SOFC Stack Model for Integration Into a Hybrid System: Stack Response to Control Variables

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael M. Whiston ◽  
Melissa M. Bilec ◽  
Laura A. Schaefer

Due to the tight coupling of physical processes inside solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), efficient control of these devices depends largely on the proper pairing of controlled and manipulated variables. The present study investigates the uncontrolled, dynamic behavior of an SOFC stack that is intended for use in a hybrid SOFC-gas turbine (GT) system. A numerical fuel cell model is developed based on charge, species mass, energy, and momentum balances, and an equivalent circuit is used to combine the fuel cell's irreversibilities. The model is then verified on electrochemical, mass, and thermal timescales. The open-loop response of the average positive electrode-electrolyte-negative electrode (PEN) temperature, fuel utilization, and SOFC power to step changes in the inlet fuel flow rate, current density, and inlet air flow rate is simulated on different timescales. Results indicate that manipulating the current density is the quickest and most efficient way to change the SOFC power. Meanwhile, manipulating the fuel flow is found to be the most efficient way to change the fuel utilization. In future work, it is recommended that such control strategies be further analyzed and compared in the context of a complete SOFC-GT system model.

1981 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Sweet

This paper is a review of current research on applications of control systems and theory to achieve energy conservation in automotive vehicles. The development of internal combustion engine control systems that modulate fuel flow, air flow, ignition timing and duration, and exhaust gas recirculation is discussed. The relative advantages of physical and empirical models for engine performance are reviewed. Control strategies presented include optimized open-loop schedule type systems, closed-loop feedback systems, and adaptive controllers. The development of power train and hybrid vehicle control systems is presented, including controllers for both conventional transmissions and those employing flywheel energy storage.


Author(s):  
Carl A. Palmer ◽  
Kenneth W. Ragland

A novel gravel bed, downdraft, woodchip combustor that directly-fires a gas turbine for use in a cogeneration system has been developed. In this combustor, the fuel burning rate is determined by pressure, temperature, air flow rate, and fuel moisture content, and not by the fuel feed rate. When the gravel bed combustor is connected to a gas turbine system, the operator loses the freedom to directly set the fuel flow rate, which is the primary control variable for conventional gas turbine systems. Other control problems introduced by the gravel bed include a large thermal lag and a sizable pressure drop. This paper presents a computer model that integrates the dynamic characteristics of an actual gas turbine with the characteristics of the gravel bed combustor. The program determines system behavior and helps evaluate possible control strategies. The system is controlled using the CO2 level leaving the gravel bed. The bypass valve setting determines the load level. Both the slow temperature dynamics and quick turbomachinery dynamics must be considered when operating the system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 373 ◽  
pp. 137890
Author(s):  
David P. Trudgeon ◽  
Adeline Loh ◽  
Habib Ullah ◽  
Xiaohong Li ◽  
Vladimir Yufit ◽  
...  

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1546
Author(s):  
Árpád Imre-Lucaci ◽  
Melinda Fogarasi ◽  
Florica Imre-Lucaci ◽  
Szabolcs Fogarasi

This paper presents a novel approach for the recovery of lead from waste cathode-ray tube (CRT) glass by applying a combined chemical-electrochemical process which allows the simultaneous recovery of Pb from waste CRT glass and electrochemical regeneration of the leaching agent. The optimal operating conditions were identified based on the influence of leaching agent concentration, recirculation flow rate and current density on the main technical performance indicators. The experimental results demonstrate that the process is the most efficient at 0.6 M acetic acid concentration, flow rate of 45 mL/min and current density of 4 mA/cm2. The mass balance data corresponding to the recycling of 10 kg/h waste CRT glass in the identified optimal operating conditions was used for the environmental assessment of the process. The General Effect Indices (GEIs), obtained through the Biwer Heinzle method for the input and output streams of the process, indicate that the developed recovery process not only achieve a complete recovery of lead but it is eco-friendly as well.


Author(s):  
Hun Cha ◽  
Yoo Seok Song ◽  
Kyu Jong Kim ◽  
Jung Rae Kim ◽  
Sung Min KIM

An inappropriate design of HRSG (Heat Recovery Steam Generator) may lead to mechanical problems including the fatigue failure caused by rapid load change such as operating trip, start-up or shut down. The performance of HRSG with dynamic analysis should be investigated in case of start-up or shutdown. In this study, dynamic analysis for the HRSG system was carried out by commercial software. The HRSG system was modeled with HP, IP, LP evaporator, duct burner, superheater, reheater and economizer. The main variables for the analysis were the temperature and mass flow rate from gas turbine and fuel flow rate of duct burner for given start-up (cold/warm/hot) and shutdown curve. The results showed that the exhaust gas condition of gas turbine and fuel flow rate of duct burner were main factors controlling the performance of HRSG such as flow rate and temperature of main steam from final superheater and pressure of HP drum. The time delay at the change of steam temperature between gas turbine exhaust gas and HP steam was within 2 minutes at any analysis cases.


Author(s):  
Andreas Rauh ◽  
Luise Senkel ◽  
Harald Aschemann ◽  
Vasily V. Saurin ◽  
Georgy V. Kostin

Abstract In this paper, control-oriented modeling approaches are presented for distributed parameter systems. These systems, which are in the focus of this contribution, are assumed to be described by suitable partial differential equations. They arise naturally during the modeling of dynamic heat transfer processes. The presented approaches aim at developing finite-dimensional system descriptions for the design of various open-loop, closed-loop, and optimal control strategies as well as state, disturbance, and parameter estimation techniques. Here, the modeling is based on the method of integrodifferential relations, which can be employed to determine accurate, finite-dimensional sets of state equations by using projection techniques. These lead to a finite element representation of the distributed parameter system. Where applicable, these finite element models are combined with finite volume representations to describe storage variables that are—with good accuracy—homogeneous over sufficiently large space domains. The advantage of this combination is keeping the computational complexity as low as possible. Under these prerequisites, real-time applicable control algorithms are derived and validated via simulation and experiment for a laboratory-scale heat transfer system at the Chair of Mechatronics at the University of Rostock. This benchmark system consists of a metallic rod that is equipped with a finite number of Peltier elements which are used either as distributed control inputs, allowing active cooling and heating, or as spatially distributed disturbance inputs.


2010 ◽  
Vol 177 ◽  
pp. 407-410
Author(s):  
Xi Bao Li ◽  
Jian Wang ◽  
Xiao Hua Yu ◽  
Hong Xing Gu ◽  
Gang Qin Shao

NiO-YSZ (NiO-yttria stabilized zirconia, 3:2, wt.%) and samaria doped ceria (SDC) tapes were prepared by aqueous tape casting. NiO-YSZ anode-supported SDC film electrolyte half-cell was fabricated by laminating and co-sintering at 1400°C for 2 h. The single cell was prepared after LSCF-SDC (lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite-SDC, 1:1, wt.%) cathode was coated on the electrolyte surface and sintered at 1300 °C for 2 h. The discharge performance of the single cell was tested from 500 °C to 800 °C at different H2 flow rate. Results showed that the relationship between current (I) of and H2 flow rate (ν) was I = 8 × 106 ν. Before reaching the threshold value of H2 flow rate, the current density of single cell increased with the increasing of H2 flow rate. However, the current density did not change with increasing of H2 flow rate over the threshold value. The open circuit voltage (OCV) of single cell at 500°C, 600°C, 700°C, 800°C was 0.978, 0.921, 0.861, 0.803 V, respectively. The maximum power density reached 93.03 mW/cm2 at 800°C. The resistance of interface layer between Ni-YSZ anode and SDC electrolyte was the key impact on the power density.


Author(s):  
Chi-Rong Liu ◽  
Hsin-Yi Shih

The purpose of this study is to investigate the combustion and emission characteristics of syngas fuels applied in a micro gas turbine, which is originally designed for a natural gas fired engine. The computation results were conducted by a numerical model, which consists of the three-dimension compressible k–ε model for turbulent flow and PPDF (presumed probability density function) model for combustion process. As the syngas is substituted for methane, the fuel flow rate and the total heat input to the combustor from the methane/syngas blended fuels are varied with syngas compositions and syngas substitution percentages. The computed results presented the syngas substitution effects on the combustion and emission characteristics at different syngas percentages (up to 90%) for three typical syngas compositions and the conditions where syngas applied at fixed fuel flow rate and at fixed heat input were examined. Results showed the flame structures varied with different syngas substitution percentages. The high temperature regions were dense and concentrated on the core of the primary zone for H2-rich syngas, and then shifted to the sides of the combustor when syngas percentages were high. The NOx emissions decreased with increasing syngas percentages, but NOx emissions are higher at higher hydrogen content at the same syngas percentage. The CO2 emissions decreased for 10% syngas substitution, but then increased as syngas percentage increased. Only using H2-rich syngas could produce less carbon dioxide. The detailed flame structures, temperature distributions, and gas emissions of the combustor were presented and compared. The exit temperature distributions and pattern factor (PF) were also discussed. Before syngas fuels are utilized as an alternative fuel for the micro gas turbine, further experimental testing is needed as the modeling results provide a guidance for the improved designs of the combustor.


Author(s):  
B. A. Haberman ◽  
A. J. Marquis

A typical segmented-in-series tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) consists of flattened ceramic support tubes with rows of electrochemical cells fabricated on their outer surfaces connected in series. It is desirable to design this type of SOFC to operate with a uniform electrolyte current density distribution to make the most efficient use of the available space and possibly to help minimize the onset of cell component degradation. Predicting the electrolyte current density distribution requires an understanding of the many physical and electrochemical processes occurring, and these are simulated using the newly developed SOHAB multiphysics computer code. Of particular interest is the interaction between the current flow within the cells and the consumption of fuel from an adjacent internal gas supply channel. Initial simulations showed that in the absence of fuel consumption, ionic current tends to concentrate near the leading edge of each electrolyte. Further simulations that included fuel consumption showed that the choice of fuel flow direction can have a strong effect on the current flow distribution. The electrolyte current density distribution is biased toward the upstream fuel flow direction because ionic current preferentially flows in regions rich in fuel. Thus the correct choice of fuel flow direction can lead to more uniform electrolyte current density distributions, and hence it is an important design consideration for tubular segmented-in-series SOFCs. Overall, it was found that the choice of fuel flow direction has a negligible effect on the output voltage of the fuel cells.


Author(s):  
Gu Shan-Jian ◽  
Yang Mao-Lin ◽  
Li Xiang-Yi

A method to measure the fuel distribution and the percentage of fuel flow rate captured by a V-gutter flameholder in a high speed airstream has been developed. The effects of configuration and size of the probe and temprature of the sample mixture in the probe on measurement have been investigated. The detailed determination of isokinetic sampling condition is described. The effects of V-gutter geometry on flowfield have been considered. The total experimental error is of the order ±5%.


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