Analysis of SOFC Thermodynamic Performance Based on Changes in Fuel and System Configuration (May 1, 2026)

A research team led by Professor Hong Jong-seop (Ph.D. candidate Jeong Gwang-nam and Master’s student Lee Ji-yong) conducted a study comparing and analyzing the thermodynamic performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) under varying fuel types and system configurations. The research team focused on analyzing the effects of each system and operating condition on thermodynamic performance, examining three types of fuel—hydrogen, methane, and ammonia—and two types of systems—with and without recirculation. Furthermore, by incorporating BoP designs—such as heat exchangers that reflect actual geometric specifications—the team quantitatively compared and analyzed the pressure losses that could occur when configuring an actual system. This allowed them to quantify and present the performance loss relative to theoretical performance when constructing an actual SOFC system. The results of this study were published in *Energy Conversion and Management-X*, a prestigious international journal in the field of thermodynamics (Impact Factor of 8.8 as of 2025; ranked in the top 4.5% of the JCR Thermodynamics category).

Link to the related paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecmx.2026.101799