Hybrid System Test Rig: Start-up and Shutdown Physical Emulation

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario L. Ferrari ◽  
Matteo Pascenti ◽  
Loredana Magistri ◽  
Aristide F. Massardo
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Thermal Stress ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hybrid System ◽  
Cell Hybrid ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Outlet Flow ◽  
Integrated Project

The University of Genoa (TPG) has designed and developed an innovative test rig for high temperature fuel cell hybrid system physical emulation. It is based on the coupling of a modified commercial 100 kW recuperated micro gas turbine to a special modular volume designed for the experimental analysis of the interaction between different dimension fuel cell stacks and turbomachines. This new experimental approach that generates reliable results as a complete test rig also allows investigation of high risk situations with more flexibility without serious and expensive consequences to the equipment and at a very low cost compared with real hybrid configurations. The rig, developed with the support of the European Integrated Project “FELICITAS,” is under exploitation and improvement in the framework of the new European Integrated Project “LARGE-SOFC” started in January 2007. The layout of the system (connecting pipes, valves, and instrumentation) was carefully designed to minimize the pressure loss between compressor outlet and turbine inlet to have the highest plant flexibility. Furthermore, the servocontrolled valves are useful for performing tests at different operative conditions (i.e., pressures, temperatures, and pressure losses), focusing the attention on surge and thermal stress prevention. This work shows the preliminary data obtained with the machine connected to the volume for the test rig safe management to avoid surge or excessive stress, especially during the critical operative phases (i.e., start-up and shutdown). Finally, the attention is focused on the valve control system developed to emulate the start-up and shutdown phases for high temperature fuel cell hybrid systems. It is necessary to manage the flows in the connecting pipes, including an apt recuperator bypass, to perform a gradual heating up and cooling down as requested during these phases. It is an essential requirement to avoid thermal stress for the fuel cell stack. For this reason, during the start-up, the volume is gradually heated by the compressor outlet flow followed by a well managed recuperator outlet flow and vice versa for the shutdown. Furthermore, operating with a constant rotational speed control system, the machine load is used to reach higher temperature values typical of these kinds of systems.

Physical Simulator of Start-Up for Hybrid System Cathode Side

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Traverso ◽  
M. L. Ferrari ◽  
M. Pascenti ◽  
A. F. Massardo
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hybrid Systems ◽  
Hybrid System ◽  
Cell Hybrid ◽  
Cathode Side ◽  
Outlet Temperature ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Fuel Cell Hybrid

A start-up test rig at TPG laboratory at the University of Genoa, Italy, has been designed and built for two main purposes: physically simulating different early start-up layout and procedures of high temperature fuel cell hybrid systems, and validating time-dependent hybrid system models based on TRANSEO software. Since start-up is a critical operating phase for high temperature fuel cell hybrid systems, and it may require specific modifications to the hybrid system layout, the start-up test rig is meant to be very flexible for testing several start-up layouts as well as the coupling of different turbomachines and stacks. Results for cold test, 700°C and 950°C start-up combustor outlet temperature tests are reported. Such results show the pressure and temperature quick rise during the early phase of start-up, which could represent an issue for the mechanical and thermal stress to the stack. A dynamic model of the test rig was built up and validated showing good agreement with the experimental results. This achievement was very useful to increase the confidence with predictive dynamic simulation tools during the start-up phase, where experimental data are hardly available and where the fuel cell materials may undergo risky thermal shocks.

Emulation of Hybrid System Start-Up and Shutdown Phases With a Micro Gas Turbine Based Test Rig

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario L. Ferrari ◽  
Matteo Pascenti ◽  
Loredana Magistri ◽  
Aristide F. Massardo
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Hybrid System ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Micro Gas Turbine ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Critical Phases

The aim of this work, focused on natural gas fired distributed power systems, is the experimental analysis of the start-up and shutdown for high temperature fuel cell hybrid systems. These critical phases have been emulated using the micro gas turbine test rig developed by TPG at the University of Genoa, Italy. The rig is based on the coupling of a modified commercial 100 kWe recuperated gas turbine with a modular volume designed to emulate fuel cell stacks of different dimensions. It is essential to test the dynamic interaction between the machine and the fuel cell, and to develop different operative procedures and control systems without any risk to the expensive stack. This paper shows the preliminary experimental results obtained with the machine connected to the volume. The attention is mainly focused on avoiding surge and excessive stress on the machine components during the tests. Finally, after the presentation of the valve control system, this paper reports the emulation of the hybrid system start-up and shutdown phases. They have been performed to produce a gradual heating up and cooling down of the fuel cell volume, using the cold bypass line, three high temperature valves, and the machine load control system. This approach is necessary to avoid high thermal stress on the cell material, extremely dangerous for the plant life.

Demonstration of Simultaneous Temperature and Power Control in a Simulation Facility for a SOFC Hybrid System

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Caratozzolo ◽  
Mario L. Ferrari ◽  
Alberto Traverso ◽  
Aristide F. Massardo
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Hybrid System ◽  
Thermal Response ◽  
Experimental Plant ◽  
Outlet Temperature ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Time Model ◽  
The University

This study is based on a complete hybrid system emulator test rig developed at the University of Genoa (Savona laboratory) by the Thermochemical Power Group (TPG). The plant is mainly composed of a 100 kW recuperated micro gas turbine coupled with both anodic and cathodic vessels for high temperature fuel cell emulation. The test rig was recently equipped with a real-time model for emulating components not physically present in the laboratory (SOFC block, reformer, anodic circuit, off-gas burner, cathodic blower). This model is used to fully evaluate thermodynamic and electrochemical performance related to solid oxide fuel cell systems. Using a UDP based connection with the test rig control and acquisition software, it generates a real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) facility for hybrid system emulation. Temperature, pressure and air mass flow rate at the recuperator outlet (downstream of the compressor) and rotational speed of the machine are inputs from the plant to the model. The turbine outlet temperature (TOT) calculated by the model is fed into the machine control system and the turbine electric load is moved to match the model TOT values. In this study various tests were carried out to characterize the interaction between the experimental plant and the real-time model; double step and double ramp tests of current and fuel provided the dynamic response of the system. The control system proved to be fast, compared to the slow thermal response of the SOFC stack, and also reliable. The hybrid systems operated at 90% of nominal power with electrical efficiency of about 56% based on natural gas LHV.

Real-Time Hardware-in-the-Loop Tool for a Fuel Cell Hybrid System Emulator Test Rig

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Caratozzolo ◽  
Mario L. Ferrari ◽  
Alberto Traverso ◽  
Aristide F. Massardo
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Hybrid Systems ◽  
Hybrid System ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Outlet Temperature ◽  
Hardware In The Loop ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Time Model

The Thermochemical Power Group of the University of Genoa built a complete Hybrid System emulator test rig constituted by a 100 kW recuperated micro gas turbine, an anodic circuit (based on the coupling of a single stage ejector with a stainless steel vessel) and a cathodic modular volume (located between the recuperator outlet and combustor inlet). The system is sized to consider the coupling of the commercial micro turbine, operated at 62 kW load, and a planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) to reach the overall electrical power output of 450 kW. The emulator test rig has been recently linked with a real-time model of the SOFC block. The model is used to simulate the complete thermodynamic and electrochemical behavior of a high temperature fuel cell based on solid oxide technology. The test rig coupled with the model generates a real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) facility for hybrid systems emulation. The model is constituted by a SOFC module, an anodic circuit with an ejector, a cathodic loop with a blower (for the recirculation) and a turbine module. Temperature, pressure and air mass flow rate at recuperator outlet (downstream of the compressor) and rotational speed of the machine are inputs from the plant to the model. The turbine outlet temperature (TOT) calculated by the model is fed to the machine control system and the turbine electric load is moved to match the model TOT value. In this work different tests were carried out to characterize the interaction between the experimental plant and the real-time model; double step and double ramp tests of current and fuel characterized the dynamic response of the system. The mGT power control system proved to be fast enough, compared to the slow thermal response of the SOFC stack, and reliable. The hybrid systems was operated at 90% of nominal power with about 56% of electrical efficiency based on natural gas LHV.

Ejector Model for High Temperature Fuel Cell Hybrid Systems: Experimental Validation at Steady-State and Dynamic Conditions

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario L. Ferrari ◽  
Matteo Pascenti ◽  
Aristide F. Massardo
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Steady State ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Cell Hybrid ◽  
Experimental Validation ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Transient Conditions ◽  
Recirculation Model ◽  
Fuel Cell Hybrid

The aim of this work is the experimental validation of a steady-state and transient ejector model for high temperature fuel cell hybrid system applications. This is a mandatory step in performing the steady state and the transient analysis of the whole plant to avoid critical situations and to develop the control system. The anodic recirculation test rig, developed at TPG-University of Genoa, and already used in previous works to validate the ejector design models (0D and computational fluid dynamics), was modified and used to perform tests at transient conditions with the aim of ejector transient model validation. This ejector model, based on a “lumped volume” technique, has been successfully validated against experimental data at steady-state and transient conditions using air or CO2 at room temperature and at 150°C in the secondary duct inlet. Then, the ejector model was integrated with the models of the connecting pipes, and with the volume simulation tool, equipped with an outlet valve, in order to generate an anodic recirculation model. Also in this case, the theoretical results were successfully compared with the experimental data obtained with the test rig. The final part of the paper is devoted to the results obtained with square wave functions generated in the ejector primary pressure. To study the effects of possible fast pressure variations in the fuel line (ejector primary line), the test rig was equipped with a servo-controlled valve upstream of the ejector primary duct to generate different frequency pressure oscillations. The results calculated with the recirculation model at these conditions were successfully compared with the experimental data too.

Fuel-Cell Hybrid Systems to Generate Shipboard Electrical Power

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Sembler ◽  
S. Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Hybrid Systems ◽  
Hybrid System ◽  
Cell Hybrid ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
History Of ◽  
Marine Applications ◽  
Fuel Cell Hybrid

The reduction of shipboard airborne emissions has been receiving increased attention due to the desire to improve air quality and reduce the generation of greenhouse gases. The use of a fuel cell could represent an environmentally friendly way for a ship to generate in-port electrical power that would eliminate the need to operate diesel-driven generators or use shore power. This paper includes a brief description of the various types of fuel cells in use today, together with a review of the history of fuel cells in marine applications. In addition, the results of a feasibility study conducted to evaluate the use of a fuel-cell hybrid system to produce shipboard electrical power are presented.

General fuel cell hybrid synergies and hybrid system testing status

2006 ◽  
Vol 159 (1) ◽  
pp. 656-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Winkler ◽  
Pedro Nehter ◽  
Mark C. Williams ◽  
David Tucker ◽  
Randy Gemmen
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hybrid System ◽  
Cell Hybrid ◽  
System Testing ◽  
Fuel Cell Hybrid
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