Modelling of PV-Powered Water Electrolysers

Author(s):  
Giampaolo Crosa ◽  
Maurizio Lubiano ◽  
Angela Trucco

In the near future the hydrogen production by means of advanced water electrolysers powered by renewable hybrid energy systems (Photovoltaic solar/wind) could help to resolve the electricity supply and environmental problems relating to the use of fossil fuels. In the light of this perspective the hydrogen represents an alternative energy carrier, helping to overcome all the problems related to the intermittent nature of solar and wind sources. A non linear dynamic simulator of a photovoltaic-hydrogen energy system has been realised, aiming to provide a useful instrument for the development of innovative strategies for plant control and plant operating guidance. The lumped parameter physical approach has been used, applying the fundamental conservation laws of mass, energy and momentum to every component of the plant. The water electrolyser model has been tailored on the characteristics of an advanced pressurised system, using a Casale Chemicals S.A. advanced cell bipolar design, with alkaline electrolyte (KOH solution), whose mathematical models was described by the authors in previous papers. A first version of this simulator has been improved by introducing a reliable thermal model, able to predict the solar panel temperature profile that affects the PV array performance; the panel model has been modified in order to reproduce precisely the I/V characteristics of any PV module, starting from its nominal data. Thanks to this model improvement, the simulator allowed to be used to maximise the PV power production, evaluating different control strategies: a Maximum Power Point Tracking (M.P.P.T) block has been then introduced in the model to optimise the generated power by the photovoltaic plant. The Joule losses due to the PV field internal wiring and to its feeding connection with the electrolyser have been also considered: it consents to separately compute the energy losses in the different PV-electrolyser coupling configurations, thus evaluating the best panel disposition in order to minimise the electric power dissipation. The simulator proved to be able to robustly predict the performance of the PV-electrolysis system for different configurations, operating conditions and control strategies. A steady-state analysis not appears in fact to be an adequate tool for these purposes.

Author(s):  
V.E. Yurin ◽  
◽  
A.N. Egorov ◽  
D.O. Bashlykov ◽  
A.B. Moskalenko ◽  
...  

With an increase in the share of NPPs in the energy system, it becomes necessary for them to participate in the regulation of the electric load schedule. At the same time, the operation of the NPP with the maximum utilization factor of the installed capacity of the reactor was economically and technically justified. One of the promising ways to solve this problem is to install consumers-regulators at NPPs. The hydrogen energy complex can be effectively used as a consumer-regulator. The authors have previously developed an autonomous hydrogen energy generating complex, scientifically substantiated its economic efficiency. As the study has shown, the economic efficiency of an autonomous hydrogen energy complex directly depends on the sale tariffs for electricity. The low cost of electricity sold leads to a deterioration in economic indicators, up to a lack of recoupment. In this regard, as an alternative option, this work considers the possibility of selling hydrogen and oxygen as a commercial product at existing prices. A comparative study for a range of electricity tariffs and prices for hydrogen and oxygen was carried out on the basis of the methodology presented earlier by the authors, which makes it possible to study ways to improve NPPs on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of economic efficiency, safety and system effects achieved during the installation of new and modernization of existed equipment. The results obtained make it possible to choose the type of hydrogen energy complex depending on the operating conditions for the selected region of operation.


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kosuke Seki ◽  
Keisuke Takeshita ◽  
Yoshiharu Amano

Optimal design of energy systems ultimately aims to develop a methodology to realize an energy system that utilizes available resources to generate maximum product with minimum components. For this aim, several researches attempt to decide the optimal system configuration as a problem of decomposing each energy system into primitive process elements. Then, they search the optimal combination sequentially from the minimum number of constituent elements. This paper proposes a bottom-up procedure to define and explore configurations by combining elementary processes for energy systems with absorption technology, which is widely applied as a heat driven technology and important for improving system’s energy efficiency and utilizing alternative energy resources. Two examples of application are presented to show the capability of the proposed methodology to find basic configurations that can generate the maximum product. The demonstration shows that the existing absorption systems, which would be calculated based on the experience of designers, could be derived by performing optimization with the synthesis methodology automatically under the simplified/idealized operating conditions. The proposed bottom-up methodology is significant for realizing an optimized absorption system. With this methodology, engineers will be able to predict all possible configurations and identify a simple yet feasible optimal system configuration.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 6792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soumya Ranjan Das ◽  
Prakash K. Ray ◽  
Arun Kumar Sahoo ◽  
Somula Ramasubbareddy ◽  
Thanikanti Sudhakar Babu ◽  
...  

Nowadays, the application of distributed energy sources (DES) has been extensively employed to serve the power system by supplying the power into the grid and improving the power quality (PQ). Therefore, DES is one solution that can efficiently overcome the energy crisis and climate change problems. The DES, such as solar photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine (WT), and battery energy storage systems (BESS), are incorporated to form the microgrid (MG), which are interfaced with the power system. However, interfacing MG to the power system is undoubtedly a big challenge. Therefore, more focus is required on the control strategy to control the MG with the power system. To address the PQ problems, a controlled MG integrated with a hybrid shunt active power filter (HSAPF) is provided in this work. For controlling the MG integrated HSAPF, different control strategies are applied. In this work, a learning-based incremental conductance (LINC) technique is used as a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for tracking the maximum power in PV and WT. The voltage source inverter (VSI) of HSAPF is controlled using a wavelet-based technique with a synchronous reference frame (SRF). The main focus is to improve the PQ by compensating the harmonics and regulating the reactive power in both grid-interactive and islanded condition and also supply continuous and adequate power to the non-linear load. The power system model has been developed with MATLAB/Simulink tool, which shows the efficiency of the proposed method. The results obtained have been satisfactorily under various operating conditions and can be validated further using the real-time dSPACE.


2013 ◽  
Vol 479-480 ◽  
pp. 570-574
Author(s):  
Cong Hui Huang ◽  
Chih Ming Hong ◽  
Yih Feng Su ◽  
Song Mao Lee ◽  
Chuan Sing Jhuang ◽  
...  

This paper presents Elman neural network for the dynamic control strategies of a hybrid power system that include wind/photovoltaic/diesel system. Wind and PV power are the primary power sources of the system to take full advantages of renewable energy, and the diesel-engine is used as a backup system. A simulation model for the hybrid energy system has been developed using MATLAB/Simulink. To achieve a fast and stable response for the real power control, the intelligent controller consists of a Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN) and an modified Elman Neural Network (ENN) for maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The pitch angle of wind turbine is controlled by ENN, and the PV system uses RBFN, where the output signal is used to control the DC / DC boost converters to achieve the MPPT.


2012 ◽  
Vol 260-261 ◽  
pp. 28-33
Author(s):  
Jun Zhang ◽  
Lu Cheng Ji ◽  
Bo Jin

Hydrogen energy has been considered as a clean alternative energy source substituting fossil fuels. Many countries consider it as the ultimate solution to the energy and environmental problems, even draw up the blueprint of “hydrogen economy” and heavily invest for research and development. However, after decades of research, the hydrogen energy technologies are still being prospective and explored, and haven’t been put into large scale production by now. This article begins with expatiation on the essence of hydrogen energy, makes analysis of various big challenges for hydrogen energy technologies, and reaches the conclusion that we should hold the rational and cautious attitude towards hydrogen energy source because the transition to hydrogen economy of unclear prospect must pay a very high cost, which is unbearable for the social and economic development status of developing countries.


Author(s):  
Kamalu Abdullahi Alhassan ◽  
Badamasi Tijjani Abdullahi ◽  
M. Manjur Shah

Challenges related to energy shortages are increasingly frequent both at the local and global scale due to population growth and the desire for a greater standard of living. The growing demand for oil and natural gas caused by high consumption levels is one of the current major problems faced by the world population. Therefore, new forms of energy generation must be investigated that would eventually allow the diversification of the present energy matrix, which has an almost 90% dependence on fossil fuels the world over. This coupled with long-term economic and environmental concerns have resulted in a great amount of research in the past decades on renewable sources of liquid fuels to replace fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels such as coal and oil releases carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a major cause of global warming. It is anticipated that not a single source of alternative energy but a mix of various energy sources and carriers will contribute to the energy system of the future. Among the various sources been explored, biogas offer one of the best alternative options as they present a viable option for improving sustainable development through energy security and reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. This paper elaborates on Biogas production as the alternative source of fuel. The paper also studies the importance of Biogas production as a means of reducing problem of power energy, environmental vandalism, loss of resources, climate change and also reduce environmental pollution caused by burning of woods, cars, motorcycle and industrial activities.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-175
Author(s):  
Cs. Szász ◽  
G. Husi ◽  
P. T. Szemes

Abstract As it is well known that due to the continuously decreasing trend of the alternative energy technologies and the increase in the costs of the traditional fossil fuels, the development of resident or commercial buildings with greatly reduced energy needs becomes a high ranked and more pressing scientific challenge. In topic with this technological and scientific provocation, the paper presents a LabView software-based building supervising and events monitor system designed and developed with the basic purpose to serve as support for net zero-energy control strategies implementation in intelligent buildings. Afterwards a brief presentation of the adopted intelligent building development strategy and the net zero-energy concept are presented and discussed. Once these theoretical aspects have been expressed and clarified, a multi-layer type implementation is unfolded, where the background layer is a building supervising and events monitor system. The main software development steps of this system are presented in details to prove the feasibility and reliability of the adopted implementation strategy.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 6486
Author(s):  
Diego Rojas ◽  
Javier Muñoz ◽  
Marco Rivera ◽  
Jaime Rohten

The use of renewable energies sources is taking great importance due to the high demand for electricity and the decrease in the use of fossil fuels worldwide. In this context, electricity generation through photovoltaic panels is gaining a lot of interest due to the reduction in installation costs and the rapid advance of the development of new technologies. To minimize or reduce the negative impact of partial shading or mismatches of photovoltaic panels, many researchers have proposed four configurations that depend on the power ranges and the application. The microinverter is a promising solution in photovoltaic systems, due to its high efficiency of Maximum Power Point Tracking and high flexibility. However, there are several challenges to improve microinverter’s reliability and conversion efficiency that depend on the proper control design and the power converter design. This paper presents a review of different control strategies in microinverters for different applications. The control strategies are described and compared based on stability, dynamic response, topologies, and control objectives. One of the most important results showed that there is little research regarding the stability and robustness analysis of the reviewed control strategies.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2084
Author(s):  
Malin Lachmann ◽  
Jaime Maldonado ◽  
Wiebke Bergmann ◽  
Francesca Jung ◽  
Markus Weber ◽  
...  

In the transfer from fossil fuels to renewable energies, grid operators, companies and farms develop an increasing interest in smart energy management systems which can reduce their energy expenses. This requires sufficiently detailed models of the underlying components and forecasts of generation and consumption over future time horizons. In this work, it is investigated via a real-world case study how data-based methods based on regression and clustering can be applied to this task, such that potentially extensive effort for physical modeling can be decreased. Models and automated update mechanisms are derived from measurement data for a photovoltaic plant, a heat pump, a battery storage, and a washing machine. A smart energy system is realized in a real household to exploit the resulting models for minimizing energy expenses via optimization of self-consumption. Experimental data are presented that illustrate the models’ performance in the real-world system. The study concludes that it is possible to build a smart adaptive forecast-based energy management system without expert knowledge of detailed physics of system components, but special care must be taken in several aspects of system design to avoid undesired effects which decrease the overall system performance.


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