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Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions

Year 2005, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 103 - 113, 01.06.2005

Abstract

A typical approach to the synthesis/design optimization of energy systems is to only use steady state operation and high efficiency (or low total life cycle cost) at full load as the basis for the synthesis/design. Transient operation as reflected by changes in power demand, shut-down, and start-up are left as secondary tasks to be solved by system and control engineers once the synthesis/design is fixed. However, start-up and shut-down may be events that happen quite often and, thus, may be quite important in the creative process of developing the system. This is especially true for small power units used in transportation applications or for domestic energy supplies, where the load demand changes frequently and peaks in load of short duration are common. The duration of start-up is, of course, a major factor which must be considered since rapid system response is an important factor in determining the feasibility of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) based auxiliary power units (APUs). Start-up and shut-down may also significantly affect the life span of the system due to thermal stresses on all system components. Therefore, a proper balance must be struck between a fast response and the costs of owning and operating the system so that start-up or any other transient process can be accomplished in as short a time as possible yet with a minimum in fuel consumption.

In this research work we have been studying the effects of control laws and strategies and transients on system performance. The results presented in this paper are based on a set of transient models developed and implemented for the components of a 5 kWe net power SOFC based APU and for the high-fidelity system which results from their integration. The simulation results given below are for two different start-up approaches: one with steam recirculation and component pre-heating and the second without either. These start-up simulations were performed for fixed values of a number of system-level parameters (e.g., fuel utilization, steam-to-methane ratio, etc.) and were used to generate sufficient information to permit the development of appropriate control strategies for this critical operating point. These strategies are based on a balance between fuel consumption and response time. In addition, energy buffering hardware was added to the system configuration in order to minimize the effects of transients on fuel cell stack performance and lifetime.

References

  • Bodrov, N. M., Apel’baum, L. O., and Tem-kin, M. I., 1964, in Murray, A. P. and Snyder, T. S. (Editors), “Steam-Methane Reformer Kinetic Computer Model with Heat Transfer and Geometry Options”, Industrial Engineering Chemical Process Design and Development, Vol. 24, No. 2, p. 289.
  • Incropera, F. P., and DeWitt, D. P., 1990, Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 3rd edition, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York.
  • Kakaç, S. and Liu, H., 1998, Heat exchangers: Selection, Rating, and Thermal Design, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
  • Kays, W. M. and London, A. L., 1998, Com-pact Heat Exchangers, Krieger Publishing Co., Malabar, FL.
  • Keiski, R. L., Desponds, O., Chang, Y. –F., and Somorjai, G. A., 1993, “Kinetics of the Wa-terGas Shift Reaction over Several Alkane Activation and Water-Gas Shift Catalysts”, Applied Catalysis A, Vol. 101, No. 2, pp. 317-338, Aug.
  • Mazumder, S. K., Acharya K., Burra R., Haynes C., Willian R., von Spakovsky M. R., Rancruel D. F., Nelson D., Hertvigsen J., Elangovan S.,
  • Mckintyre, C., Herbison D., 2003, “An Investigation to Resolve the Interaction Between Fuel Cell, Power Conditioning System And Application Loads”. Topical report, U.S. Department of Energy, Cooperative Agreement Number: DE-FC26-02NT41574, October.
  • Mazumder, S.K., Pradhan, S, Hartvigsen, J., von Spakovsky, M. R., Rancruel, D., 2005, “Effects of Battery Buffering and Inverter Modu-lation on the Post Load-Transient Performance of a Planar Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell,” IEEE Transac-tions on Energy Conversion, IEEE, in press.
  • Mazumder, S.K., von Spakovsky, M.R., Haynes, C., Acharya, K., Rancruel, D., Williams, R., Nelson, D., Gemmen, R.S., Hertvigsen, J., 2004, “Solid-Oxide-Fuel-Cell Performance and Durability: Resolution of the Effects of PowerConditioning Systems and Application Loads,” IEEE Transactions, IEEE Power Electronics Society, vol. 4, no. 5, pp 1263-1278, September. Pradhan, S, Mazumder, S.K., Rancruel, D., von Spakovsky, M.R., Hollist, M., Hartvigsen, J.,
  • Kahleel, M., 2005, “A Modeling Framework for Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell based Power Conditioning System for Vehicular APUs,” IEEE Transactions, IEEE Power Electronics Society, special issue on Automotive Power Electronics & Motor Drives, in press.
  • Rancruel, D. F., 2005, “Dynamic Synthesis/Design and Operation/Control Optimization Approach Applied to a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions,” Ph.D. dissertation, advisor: M. R. von Spakovsky, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, February.
  • Rancruel, D. F., von Spakovsky, M. R., 2004, “Investigation of the Control Strategy Development Using an Integrated Model of a SOFC Based APU under Transient Conditions,” International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition – IMECE’2004, ASME Paper No. 62372, N.Y., N.Y., November.
  • Rancruel, D. F., von Spakovsky, M. R., 2005, “Development and Application of a Dynamic Decomposition Strategy for the Optimal Synthesis/Design and Operational/Control of a SOFC Based APU under Transient Conditions,” International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition – IMECE’2005, ASME Paper No. IMECE2005-82986, N.Y., N.Y., November.
  • Shah, R. S., 1981, “Compact Heat Exchanger Design Procedure”, in Kakaç, S., Bergles, A. E., and Mayinger, F. (Editors), Heat Exchangers, Thermal-Hydraulic Fundamentals and Design, Hemisphere Publishing Corporation, Washington, pp. 495-536.
Year 2005, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 103 - 113, 01.06.2005

Abstract

References

  • Bodrov, N. M., Apel’baum, L. O., and Tem-kin, M. I., 1964, in Murray, A. P. and Snyder, T. S. (Editors), “Steam-Methane Reformer Kinetic Computer Model with Heat Transfer and Geometry Options”, Industrial Engineering Chemical Process Design and Development, Vol. 24, No. 2, p. 289.
  • Incropera, F. P., and DeWitt, D. P., 1990, Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 3rd edition, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York.
  • Kakaç, S. and Liu, H., 1998, Heat exchangers: Selection, Rating, and Thermal Design, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
  • Kays, W. M. and London, A. L., 1998, Com-pact Heat Exchangers, Krieger Publishing Co., Malabar, FL.
  • Keiski, R. L., Desponds, O., Chang, Y. –F., and Somorjai, G. A., 1993, “Kinetics of the Wa-terGas Shift Reaction over Several Alkane Activation and Water-Gas Shift Catalysts”, Applied Catalysis A, Vol. 101, No. 2, pp. 317-338, Aug.
  • Mazumder, S. K., Acharya K., Burra R., Haynes C., Willian R., von Spakovsky M. R., Rancruel D. F., Nelson D., Hertvigsen J., Elangovan S.,
  • Mckintyre, C., Herbison D., 2003, “An Investigation to Resolve the Interaction Between Fuel Cell, Power Conditioning System And Application Loads”. Topical report, U.S. Department of Energy, Cooperative Agreement Number: DE-FC26-02NT41574, October.
  • Mazumder, S.K., Pradhan, S, Hartvigsen, J., von Spakovsky, M. R., Rancruel, D., 2005, “Effects of Battery Buffering and Inverter Modu-lation on the Post Load-Transient Performance of a Planar Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell,” IEEE Transac-tions on Energy Conversion, IEEE, in press.
  • Mazumder, S.K., von Spakovsky, M.R., Haynes, C., Acharya, K., Rancruel, D., Williams, R., Nelson, D., Gemmen, R.S., Hertvigsen, J., 2004, “Solid-Oxide-Fuel-Cell Performance and Durability: Resolution of the Effects of PowerConditioning Systems and Application Loads,” IEEE Transactions, IEEE Power Electronics Society, vol. 4, no. 5, pp 1263-1278, September. Pradhan, S, Mazumder, S.K., Rancruel, D., von Spakovsky, M.R., Hollist, M., Hartvigsen, J.,
  • Kahleel, M., 2005, “A Modeling Framework for Planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell based Power Conditioning System for Vehicular APUs,” IEEE Transactions, IEEE Power Electronics Society, special issue on Automotive Power Electronics & Motor Drives, in press.
  • Rancruel, D. F., 2005, “Dynamic Synthesis/Design and Operation/Control Optimization Approach Applied to a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions,” Ph.D. dissertation, advisor: M. R. von Spakovsky, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, February.
  • Rancruel, D. F., von Spakovsky, M. R., 2004, “Investigation of the Control Strategy Development Using an Integrated Model of a SOFC Based APU under Transient Conditions,” International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition – IMECE’2004, ASME Paper No. 62372, N.Y., N.Y., November.
  • Rancruel, D. F., von Spakovsky, M. R., 2005, “Development and Application of a Dynamic Decomposition Strategy for the Optimal Synthesis/Design and Operational/Control of a SOFC Based APU under Transient Conditions,” International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition – IMECE’2005, ASME Paper No. IMECE2005-82986, N.Y., N.Y., November.
  • Shah, R. S., 1981, “Compact Heat Exchanger Design Procedure”, in Kakaç, S., Bergles, A. E., and Mayinger, F. (Editors), Heat Exchangers, Thermal-Hydraulic Fundamentals and Design, Hemisphere Publishing Corporation, Washington, pp. 495-536.
There are 14 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Regular Original Research Article
Authors

Diego Rancruel This is me

Michael Von Spakovsky

Publication Date June 1, 2005
Published in Issue Year 2005 Volume: 8 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Rancruel, D., & Von Spakovsky, M. (2005). Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions. International Journal of Thermodynamics, 8(2), 103-113.
AMA Rancruel D, Von Spakovsky M. Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions. International Journal of Thermodynamics. June 2005;8(2):103-113.
Chicago Rancruel, Diego, and Michael Von Spakovsky. “Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions”. International Journal of Thermodynamics 8, no. 2 (June 2005): 103-13.
EndNote Rancruel D, Von Spakovsky M (June 1, 2005) Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions. International Journal of Thermodynamics 8 2 103–113.
IEEE D. Rancruel and M. Von Spakovsky, “Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions”, International Journal of Thermodynamics, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 103–113, 2005.
ISNAD Rancruel, Diego - Von Spakovsky, Michael. “Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions”. International Journal of Thermodynamics 8/2 (June 2005), 103-113.
JAMA Rancruel D, Von Spakovsky M. Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions. International Journal of Thermodynamics. 2005;8:103–113.
MLA Rancruel, Diego and Michael Von Spakovsky. “Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions”. International Journal of Thermodynamics, vol. 8, no. 2, 2005, pp. 103-1.
Vancouver Rancruel D, Von Spakovsky M. Investigation of the Start-up Strategy for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Unit under Transient Conditions. International Journal of Thermodynamics. 2005;8(2):103-1.