A New Clean Power Generation Process Integrating Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells and Coal-Based Synthetic Natural Gas Production

In this paper, we suggest a clean power generation process that integrates molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) and coal-based synthetic natural gas (SNG) production. The integrated approach achieves an increase in overall process efficiency due to recycling of the exhaust gas from the fuel cell as well as carbon dioxide generated from the SNG production process. It also reduces environmental impact of coal-based power generation, delivering zero NOx, SOx, and CO2 emissions. An evident economic advantage of the proposed process is that, compared to natural gas, SNG is a less expensive and more stable source of methane for MCFCs. Moreover, it should be noted that many countries create renewable energy support policies for fuel cells owing to their high efficiency and environmental friendliness. The techno-economic and environmental competencies of the proposed process are more significant in comparison with other advanced coal-based power generation processes, i.e., integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and pulverized coal (PC) process. This work will significantly contribute to the advancement of the power generation process.