• Developed pressurized NH 3 –SOFC layouts with water removal recirculation. • Analyzed 41 pressure profiles to optimize electricity–hydrogen coproduction. • Turbocharger integration improved electrical efficiency up to 67.3% • Identified key parameters governing H 2 yield and system efficiency. • Provided design guidelines for next-generation decarbonized SOFC systems. Ammonia is a promising hydrogen carrier owing to its high hydrogen density and well-established infrastructure, which enables the direct internal reforming of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) for the simultaneous production of hydrogen and electricity. However, the combined effects of pressurization and anode recirculation in NH 3 -SOFC co-production systems have not yet been systematically quantified. This study presents and evaluates multiple pressurized NH 3 -SOFC system layouts that incorporate anode recirculation across 41 pressure profiles. System configurations featuring compressors and turbochargers are systematically optimized to balance stack pressure, exhaust conditions, and balance-of-plant constraints. The results indicate that pressurization significantly enhances electrical performance, with the turbocharger-based system achieving an electrical efficiency of 67.3%. Conversely, the single-compressor system achieves a hydrogen production efficiency of 58.7% and an overall co-production efficiency of 88.1%. Sensitivity analysis consistently reveals that fuel utilization (FU) and stack temperature difference (DT) govern hydrogen production, whereas operating temperature (T) and current density (J) predominantly determine electrical efficiency across system layouts. These findings offer practical design guidelines for NH 3 -SOFC systems aimed at either electricity or hydrogen-oriented operation, thereby contributing to the deployment of next-generation decarbonized energy infrastructure.
Nguyen et al. (Wed,) studied this question.