Comparison and Identification of Static Electrical Terminal Fuel Cell Models

Six steady-state fuel cell electrical terminal models are compared using experimental data from an Avista Laboratories SR-12 500 W proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The paper begins by reviewing the physical effects in a fuel cell. The proposed electrical terminal models are introduced in terms of these physical effects, parameterized for identification and compared using the measured data.     

Fuel cells: promising devices for distributed generation

Due to the growing awareness for environmental protection and the increase in energy consumption, more interest has been given to green (renewable and fuel-cell-based) power generation systems. This paper shows how effectively this type of distributed generation (DG) produces quality energy compared to other DG technologies. One advantage is that these systems can be placed at any site in a distribution system, without geographic limitations, to provide optimal benefit. It is observed that modeling of FCs (fuel cell) is helpful in evaluating its performance and for designing controllers. Overall, fuel cells are good energy sources that provides reliable power at steady state.     

A Physically Based Dynamic Model for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

This paper presents a physically based dynamic model for tubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on the electrochemical and thermodynamic characteristics inside SOFC. The diffusion, material conservation, electrochemical, and thermodynamic equations are used to develop the SOFC model. The effect of temperature on the steady-state (V-I and P-I) characteristics of the SOFC model has been studied, and the model responses have been obtained for constant fuel flow as well as for constant fuel utilization operating modes. The dynamic characteristics of the model are investigated in small, medium, and large timescales, from milliseconds to minutes. The model has been implemented in MATLAB/Simulink and used to investigate the distributed generation applications of SOFCs.     

Load Transient Mitigation for Stand-Alone Fuel Cell Power Generation Systems

In this paper, a load transient mitigation technique for stand-alone fuel cell (FC)-battery power generation systems is proposed. The technique can be used not only to improve the output power quality of the overall system, but also to mitigate or eliminate the electrical feedback stresses that are caused by load transients upon fuel cells. As a result, the durability of the fuel cell can also be improved. System analysis and controller design procedure for the proposed technique are given in this paper. Simulation studies have been carried out on FC-battery power generation systems using the dynamic models developed for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed technique in preventing load transients from affecting the fuel cell performance.     

Computer modeling for enhancing instruction of electric machinery

This paper discusses the use of computers for modeling of electric machinery at the undergraduate level to enhance the lecture as well as the laboratory part of a course on electric machinery with introduction to power systems. It explains how computer simulation helps students not only get a better understanding of the advantages and limitations of computer simulation, but also get a better feel for the physical concepts they study in the lecture and laboratory part of the course. Sample computational projects assigned to the students are described and simulation results obtained from the computer models are presented     

Generation unit sizing and cost analysis for stand-alone wind,photovoltaic, and hybrid wind/PV systems

This paper presents the results of investigations on the application of wind, photovoltaic (PV), and hybrid wind/PV power generating systems for utilization as stand-alone systems. A simple numerical algorithm has been developed for generation unit sizing. It has been used to determine the optimum generation capacity and storage needed for a stand-alone, wind, PV, and hybrid wind/PV system for an experimental site in a remote area in Montana with a typical residential load. Generation and storage units for each system are properly sized in order to meet the annual load and minimize the total annual cost to the customer. In addition, an economic analysis has been performed for the above three scenarios and is used to justify the use of renewable energy versus constructing a line extension from the nearest existing power line to supply the load with conventional power. Annual average hourly values for load, wind speed, and insolation have been used     

A simple approach to analysis of faulted power systems

In this paper the common approach for analysis of symmetrical faults and the linear circuit theory are used to analyse the unbalanced disturbances in a power network. The positive, negative and zero sequence impedance data of the faulted power system are fed separately to the program developed for analysis of symmetrical (three-phase) faults and the node voltages corresponding to each sequence impedance data are obtained. These sequence node voltages are then corrected to yield the correct sequence node voltages by multiplying them by the actual ‘impedance ratios’ obtained from the orientation of the sequence network for the particular type of fault considered. Numerical examples are presented to support the developed theory.     

Unit sizing and cost analysis of stand-alone hybrid wind/PV/fuel cell power generation systems

An economic evaluation of a hybrid wind/photovoltaic/fuel cell (FC) generation system for a typical home in the Pacific Northwest is performed. In this configuration the combination of a FC stack, an electrolyser, and hydrogen storage tanks is used as the energy storage system. This system is compared to a traditional hybrid energy system with battery storage. A computer program has been developed to size system components in order to match the load of the site in the most cost effective way. A cost of electricity, an overall system cost, and a break-even distance analysis are also calculated for each configuration. The study was performed using a graphical user interface programmed in MATLAB.     

Range-resolved optical detection of honeybees by use of wing-beat modulation of scattered light for locating land mines

An imaging lidar instrument with the capability of measuring the frequency response of a backscattered return signal up to 3.6 kHz is demonstrated. The instrument uses a commercial microchip frequency-doubled pulsed Nd:YAG laser with a 7.2 kHz pulse repetition rate, a pulse duration of less than 1 ns, and a pulse energy of greater than 10 microJ. A 15.2 cm commercial telescope is used to collect the backscattered signal, and a photomultiplier tube is used to monitor the scattered light. This instrument is designed for range- and angle-resolved optical detection of honeybees for explosives and land-mine detection. The instrument is capable of distinguishing between the scattered light from honeybees and other sources through the frequency content of the return signal caused by the wing-beat modulation of the backscattered light. Detection of honeybees near a bee hive and spatial mapping of honeybee densities near feeders are demonstrated.     

Testing carbon sequestration site monitor instruments using a controlled carbon dioxide release facility

Two laser-based instruments for carbon sequestration site monitoring have been developed and tested at a controlled carbon dioxide (CO(2)) release facility. The first instrument uses a temperature tunable distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser capable of accessing the 2.0027-2.0042 microm spectral region that contains three CO(2) absorption lines and is used for aboveground atmospheric CO(2) concentration measurements. The second instrument also uses a temperature tunable DFB diode laser capable of accessing the 2.0032-2.0055 mum spectral region that contains five CO(2) absorption lines for underground CO(2) soil gas concentration measurements. The performance of these instruments for carbon sequestration site monitoring was studied using a newly developed controlled CO(2) release facility. A 0.3 ton CO(2)/day injection experiment was performed from 3-10 August 2007. The aboveground differential absorption instrument measured an average atmospheric CO(2) concentration of 618 parts per million (ppm) over the CO(2) injection site compared with an average background atmospheric CO(2) concentration of 448 ppm demonstrating this instrument's capability for carbon sequestration site monitoring. The underground differential absorption instrument measured a CO(2) soil gas concentration of 100,000 ppm during the CO(2) injection, a factor of 25 greater than the measured background CO(2) soil gas concentration of 4000 ppm demonstrating this instrument's capability for carbon sequestration site monitoring.