Optimization of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell hybrid power system for residential buildings

• Published in: Energy conversion and management 2018-05, Vol.163, p.22-37
• Main Authors: Bizon, Nicu, Mazare, Alin Gheorghita, Ionescu, Laurentiu Mihai, Enescu, Florentina Magda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air flow; Buildings; Demand; Electrolytes; Energy efficiency; Energy resources; FC system efficiency; Flow rates; Flow velocity; Fuel Cell Hybrid Power System (FCHPS); Fuel cells; Fuel consumption; Fuel economy; Fuel flow; Fuel technology; Housing; Hybrid control systems; Hybrid systems; Optimization; Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC); Proton exchange membrane fuel cells; Real-time optimization (RTO) strategy; Residential areas; Residential building; Residential buildings; Residential energy; Strategy
• ISSN: 0196-8904; 1879-2227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2018.02.025

[Display omitted] •The Global Extremum Seeking (GES) is efficient tool for real-time optimization (RTO).•Proposed RTO strategy is analyzed in comparison with Static Feed-Forward control.•Energy efficiency could increase with 2.13% for 8 kW residential building.•Fuel consumption efficiency could increase with more than 11.47 W/lpm.•The fuel economy could be up to 243 lpm for variable load demand. A real-time optimization (RTO) strategy to find the optimal value of the fuel flow rate of a Fuel Cell Hybrid Power System (FCHPS) for residential buildings is proposed here, which is shortly named as Air_LFW-RTO strategy due to the use of Load-Following (LFW) technique to control the air flow. The optimization strategy uses the Global Extremum Seeking (GES) algorithm to adjust the fuel flow rate and harvest the FC power by using two GES control schemes. The performance obtained with Air_LFW-RTO strategy proposed herein is shown compared to Static Feed-Forward RTO strategy, where both fueling rates are controlled by the FC current. The performance have been estimated for 8 kW residential building based on following indicators: the fuel consumption efficiency, the FC system efficiency, and the fuel economy during a variable load demand. The fuel consumption efficiency and the energy efficiency could increase with more than 11.47 W/lpm and 2.13% for a FCHPS under 8 kW constant load. The fuel economy could be up to 263 lpm for a FCHPS under variable load cycle using the Air_LFW-RTO strategy.