Abstract:
To optimize the upstream syngas production during the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis of sustainable aviation fuel, a system model was developed for a biogas-assisted solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) using a non-upgraded biogas simulant mainly composed of CH
4 and CO
2 as the anode feed. The model included calculations of single-cell voltages and electrochemical reaction rates, anodic equilibrium conversion, heat exchange, and separation processes, and was evaluated at multiple levels using the I–V and EIS data together with the operating conditions reported in the literature. Within the current-density range of
2500–
4500 A·m
−2, the mean absolute deviation of the predicted cell voltage was
0.0095 V. Increasing the temperature from 500 to 700 ℃ resulted in an increase in the CH
4 conversion from 73.8% to 99.5% and the Fischer–Tropsch stoichiometric ratio for CO
2-containing syngas (
RFT) from 0.916 to 0.999, accompanied by a decrease in the specific overall energy consumption of target syngas from 2.66 to 0.60 kWh·Nm
−3 under the investigated conditions. Two-dimensional analysis showed that CH
4conversion, syngas-composition matching, and low energy consumption can be balanced at 600–700 ℃ and anode H
2O/CH
4ratios of 0.5–1.5, and within the coupled CH
4/CO
2–current-density region of 2.6–3.3 and
3000–
4300 A·m
−2. Under the representative operating condition, the energy efficiency of the upstream syngas production was as high as 86.9% with a heat-recovery ratio of 45.0%. The results can provide a reference for operating-condition screening in Fischer–Tropsch syngas production using non-upgraded biogas-assisted SOECs.