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Applied Sciences
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Fuel Cell Technologies in Power Generation and Energy Recovery
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Fuel Cell Technologies in Power Generation and Energy Recovery

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2026 | Viewed by 3436

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhihua Deng

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Guest Editor
Energy Research Institute at NTU (ERI@N), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637141, Singapore
Interests: clean energy; artificial intelligence; intelligent optimization algorithm
Dr. Lixin Fan

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Guest Editor
Energy Research Institute at NTU (ERI@N), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637141, Singapore
Interests: multi-scale optimization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs; electrolysis; hybrid reneable energy system
Prof. Dr. Magdalena Dudek

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Krakow, A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Interests: ceramic electrolytes; solid electrolytes; fuel cells; hydrogen
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Shengqiu Zhao

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Guest Editor Assistant
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: high-temperature proton exchange membrane; fuel cells; precious metal-based electrocatalysts; electrochemical water splitting; proton exchange membranes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fuel cell systems are rapidly emerging as a pivotal technology in the transition toward clean, efficient, and sustainable energy. Their ability to convert chemical energy directly into electricity with high efficiency and low emissions makes them highly attractive for various power generation and energy recovery applications. From stationary power plants to mobile energy systems and industrial waste heat recovery, fuel cell technologies are increasingly integrated into modern energy infrastructures.

This Special Issue will gather recent advances, novel designs, and applied research related to using fuel cells in power generation and energy recovery. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the development of high-efficiency fuel cell systems such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), as well as hybrid configurations incorporating batteries, supercapacitors, or renewable energy sources. This Special Issue also encourages submissions focusing on fuel cell materials and components, including catalyst development, membrane electrode assembly (MEA) optimization, bipolar plate design, and flow field/channel structure innovations for improving electrochemical performance, water and heat management, and system durability.

In addition, we welcome studies on system-level integration, control strategies, degradation mechanisms, durability prediction, fault diagnosis, fuel processing technologies, and techno-economic assessments related to fuel cell deployment in power generation and energy recovery applications.

Particular attention is given to innovations that enhance power density, extend operational lifespan, and promote the practical deployment of fuel cell systems in energy recovery scenarios, such as waste heat recovery, industrial exhaust conversion, and integrated renewable energy systems. We invite researchers, engineers, and industry experts to contribute original research articles, reviews, and case studies to this Special Issue.

Dr. Zhihua Deng
Dr. Lixin Fan
Prof. Dr. Magdalena Dudek
Guest Editors

Dr. Shengqiu Zhao
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fuel cells
  • power generation
  • energy recovery
  • hydrogen energy
  • PEMFC
  • SOFC
  • DMFC
  • hybrid energy systems
  • thermal management
  • fuel cell control and optimization
  • waste heat utilization

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 6598 KB  
Article
Optimal Generation Scheduling for Electric Propulsion Ships with Variable-Speed Diesel Generators and Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Under Environmental Constraints
by Yujeong Kang, Dawon Jung and Il-Yop Chung
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(10), 4726; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16104726 - 10 May 2026
Viewed by 164
Abstract
This study presents an optimal strategy for hybrid electric propulsion ships with variable-speed diesel generators (VSDGs) and proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). With the International Maritime Organization imposing stricter environmental regulations, shipboard power systems must satisfy emission limits and operational constraints cost-effectively. [...] Read more.
This study presents an optimal strategy for hybrid electric propulsion ships with variable-speed diesel generators (VSDGs) and proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). With the International Maritime Organization imposing stricter environmental regulations, shipboard power systems must satisfy emission limits and operational constraints cost-effectively. To address this challenge, a Lagrangian relaxation (LR)-based optimization framework integrating unit commitment and economic dispatch is developed. Practical operational constraints reflecting realistic shipboard conditions are incorporated. The effectiveness of the proposed framework was evaluated through simulation-based case studies under various realistic operating conditions. Simulation results show that the proposed LR framework achieves lower total fuel costs than conventional priority-list methods while complying with environmental regulations under diverse operating scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuel Cell Technologies in Power Generation and Energy Recovery)
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20 pages, 4997 KB  
Article
A Data-Driven Reduced-Order Model for Rotary Kiln Temperature Field Prediction Using Autoencoder and TabPFN
by Ya Mao, Yuhang Li, Yanhui Lai and Fangshuo Fan
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 2029; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16042029 - 18 Feb 2026
Viewed by 602
Abstract
The accurate reconstruction of the internal temperature field in rotary kilns is critical for optimizing the clinker calcination process and ensuring energy efficiency. In this study, a rapid and high-fidelity surrogate modeling framework is proposed, utilizing snapshot ensembles generated by full-order Computational Fluid [...] Read more.
The accurate reconstruction of the internal temperature field in rotary kilns is critical for optimizing the clinker calcination process and ensuring energy efficiency. In this study, a rapid and high-fidelity surrogate modeling framework is proposed, utilizing snapshot ensembles generated by full-order Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to reconstruct the temperature field of the axial center section. The framework incorporates a symmetric Autoencoder (AE) coupled with a TabPFN network as its core components. Capitalizing on the kiln’s strong axial symmetry, this reduction–regression system efficiently maps the high-dimensional nonlinear thermodynamic topology of the central section into a compact low-dimensional latent manifold via AE, while utilizing TabPFN to establish a robust mapping between operating boundary conditions and these latent features. By leveraging the In-Context Learning (ICL) mechanism for prior-data fitting, TabPFN effectively overcomes the data scarcity inherent in high-cost CFD sampling. Predictive results demonstrate that the model achieves a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.897 for latent feature regression, outperforming traditional algorithms by 6.53%. In terms of field reconstruction on the test set, the model yields an average temperature error of 15.31 K. Notably, 93.83% of the nodal errors are confined within a narrow range of 0–50 K, and the reconstructed distributions exhibit high consistency with the CFD benchmarks. Furthermore, compared to the hours required for full-scale simulations, the inference time is reduced to 0.45 s, representing a speedup of four orders of magnitude. Consequently, the predictive system demonstrates excellent accuracy and efficiency, serving as an effective substitute for traditional models to realize online monitoring and intelligent optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuel Cell Technologies in Power Generation and Energy Recovery)
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26 pages, 3584 KB  
Article
Fuel-Efficient Coordinated Control Strategy for Medium-Voltage DC Shipboard Power Systems with Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and Variable-Speed Diesel Generators
by Muhammad Aziz and Il-Yop Chung
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 1694; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16041694 - 8 Feb 2026
Viewed by 512
Abstract
This study proposes an advanced coordinated control strategy for a hybrid medium-voltage DC (MVDC) shipboard power system that integrates solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and variable-speed diesel generators (VSDGs). The study aims to achieve superior fuel consumption reduction and enhanced power quality in [...] Read more.
This study proposes an advanced coordinated control strategy for a hybrid medium-voltage DC (MVDC) shipboard power system that integrates solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and variable-speed diesel generators (VSDGs). The study aims to achieve superior fuel consumption reduction and enhanced power quality in marine environments. An SOFC dynamic model is developed to accurately capture electrochemical behavior and to evaluate efficiency under varying load factors. For the VSDG, a fuel consumption model incorporating variable rotational speed is derived, enabling the selection of an optimal operating speed that minimizes specific fuel consumption while maintaining system stability. The proposed strategy employs fuel-optimal integrated control to dispatch and regulate power sharing between SOFCs and VSDGs dynamically under varying load conditions using an upper-level controller. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed method ensures SOFC operation within high-efficiency utilization regions, adjusts VSDG speed to maximize fuel economy, and achieves stable load sharing through cooperative control. The results demonstrate significant fuel savings, with reductions of 75.3% under low-load conditions and 26.3% under high-load conditions compared with the non-coordinated baseline, contributing to the advancement of sustainable and reliable maritime electrification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuel Cell Technologies in Power Generation and Energy Recovery)
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27 pages, 2154 KB  
Article
Experimental and Analytical Study of an Anode-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
by Shadi Salehian, Joy Marie Mora, Haoyu Li, Daniel Esau, Min Hwan Lee, André Weber and Po-Ya Abel Chuang
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16031497 - 2 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 882
Abstract
A zero-dimensional, non-isothermal analytical framework was developed to assess solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) performance across a broad range of operating conditions. The model integrates the anode, electrolyte, interlayers, and cathode, while resolving the distinct physicochemical processes within each layer. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy [...] Read more.
A zero-dimensional, non-isothermal analytical framework was developed to assess solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) performance across a broad range of operating conditions. The model integrates the anode, electrolyte, interlayers, and cathode, while resolving the distinct physicochemical processes within each layer. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), followed by distribution of relaxation times (DRT) analysis, was implemented to probe relevant cell polarization resistances under open-circuit and load conditions. The modeling framework couples mass and charge transport, electrochemical reactions, and non-isothermal heat transfer, with multilayer discretization applied to capture localized material properties and operating conditions. It enables the estimation of electrolyte ionic conductivity and total ohmic resistance by accounting for microstructural and geometric parameters, while also quantifying activation energies, exchange current densities, and gas-diffusion-related polarization resistances. Simulations were conducted for an SOFC operating on pure hydrogen with varying oxygen concentrations at 700 °C, 660 °C, 620 °C, and 580 °C. The results were validated against experimental data. The analysis revealed that ohmic overpotential dominates total cell losses, even at high current densities, underscoring the importance of minimizing ionic resistance to improve overall SOFC performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fuel Cell Technologies in Power Generation and Energy Recovery)
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