IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v12y2019i14p2792-d250077.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Better Fuel Economy by Optimizing Airflow of the Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Systems Using Fuel Flow-Based Load-Following Control

Author

Listed:
  • Nicu Bizon

    (Faculty of Electronics, Communication and Computers, University of Pitesti, 1 Targu din Vale, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
    University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Alin Gheorghita Mazare

    (Faculty of Electronics, Communication and Computers, University of Pitesti, 1 Targu din Vale, 110040 Pitesti, Romania)

  • Laurentiu Mihai Ionescu

    (Faculty of Electronics, Communication and Computers, University of Pitesti, 1 Targu din Vale, 110040 Pitesti, Romania)

  • Phatiphat Thounthong

    (Renewable Energy Research Centre (RERC), King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangkok 10800, Thailand)

  • Erol Kurt

    (Gazi University, Faculty of Technology, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 06500 Teknikokullar, Ankara, Turkey)

  • Mihai Oproescu

    (Faculty of Electronics, Communication and Computers, University of Pitesti, 1 Targu din Vale, 110040 Pitesti, Romania)

  • Gheorghe Serban

    (Faculty of Electronics, Communication and Computers, University of Pitesti, 1 Targu din Vale, 110040 Pitesti, Romania)

  • Ioan Lita

    (Faculty of Electronics, Communication and Computers, University of Pitesti, 1 Targu din Vale, 110040 Pitesti, Romania)

Abstract

In this paper, the results of the sensitivity analysis applied to a fuel cell hybrid power system using a fuel economy strategy is analyzed in order to select the best values of the parameters involved in fuel consumption optimization. The fuel economy strategy uses the fuel and air flow rates to efficiently operate the proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell (FC) system based on the load-following control and the global extremum seeking (GES) algorithm. The load-following control will ensure the charge-sustained mode for the batteries’ stack, improving its lifetime. The optimization function’s optimum, which is defined to improve the fuel economy, will be tracked in real-time by two GES algorithms that will generate the references for the controller of the boost DC-DC converter and air regulator. The optimization function and performance indicators (such as FC net power, FC electrical efficiency, fuel efficiency, and fuel economy) have a multimodal behavior in dithers’ frequency. Furthermore, the optimum in the considered range of frequencies depends on the load level. So, the best value could be selected as the frequency where the optimum is obtained for the most load levels. Considering a dither frequency of 100 Hz selected as the best value, the sensitivity analysis of the fuel economy is further analyzed for different values of the weighting parameter k eff , highlighting the multimodal feature in the parameters for the optimization function and fuel economy as well. A k eff value around of 20 lpm/W seems to give the best fuel economy in the full range of load.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicu Bizon & Alin Gheorghita Mazare & Laurentiu Mihai Ionescu & Phatiphat Thounthong & Erol Kurt & Mihai Oproescu & Gheorghe Serban & Ioan Lita, 2019. "Better Fuel Economy by Optimizing Airflow of the Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Systems Using Fuel Flow-Based Load-Following Control," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:14:p:2792-:d:250077
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/14/2792/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/14/2792/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bizon, Nicu, 2018. "Optimal operation of fuel cell/wind turbine hybrid power system under turbulent wind and variable load," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 196-209.
    2. Nicu Bizon & Mihai Oproescu, 2018. "Experimental Comparison of Three Real-Time Optimization Strategies Applied to Renewable/FC-Based Hybrid Power Systems Based on Load-Following Control," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-32, December.
    3. Bizon, Nicu, 2019. "Efficient fuel economy strategies for the Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Systems under variable renewable/load power profile," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Nicu Bizon & Valentin Alexandru Stan & Angel Ciprian Cormos, 2019. "Optimization of the Fuel Cell Renewable Hybrid Power System Using the Control Mode of the Required Load Power on the DC Bus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, May.
    5. Bizon, Nicu, 2013. "Energy efficiency for the multiport power converters architectures of series and parallel hybrid power source type used in plug-in/V2G fuel cell vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 726-734.
    6. Bizon, Nicu, 2012. "Energy efficiency of multiport power converters used in plug-in/V2G fuel cell vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 431-443.
    7. Ettihir, K. & Boulon, L. & Agbossou, K., 2016. "Optimization-based energy management strategy for a fuel cell/battery hybrid power system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 142-153.
    8. Bizon, Nicu, 2018. "Effective mitigation of the load pulses by controlling the battery/SMES hybrid energy storage system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 459-473.
    9. Bizon, Nicu, 2019. "Fuel saving strategy using real-time switching of the fueling regulators in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 1-1.
    10. Ramos-Paja, Carlos Andrés & Spagnuolo, Giovanni & Petrone, Giovanni & Mamarelis, Emilio, 2014. "A perturbation strategy for fuel consumption minimization in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: Analysis, Design and FPGA implementation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 21-32.
    11. Bizon, Nicu, 2016. "Global Maximum Power Point Tracking (GMPPT) of Photovoltaic array using the Extremum Seeking Control (ESC): A review and a new GMPPT ESC scheme," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 524-539.
    12. Bizon, Nicu, 2019. "Real-time optimization strategies of Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Systems based on Load-following control: A new strategy, and a comparative study of topologies and fuel economy obtained," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C), pages 444-460.
    13. Hou, Jun & Song, Ziyou & Park, Hyeongjun & Hofmann, Heath & Sun, Jing, 2018. "Implementation and evaluation of real-time model predictive control for load fluctuations mitigation in all-electric ship propulsion systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C), pages 62-77.
    14. Olatomiwa, Lanre & Mekhilef, Saad & Ismail, M.S. & Moghavvemi, M., 2016. "Energy management strategies in hybrid renewable energy systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 821-835.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Phatiphat Thounthong & Pongsiri Mungporn & Serge Pierfederici & Damien Guilbert & Nicu Bizon, 2020. "Adaptive Control of Fuel Cell Converter Based on a New Hamiltonian Energy Function for Stabilizing the DC Bus in DC Microgrid Applications," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-25, November.
    2. Phatiphat Thounthong & Matheepot Phattanasak & Damien Guilbert & Noureddine Takorabet & Serge Pierfederici & Babak Nahid-Mobarakeh & Nicu Bizon & Poom Kumam, 2020. "Differential Flatness Based-Control Strategy of a Two-Port Bidirectional Supercapacitor Converter for Hydrogen Mobility Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, June.
    3. Nicu Bizon & Phatiphat Thounthong, 2021. "A Simple and Safe Strategy for Improving the Fuel Economy of a Fuel Cell Vehicle," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-29, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nicu Bizon & Phatiphat Thounthong, 2021. "A Simple and Safe Strategy for Improving the Fuel Economy of a Fuel Cell Vehicle," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-29, March.
    2. Nicu Bizon & Mihai Oproescu, 2018. "Experimental Comparison of Three Real-Time Optimization Strategies Applied to Renewable/FC-Based Hybrid Power Systems Based on Load-Following Control," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-32, December.
    3. Bizon, Nicu, 2019. "Fuel saving strategy using real-time switching of the fueling regulators in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Nicu Bizon & Valentin Alexandru Stan & Angel Ciprian Cormos, 2019. "Optimization of the Fuel Cell Renewable Hybrid Power System Using the Control Mode of the Required Load Power on the DC Bus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, May.
    5. Bizon, Nicu, 2019. "Real-time optimization strategies of Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Systems based on Load-following control: A new strategy, and a comparative study of topologies and fuel economy obtained," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C), pages 444-460.
    6. Bizon, Nicu, 2019. "Efficient fuel economy strategies for the Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Systems under variable renewable/load power profile," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    7. Bizon, Nicu, 2019. "Hybrid power sources (HPSs) for space applications: Analysis of PEMFC/Battery/SMES HPS under unknown load containing pulses," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 14-37.
    8. Bizon, Nicu & Thounthong, Phatiphat, 2018. "Real-time strategies to optimize the fueling of the fuel cell hybrid power source: A review of issues, challenges and a new approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1089-1102.
    9. Nicu Bizon & Mircea Raceanu & Emmanouel Koudoumas & Adriana Marinoiu & Emmanuel Karapidakis & Elena Carcadea, 2020. "Renewable/Fuel Cell Hybrid Power System Operation Using Two Search Controllers of the Optimal Power Needed on the DC Bus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-26, November.
    10. Bizon, Nicu, 2017. "Energy optimization of fuel cell system by using global extremum seeking algorithm," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 458-474.
    11. Wang, Yujie & Sun, Zhendong & Chen, Zonghai, 2019. "Energy management strategy for battery/supercapacitor/fuel cell hybrid source vehicles based on finite state machine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    12. Raluca-Andreea Felseghi & Ioan Așchilean & Nicoleta Cobîrzan & Andrei Mircea Bolboacă & Maria Simona Raboaca, 2021. "Optimal Synergy between Photovoltaic Panels and Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Green Power Supply of a Green Building—A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, June.
    13. Kandidayeni, M. & Macias, A. & Boulon, L. & Kelouwani, S., 2020. "Investigating the impact of ageing and thermal management of a fuel cell system on energy management strategies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    14. Maria-Simona Răboacă & Irina Băncescu & Vasile Preda & Nicu Bizon, 2020. "An Optimization Model for the Temporary Locations of Mobile Charging Stations," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-20, March.
    15. Sun, Zhendong & Wang, Yujie & Chen, Zonghai & Li, Xiyun, 2020. "Min-max game based energy management strategy for fuel cell/supercapacitor hybrid electric vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    16. Ioan-Sorin Sorlei & Nicu Bizon & Phatiphat Thounthong & Mihai Varlam & Elena Carcadea & Mihai Culcer & Mariana Iliescu & Mircea Raceanu, 2021. "Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles—A Brief Review of Current Topologies and Energy Management Strategies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-29, January.
    17. Bizon, Nicu, 2018. "Optimal operation of fuel cell/wind turbine hybrid power system under turbulent wind and variable load," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 196-209.
    18. Lee, Sang C. & Kwon, Osung & Thomas, Sobi & Park, Sam & Choi, Gyeung-Ho, 2014. "Graphical and mathematical analysis of fuel cell/battery passive hybridization with K factors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 135-145.
    19. Sandoval, Cinda & Alvarado, Victor M. & Carmona, Jean-Claude & Lopez Lopez, Guadalupe & Gomez-Aguilar, J.F., 2017. "Energy management control strategy to improve the FC/SC dynamic behavior on hybrid electric vehicles: A frequency based distribution," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 407-418.
    20. Lopez Lopez, Guadalupe & Schacht Rodriguez, Ricardo & Alvarado, Victor M. & Gomez-Aguilar, J.F. & Mota, Juan E. & Sandoval, Cinda, 2017. "Hybrid PEMFC-supercapacitor system: Modeling and energy management in energetic macroscopic representation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 1478-1494.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:14:p:2792-:d:250077. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.