has studied Energy Engineering at University of Pisa. He did an Erasmus at "Lappeenranta University of Technology" in Finland and an internship at the "Technical University of Delft" in the Netherlands, where this research was realized.

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