An imperialist competitive algorithm approach for multi-objective optimization of direct coupling photovoltaic-electrolyzer systems (original) (raw)
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Directly Coupled Photovoltaic-Electrolyzer System Optimization Using a Novel ICA Methodology
Hydrogen is considered to be the fuel of the future. It is a cleaner alternative to the fossil fuels we consume every day. Of all the different hydrogen production pathways that exist, producing the gas by utilizing the power generated by renewable energy sources has been a topic of interest for many researchers across the world. The following work focuses on minimizing the energy loss by optimizing the size and the operating conditions of an electrolyzer directly connected to a photovoltaic (PV) module at different irradiance. The hydrogen, in the proposed system, is produced using a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. A nonlinear method is considered, because of the complexity of the system and the variation in maximum power points (MPP) of the PV module throughout the year. A generic model has been also developed to determine the performance of photovoltaic-electrolyzer (PV/EL) system. Additionally, a whole year weather data set is employed to estimate annual electricity generation, I-V curves and MPPs of the PV module.
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Hydrogen is an important storage medium and can be produced by the water electrolysis. In this research, energy transfer loss between a photovoltaic (PV) unit and electrolyzer is minimized by optimizing the size and operating condition of an electrolyzer directly connected to a PV module. In directly coupled photovoltaic-electrolyzer (PV/EL) systems, there is a mismatch between output PV's maximum power point characteristic and input PEM electrolyzer's characteristic. With proper sizing optimization methods, it is possible to directly couple photovoltaic-electrolyzer systems. The evolutionary optimization algorithms like genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) are ideal for handling this kind of problems due to nonlinear behavior of the system during a year. However, each algorithm has its own advantages and disadvantages. In this paper a PV/EL system is simulated and then comparisons among the three evolutionary algorithms are presented for optimization of the system; in terms of processing time, convergence speed, and quality of the results. Based on the comparative analysis, the performance of the algorithms differs in various aspects which make them more or less best suited for such a kind of problem.
2016 IEEE/IAS 52nd Industrial and Commercial Power Systems Technical Conference (I&CPS), 2016
Power electronics-based electrolyzer systems are prevalently in current use. This paper proposes the more recently employed directly coupled photovoltaic (PV) electrolyzer systems. Equipped with accurate electrical models of the advanced alkaline electrolyzer, PV system and Hydrogen storage tank simulated using MATLAB, the system's performance for a full week is analyzed using Miami, Florida's meteorological data. A multi-level Genetic Algorithm (GA)based optimization facilitates maximum hydrogen production, minimum excess power generation, and minimum energy transfer loss. The crucial effect of temperature on the overall system performance is also accounted for by optimizing this parameter using GA, maintaining operating conditions close to the Maximum Power Point (MPP) of the PV array. The results of the analysis have been documented to show that the optimal system for a 10 kW electrolyzer can produce, on an average, Hydrogen of 0.0176 mol/s, when the system is operating with 6.3% power loss and 2.4% power transfer loss.
Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy, 2017
The rising demand for high-density power storage systems such as hydrogen, combined with renewable power production systems, has led to the design of optimal power production and storage systems. In this study, a wind and photovoltaic (PV) hybrid electrolyzer system, which maximizes the hydrogen production for a diurnal operation of the system, is designed and simulated. The operation of the system is optimized using imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA). The objective of this optimization is to combine the PV array and wind turbine (WT) in a way that, for minimized average excess power generation, maximum hydrogen would be produced. Actual meteorological data of Miami is used for simulations. A framework of the advanced alkaline electrolyzer with the detailed electrochemical model is used. This optimal system comprises a PV module with a power of 7.9 kW and a WT module with a power of 11 kW. The rate of hydrogen production is 0.0192 mol/s; an average Faraday efficiency of 86.9 percent. The electrolyzer works with 53.7 percent of its nominal power. The availability of the wind for longer periods of time reflects the greater contribution of WT in comparison with PV towards the overall throughput of the system.
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Hydrogen is a flexible energy carrier and storage medium and can be generated by electrolysis of water. In this research, hydrogen generation is maximized by optimizing the optimal sizing and operating condition of an electrolyzer directly connected to a PV module. The method presented here is based on Particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO). The hydrogen, in this study, was produced using a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. The required power was supplied by a photovoltaic module rated at 80 watt. In order to optimize Hydrogen generation, the cell number of the electrolyser and its activity must be 9 and 3, respectively. As a result, it is possible to closely match the electrolyzer polarization curve to the curve connecting PV system's maximum power points at different irradiation levels.
PV-Electrolyzer Plant: Models and Optimization Procedure
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The work focused on the analysis of the connection between a photovoltaic (PV) plant and an electrolyzer for hydrogen production. On the basis of PV-plant and electrolyzer experimental data, the effectiveness of the models adopted in the simulation program has been verified in order to choose the best model and, eventually, modify some parameters. By running the simulations, the procedure to optimize the PV-plant and the electrolyzer combination has been established. In fact, the simulation results might be considered to size an electrolyzer as small as possible, which is able to exploit up to the maximum power actually produced by the PV-plant during a working year. This criterion allows minimizing the overall plant costs. Furthermore, the possibility of deleting the maximum power point tracker and the dc/dc converter has been analyzed. On the basis of the obtained results, this opportunity is preferable to avoid the energy losses in the power control system; and it is convenient even from an economic point of view, considering that the electronic device costs are comparable with the PV-plant ones.
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2014
Hydrogen as a clean energy carrier for solar energy can be produced by using photovoltaicelectrolyser (PVE) direct-coupling system that is well known as a kind of simple and low investment but unstable system for solar energy conversion. The key to improve hydrogen yield of a direct-coupling system is to keep its working points around maximum power point (MPP) of photovoltaic (PV) modules. The coupling of three different connection patterns of six PV modules with one electrolyser were investigated in summer, autumn and winter, three typical seasons in a year, to seek the optimum arrangement for higher system efficiency in Beijing (116 E, 40 N). A corresponding mathematics model of the system is applied to simulate and analyze the instantaneous efficiency of the system, which agreed well with the experimental results. The variation rate of the system instantaneous efficiency varies with the solar irradiation intensity, the ambient temperature and the resistance of the electrolyser. The working point that distinguishes the variation trends of the system efficiency is called the efficiency changing point (ECP). The author use a parameter V/V m , the ratio between the voltage of the working point to the voltage of the maximum power point, to analyze the respective ECP of each factor above. It can be concluded that the variation rate of system instantaneous efficiency changes little with the above factors when the value of V/V m of working point is smaller than that of the ECP and is sensitive to those factors when the value of V/V m is larger than that of the ECP. Following the annual historical climate data in Beijing, the result of the annual analysis is that the best scheme for the experiment system with a 1 m 2 PV panel covering 1.05 m 2 areas of ground can convert 78.4 kWh of solar energy to hydrogen energy in 2012.
Optimization of PV-Hydrogen Electrolyzes System
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In this work, an electrolyze system is considered to produce Hydrogen (H 2) using photovoltaic (PV) panels. The system was experimentally installed and tested under the weather conditions of Cairo. Many PV modules with different specifications of current and voltage were tested for individual loads. One of PV modules that have the maximum current with minimum voltage can produce the highest amount of Hydrogen. In addition, the parameters of (KOH) concentration in water and the apart-distance between the electrodes were studied. The apart-distance of 5 cm between the electrodes was found as optimized distance that produces more H 2 quantity. Moreover, a H 2-cell of 20×15×13 cm 3 has higher H 2 production than the size of 6×6×24 cm 3 , 24×6×24 cm 3 and 24×24×24 cm 3 cells. It is obtained that the optimal system that considers the above efficient conditions must have a PV module with high current and small voltage.
Optimization of Direct Coupling Solar PV Panel and Advanced Alkaline Electrolyzer System
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In this paper, mathematical model and simulation for optimization of direct coupling solar photovoltaic (PV) panel and advanced alkaline electrolyzer is presented. The simulation models related the PV panel and the advanced alkaline electrolyzer are constructed in MATLAB Simulink environment. Results related power-voltage characteristics and the current-voltage characteristics of both systems have been presented. Simulation studies were carried out at different operating temperatures (40, 60 and 80°C) for the advanced alkaline electrolyzer. It was observed that the operating voltage that corresponds to 80°C results in the smallest operating voltage compared to the other two operating temperatures. The results show that the difference in operating temperatures did not have any significant effect on Faraday's efficiency of the electrolysis process. However, Faraday's efficiency increases sharply to a maximum of about 98% at current density of 90mA/cm 2. At solar irradiance of 1000W/m 2 , the PV was observed to produce a maximum power of about 60W. This power was matched against the voltage requirement of the advanced alkaline electrolyzer. The number of cells of the advanced alkaline electrolyzer was varied to give an optimum number of cells that can match the available power from the PV. In conclusion it was observed that the I-V curve of 10 cells intersected at the maximum power output of the PV generator. The overall results show that the hydrogen production increased as the MPPT efficiency is increased.