Publications by Jan Van Herle | EPFL Graph Search

Environmental implications of solid oxide fuel cell system for hydrogen sustainability

Jan Van Herle, François Maréchal, Shivom Sharma, Du Wen

Hydrogen, known for its high energy content and clean combustion, is promising in the energy transition. This study explores the environmental impact of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. 1 kg of hydrogen production at 1 bar serves as the functional un ...

2025

Performance assessment and fast diagnosis of a μ-CHP solid oxide fuel cell system

Jan Van Herle, Philippe Aubin, Cédric Frantz

Online performance characterization and faulty condition diagnosis of micro-combined-heat-and-power (μ-CHP) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system is crucial for ensuring safe in-house operation and lifespan prolongation. However, fast accurate detection of f ...

2025

Advancing non-carbon energy: optimized and safely operated solid oxide fuel cell design for industrial feasibility

Stefan Diethelm, Jan Van Herle, François Maréchal, Shivom Sharma

As the world shift towards sustainable energy solutions, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) using non-carbon fuels like ammonia and hydrogen emerge as promising pathways to produce clean energy and enhance conversion efficiency. However, current implementation ...

2025

Poisoning and recovery behavior of Ni-GDC based electrolyte-supported solid oxide fuel cell exposed to common sulfur compounds under processed biogas environment

Jan Van Herle, Philippe Aubin, Cédric Frantz

In recent years, biogas-fed solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology based on Ni-GDC electrolyte-supported cell has attracted interests due to its high sulfur tolerance. However, the degradation and recovery behavior of the cells under exposure to common su ...

2025

Combinatorial Use of Reference Electrodes and DRT for Disentangling AEM Electrolyzer Losses

Jan Van Herle, Mounir Driss Mensi, Philippe Aubin, Pascal Alexander Schouwink, Samaneh Daviran, Hamza Moussaoui, Suhas Nuggehalli Sampathkumar, Khaled Lawand

American Chemical Society (ACS)2025

Advanced imaging of gas diffusion layers: A comparison between focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy and X-ray computed tomography

Jan Van Herle, Hossein Pourrahmani

With the advances in clean technologies, the role of fuel cells and batteries is becoming increasingly vital. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are known to be the best candidates for low-temperature and portable operations, such as hydrogen cars. The ef ...

2025

Characterization of Ni-GDC based electrolyte-supported cell under processed biogas composition: Electrochemical performance, degradation and recovery

Jan Van Herle, Philippe Aubin, Cédric Frantz

Biogas-fed solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology based on Ni-GDC electrolyte-supported cell (ESC) offers a sustainable solution for European farms’ heat and power demands with superior efficiency. However, the understanding of the degradation and recover ...

2025

Analysis and optimization of solid oxide fuel cell system with anode and cathode off gas recirculation

Jan Van Herle, François Maréchal, Shivom Sharma

Solid oxide fuel cell technology shows great potential in generating electricity. However, insufficient steam in the stack can result in carbon deposition, accelerating cell degradation over prolonged operation. To prevent this, ensuring an adequate supply ...

2025

Efficient, affordable, carbon-neutral power: Advanced solid oxide fuel cell-electrolyzer system

Jan Van Herle, François Maréchal, Shivom Sharma

The alarming increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, primarily attributed to human-induced fossil fuel combustion for power generation, underscores the urgency for sustainable solutions. The solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is a promising candidate for ...

2025

A novel waterborne Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-based cogeneration system with realistic heat management

Jan Van Herle, François Maréchal, Shivom Sharma

This study examines a novel Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) cogeneration system powered by liquefied natural gas integrating realistic and flexible heat management to support efficient maritime applications. With a nominal power capacity of 125 kW, the SOFC-b ...

2025

Techno-economic analysis of ammonia to hydrogen and power pathways considering the emerging hydrogen purification and fuel cell technologies

Jan Van Herle, François Maréchal, Du Wen

Ammonia serves as a promising hydrogen carrier and energy storage medium due to its high hydrogen content, ease of transport, and well-established production infrastructure. This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of ammonia-to‑hydroge ...

2025

Thermosiphon Cooling System for a Methanation Reactor: An Experimental Assessment

Jan Van Herle, Philippe Aubin

Operating the cooling system of a methanation reactor using an open-loop two-phase thermosiphon with evaporating water as the cooling liquid is an effective way to ensure safe operation as it does not rely on a recirculating pump. The aim of the reactor de ...

2024

A High-Temperature, High-Speed, Oil-Free Syngas Compressor for Small-Scale Combined Heat and Power

Jürg Alexander Schiffmann, Jan Van Herle, Victoria Xu Hong He

For low-emission, small-scale combined heat and power generation, integrating a biomass gasifier with a downstream solid oxide fuel cell system is very promising due to their similar operating conditions in terms of temperatures and pressures. This match a ...

American Society of Mechanical Engineers2024

Co2 and h2o co-electrolyser system

Jan Van Herle, François Maréchal, Suhas Nuggehalli Sampathkumar

A water and carbon dioxide co-electrolyser system (1) comprising an anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyser (2) having at least one AEM electrolyser cell (2c) comprising a cathode (8), an anode (12) and an AEM membrane (16) separating the cathode from t ...

2024

A High-Temperature, High-Speed, Oil-Free Syngas Compressor for Small-Scale Combined Heat and Power

Jürg Alexander Schiffmann, Jan Van Herle, Victoria Xu Hong He

For low-emission, small-scale combined heat and power generation, integrating a biomass gasifier with a downstream solid oxide fuel cell system is very promising due to their similar operating conditions in terms of temperatures and pressures. This match a ...

2024

A High-Speed, High-Temperature, Micro-Cantilever Steam Turbine for Hot Syngas Compression in Small-Scale Combined Heat and Power

Jürg Alexander Schiffmann, Jan Van Herle, Victoria Xu Hong He

Coupling a biomass gasifier with a solid oxide fuel cell system through a high-temperature syngas compressor holds great promise to achieve low-emission, small-scale combined heat and power, since it reduces the number of heat exchangers and increases the ...

ASME International2024

Comparative life cycle analysis of electrolyzer technologies for hydrogen production: Manufacturing and operations

Jan Van Herle, François Maréchal, Shivom Sharma, Suhas Nuggehalli Sampathkumar, Du Wen

This study conducts a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of four electrolyzer technologies: alkaline electrolyzer (AEL), proton-exchange membrane (PEM), anion-exchange membrane (AEM), and solid oxide electrolyzer (SOE). It evaluates their environmen ...

2024

Quantitative measurement and comparison of breakthroughs inside the gas diffusion layer using lattice Boltzmann method and computed tomography scan

Jan Van Herle, Emad Oveisi, Hossein Pourrahmani, Hamza Moussaoui

In Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs), the presence of residual water within the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) poses challenges during cold starts and accelerates degradation. A computational model based on the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) was deve ...

Nature Portfolio2024

Manufacturing protocol and post processing of ultra-thin gas diffusion layer using advanced scanning techniques

Jan Van Herle, Hossein Pourrahmani

The typical commercial size of a Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) application is around 180 μm up to 290 μm. GDL facilitates the diffusion of reactants to the catalyst layers and liquid removal from the membrane to t ...

Nature Research2024

A High-Speed, High-Temperature Micro-Cantilever Steam Turbine for Hot Syngas Compression in Small-Scale Combined Heat and Power

Jürg Alexander Schiffmann, Jan Van Herle, Victoria Xu Hong He

Coupling a biomass gasifier with a solid oxide fuel cell system through a high-temperature syngas compressor holds great promise to achieve low-emission, small-scale combined heat and power, since it reduces the number of heat exchangers and increases the ...

American Society of Mechanical Engineers2024