Analysis of the control structures for an integrated ethanol processor for proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems

Biset, S.; Deglioumini, L. Nieto; Basualdo, Marta; García, Vanesa M.; Serra, Maria

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.12.099

Cited by 21 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…A similar system has been proposed, with reformate purification from CO based on preferential oxidation and attention to the control logic and heat integration [6][7][8]. On a completely different scale, the technical feasibility of using existing steam reforming and hydrogen separation technologies to produce hydrogen from bioethanol at industrial level (100,000 Nm 3 /h) has been explored [9].…”

Section: -Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Process simulation and optimization of H2 production from ethanol steam reforming and its use in fuel cells. 2. Process analysis and optimization

Rossetti

Compagnoni

Torli

2015

Chemical Engineering Journal

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The feasibility of power cogeneration through fuel cells using bioethanol with different concentration has been considered. Data and layout have been inspired by an existing unit Helbio, GH2 -BE-5000 (5 kWelectrical + 5 kWthermal) system for combined heat and power generation (CHP). The system is constituted by six reactors connected in series for hydrogen production and purification and by a fuel cell of the mentioned capacity.To evaluate process efficiency and the possibility to operate with diluted bioethanol feed, characterized by lower purification cost, different process layouts have been tested. Particular attention is paid to the intensification of the heat exchange network, to increase the overall plant efficiency. Heat supply to the steam reformer has been accomplished by burning part of the reformate, since diluted ethanol is not suitable to feed the burner as in the experimental process layout.The water/ethanol feeding ratio has been taken as major parameter for simulation. An increase of this variable improved H2 yield due to promotion of the water gas shift reaction and lower impact of the hydrogen-consuming methanation step. However, higher heat input was required by the reformer, implying the delivery of a higher fraction of the reformate to 1 Corresponding author: fax 0039-02-50314300; email ilenia.rossetti@unimi.it the burner instead than to the fuel cell. This means lower electric output and efficiency.However, the presence of a high enthalpy steam exhaust increased the available thermal output, with consequent increase of the thermal and overall efficiency of the plant.Keywords: Bio-ethanol steam reforming; Process simulation; H2 production; Fuel cells. -INTRODUCTIONIn order to find out alternative routes for the co-generation of heat and power (CHP) from renewable sources, different strategies have been proposed. Among these, H2 production from bioethanol, coupled to fuel cells raised considerable attention in recent years [1][2][3]. In addition, highly innovative solutions for the production of second generation biofuels are becoming available, leading to environmentally, ethically and economically sustainable bioethanol. The economical plan proposed by Biochemtex, for instance, is based on 0.3 euro/L for the production of lignocellulosic anhydrous bioethanol [4].A 250 W system based on authothermal reformer and a fuel cell stack has been studied [5].A minimum amount of process controls and little internal heat integration kept system architecture simple, as required for portable applications, at difference with the presently studied system, in which heat integration was part of the optimization. Indeed, for stationary applications the increase of efficiency is seen as a predominant factor with respect to simplification.A similar system has been proposed, with reformate purification from CO based on preferential oxidation and attention to the control logic and heat integration [6][7][8]. On a completely different scale, the technical feasibility of using existing steam reforming and...

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Section: -Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Process simulation and optimization of H2 production from ethanol steam reforming and its use in fuel cells. 2. Process analysis and optimization

Rossetti

Compagnoni

Torli

2015

Chemical Engineering Journal

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“…Because the supercapacitor current loop is much faster than the dc-link voltage loop [so that it can be considered as a pure unity gain, see (6)], the open-loop transfer function associated …”

Section: Performance Comparison Between Nonlinear Control Based Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to recent works on FC characteristics [6]- [9], the specific properties of FCs that result in a delayed output power response are related to processing time through subsidiary equipments, and slow internal electrochemical and thermodynamic characteristics. Therefore, in order to supply electric power to fluctuating loads via the hybrid system of the FC, an electric energy storage system is needed to compensate the gap between the output from the FC and the load, in addition to collaborative load sharing.…”

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confidence: 99%

Analysis of Differential Flatness-Based Control for a Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Source

Thounthong

Pierfederici

Davat

2010

IEEE Trans. Energy Convers.

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Abstract-This paper presents an innovative control law for distributed dc generation supplied by a fuel cell (FC) (main source) and supercapacitor (auxiliary source). This kind of system is a multiconverter structure and exhibits nonlinear behavior. The operation of a multiconverter structure can lead to interactions between the controls of the converters if they are designed separately. Typically, interactions between converters are studied using impedance criteria to investigate the stability of cascaded systems. In this paper, a nonlinear control algorithm based on the flatness properties of the system is proposed. Flatness provides a convenient framework for meeting a number of performance specifications for the hybrid power source. Using the flatness property, we propose simple solutions to hybrid energy management and stabilization problems. The design controller parameters are autonomous of the operating point; moreover, interactions between converters are taken into account by the controllers, and high dynamics in disturbance rejection is achieved. To validate the proposed method, a hardware system is realized with analog circuits, and digital estimation is accomplished with a dSPACE controller. Experimental results with small-scale devices (a polymer electrolyte membrane FC of 1200 W, 46 A and a supercapacitor module of 100 F, 500 A, and 32 V) in a laboratory corroborate the excellent control scheme during a motor-drive cycle.

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“…In [8] the authors perform a controllability analysis on the ESR in order to determine the best input-output pairing for PIDs controllers while [9] performs this controllability analysis in terms of the global plant with plantwide global efficiency objectives. Although control structures are given in both cases, any controllers are designed for the closed-loop.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of optimization-based controllers applied to an ethanol steam reformer for hydrogen production

Recio-Garrido

Ocampo‐Martínez

Serra‐Prat

2012

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

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This paper focuses on the control of a low-temperature ethanol steam reformer for in-situ hydrogen production. For this purpose, three optimization-based control configurations are proposed, namely, a linear model-based predictive controller, a linear quadratic regulator with output error integral action and a cascade control combining the two previous configurations. In all cases, control objectives aim at obtaining the desired flow of hydrogen while keeping the carbon monoxide at its nominal working point under input and output operational constraints. Output tracking and robustness of each configuration are compared using two key performance indicators that evaluate the output errors and the smoothness of the control signals. Simulation results allow to compare the characteristics of each control configuration when applied to the non-linear model of the ethanol steam reformer.

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Analysis of the control structures for an integrated ethanol processor for proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems

Cited by 21 publications

References 12 publications

Process simulation and optimization of H2 production from ethanol steam reforming and its use in fuel cells. 2. Process analysis and optimization

Process simulation and optimization of H2 production from ethanol steam reforming and its use in fuel cells. 2. Process analysis and optimization

Analysis of Differential Flatness-Based Control for a Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Source

Design of optimization-based controllers applied to an ethanol steam reformer for hydrogen production

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