Partial-Load Analysis of a Temperature-Controlled Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell-Gas Turbine (SOFC-GT) Hybrid Power Plant

A hybrid power plant combining a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a micro gas turbine (MGT) is a suitable technology solution for decentralized energy production utilizing natural gas and biogas. Despite having high electrical efficiency and low emissions, the dynamic interactions between components can lead to damages of the system if a comprehensive control strategy is not applied. Before building a coupled hybrid power plant demonstrator, the “hybrid system emulators” approach is followed to solve any integration issues. A test rig consisting of an MGT and emulated SOFC is developed. The dynamics of the SOFC are reproduced by a real time model. The created cyber-physical system provides an effective platform to validate and optimize the control concepts for the future hybrid demonstrator by adding the complexity of the hybrid plant to the MGT test rig. The ability to develop and test the control strategy on such a system dramatically reduces the technology risk and increases the chances of success for the demonstrator operation.

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Fuel cell system modeling for solid oxide fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid power plants, Part I: Modeling and simulation framework

Journal of Power Sources ◽

10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.08.081 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 196 (3) ◽

pp. 1205-1215 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Florian Leucht ◽

Wolfgang G. Bessler ◽

Josef Kallo ◽

K. Andreas Friedrich ◽

H. Müller-Steinhagen

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cell ◽

Gas Turbine ◽

Power Plants ◽

System Modeling ◽

Cell System ◽

Solid Oxide ◽

Oxide Fuel ◽

Simulation Framework ◽

Fuel Cell System ◽

Hybrid Power

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Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation of a Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Power Plant Simulator

Journal of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage ◽

10.1115/1.4038634 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Alex Tsai ◽

David Tucker ◽

Tooran Emami

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cell ◽

Power Plant ◽

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽

Gas Turbine ◽

Adaptive Estimation ◽

Solid Oxide ◽

Oxide Fuel ◽

Multiple Model ◽

Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation ◽

Operating Points

Operating points of a 300 kW solid oxide fuel cell gas turbine (SOFC-GT) power plant simulator are estimated with the use of a multiple model adaptive estimation (MMAE) algorithm. This algorithm aims to improve the flexibility of controlling the system to changing operating conditions. Through a set of empirical transfer functions (TFs) derived at two distinct operating points of a wide operating envelope, the method demonstrates the efficacy of estimating online the probability that the system behaves according to a predetermined dynamic model. By identifying which model the plant is operating under, appropriate control strategies can be switched and implemented. These strategies come into effect upon changes in critical parameters of the SOFC-GT system—most notably, the load bank (LB) disturbance and fuel cell (FC) cathode airflow parameters. The SOFC-GT simulator allows the testing of various FC models under a cyber-physical configuration that incorporates a 120 kW auxiliary power unit and balance-of-plant (Bop) components. These components exist in hardware, whereas the FC model in software. The adaptation technique is beneficial to plants having a wide range of operation, as is the case for SOFC-GT systems. The practical implementation of the adaptive methodology is presented through simulation in the matlab/simulink environment.

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