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PHOTOVOLTAIC / FUEL CELL HYBRID SYSTEM FOR SELF-SUPPORTING ENERGY

Project financed from „Research of Excellence Program”

Contract no. 195 / 2006
Contractor: AMCSIT – POLITEHNICA
Contractant: INCDIE ICPE-CA

ABSTRACT

        The tendency towards decentralized electricity production in Europe is reinforced by an increasing number of regulations which require the use of waste heat produced during electricity production, to improve the overall efficiency, and which require small electricity producers to have access to transmission systems.  Fuel cells (FC) and Photovoltaic (PV) can play a major role in this increasing sector, as they provide high electric efficiencies, an advantage in the characteristic low thermal to electrical energy requirement of this sector. In Romania, there is an urgent need to create a competence and train a critical skill base of researchers that have the capability to take forward R&TD future programmes regarding the alternative energy technology, in industry and academia. Without this skill base, there is a real risk for Romania to be in a situation of importing the alternative energy systems for sustainable energy consumption.
        The project is going to promote the implementation of an integrated PV-FC system as a self-power supplying module, into a research institute such as INCDIE ICPE-CA, through a series of scientific and technically targeted demonstration activities, in order to open new opportunities for a large scale implementation of the renewable energy systems into local communities, with regard of self-power buildings, agricultural and industrial stationary applications.
The project is technically innovative in that it pioneers new protocols for enabling buildings PV-FC hybrid energy systems to be linked to the low-voltage grid of the local energy utilities, helping to break down both related technical and non-technical barriers in many regions. The project offers an innovative source of knowledge and training for educational and cultural organizations and developing a long distance operational virtual laboratory for alternative energy sources.
The consortium is very well addressed and is based on very experienced partners on targeted activities. Together, the involved partners have expertise in a wide range of disciplinary fields. As example, the CO – INCDIE ICPE-CA has a national and international recognized experience in managing projects for electrical engineering, materials science and fuel cell technology. Partner P1 – UVT has an extensive experience in training and education for electrical engineering and especially photovoltaics. Partner P2 – BEIA is a Romanian partner of SIEMENS and has a good experience in electronic, acquisition data and monitorizing systems. Partner P3 – UPB-ENERG has a valuable experience in modelling the energetic sources, training and education and finally, the partner P4 – ELECTRICA SERV is the technical branch of the main electricity provider in Romania. It is the strategic chosen partner and is the only one which can assure the best technology implementation, monitorizing and national grid-connection. All the previously obtained experience for each partner strengthened our confidence that the project objectives will be successfully accomplished. Consequently, the risk of not producing technical innovative achievements is extremely low or even non-existent.
The main benefits of the project are the experience gained in the system design, installation, and grid connection and monitoring protocols. The project is going to produce significant results in terms of lessons learnt and knowledge gained in addition to its most obvious benefit of producing clean, electrical energy. The project will bring a clear added value, knowledge and understanding regarding the photovoltaics, fuel cell systems, and hybrid PV-FC systems for producing energy, and also long-term new scientific and technical innovative achievements, which have not been described in patents or scientific articles so far.
        The project has a social, scientific, technical and economic impact. The significance of the social impact of the project was increased through the participation of the educational sector. A key ambition of the project is to raise public awareness of hybrid power systems technology and to modify social attitudes towards them by targeted, intelligent dissemination. New teaching programmes on renewable energies will be promoted in the educational centers of the project. Much of the success of the project, and perhaps its economic impact will be achieved by direct participation of a major industrial organization and energy supplier in Romania such as ELECTRICA SA by its technical branch ELECTRICA SERV.

S&T OBJECTIVES

• Analysis of the PV-FC hybrid systems for the functional model realization
• Installation, testing and optimization of the unitary energetic PV and FC systems
• Technical integration of the unitary PV and FC systems in a hybrid PV-FC-UCC system
• Technical evaluation and monitorization of the hybrid PV-FC system during continuous operation
• Functional demonstration of the PV-FC hybrid energetic system.
• Results valorification.

CONSORTIA

• INCDIE ICPE-CA – Coordinator,
Project Director: Dr. eng. Gimi A. RIMBU, E-mail: rimbu@icpe-ca.ro

• Universitatea “VALAHIA” Târgovişte- Departamentul de Cercetare Energie-Mediu
(UVT), Project Responsible: Prof.dr.eng. Nicolae OLARIU, E-mail: olariu@valahia.ro

• Beia Consult International (BEIA),
Project Responsible: Ec.ing. Marius ENACHE, E-mail: marius.enache@beia.ro

• Universitatea Politehnica din Bucuresti (UPB - ENERG)
Project Responsible: Prof.dr. Gheorghe LAZAROIU, E-mail: glazaroiu@yahoo.com

• SC Filiala de Intretinere si Sevicii Energetice Electrica Serv SA
(ELECTRICASERV), Project Responsible: Eng. Ion LINTE,
E-mail: ion.linte@electricaserv.ro

PROJECT INVOLVEMENT

•  Installation, testing and monitorization of the unitary energetic FC system
(Exclusive CO – INCDIE ICPE-CA)
The installation, testing and optimization of the unitary FC system will be realized at the INCDIE ICPPE-CA and the activity will be supported exclusively by the specialized staff of the CO. A PEM Fuel Cell system of 1kW will be installed and tested in variable conditions of temperatures, gas pressures and gas humidity in order of establishing the optimal conditions for continuous FC operation. The performing monitorization of the FC system will be done by the CO. For data acquisition and monitorization of the unitary FC will be used an ElectroChem Power Station Fuel Cell Test System with specialized software.

• Installation, testing and monitorization of the unitary energetic PV system
(Exclusive P1 – UVT)
The installation, testing and optimization of the unitary PV system will be also realized at the INCDIE ICPPE-CA and the activity will be supported exclusively by the specialized staff of the P1. A P PV system of 1kW will be designed and installed in variable configurations and tested in order of establishing the optimal design of PV for continuous operation. The performing monitorization of the PV system will be done by partner P1 – UVT. For the data acquisition and monitorization of the unitary PV module will be used a multiple analogical and digital SBC+ input controller with 3 temperature sensors type LM135A with specialized software.

•  Designing of the Control & Command Unit (UCC) and  long-distance monitorizing
SMCDD equipment (Exclusive P2 – BEIA)
For the power management of the hybrid PV-FC system, and monitorization of the working parameters by collecting and registering them, a control & command unit (UCC) will be designed, realized, integrated and tested by the partner P2.  The Partner BEIA is also designing and realizing a long-distance control & command monitorizing unit (SMCCD) for the concurrent “near real time” management of a local PV-FC system network. It has in role the monitorization and data acquisition from the all UCCs of a local network. By this system will be possible the realization a long-distance operated virtual laboratory.

• Integration of the unitary units in a hybrid energetic PV-FC system
(contribution of CO, P1 and P2)
The integration and performing monitorization of the system will be done by the CO together with the partner P1 – UVT and partner P2 – BEIA. For data acquisition and monitorization of the unitary FC will be used an ElectroChem Power Station Fuel Cell Test System with specialized software, supplied by CO. For data acquisition and monitorization of the unitary PV module will be used a multiple analogical and digital SBC+ input controller with 3 temperature sensors type LM135A with specialized software, supplied by partner P1. The partner P3 will support the integration of the UCC in the logic circuit of the hybrid system for the command and control process of the all functional parameters. Targeted software for data acquisition, management and monitorization will be developed and implemented by partner P3 also.

•  Theoretical modelling of the PV-FC hybrid system (Exclusive P3 – UPB-ENERG)
In order of establishing the best configuration of the PV-FC hybrid system, an integrative theoretical model of the PV, FC and UCC will be realized by partner P3 – UPB-ENERG. Also, a theoretical energetic model, based on the needed consume in a stationary location and the generated power of a 1kW unitary PV module and 1kW FC system, will be realized. The last model has the target of establishing the base of a future feasibility study for PV-FC system implementation.

•  Grid-power connexion of the PV-FC hybrid system and technical support
(Exclusive P4 – ELECTRICA SERV)
Partner P4 - ELECTRICA SERV is the technical branch of the main electricity provider in Romania. It is the strategic chosen partner and is the only one which can assure the best technology implementation, monitorizing and national grid-connection. The connexion will be realized by its high qualified staff. Moreover, the adjustment with the ROU/EU technical standards will be done also by the partner P4.

•  Evaluation and results valorification (contribution of CO, P1, P2 and P3)
At the end of project, based on the obtained results, the CO together with partner P1 and P2 will realize a feasibility study for the possibility of the INCDIE ICPE-CA replacement on the hybrid PV-FC based self-supporting energy system. This study will assure the base of a larger one, which will be supported by partner P3, with regard to analyze the opportunities for implementation and utilization of the PV-FC hybrid systems in the home, agricultural, tourist and/or industrial applications.