Abstract
In this study, the design and simulation of a combination of a photovoltaic (PV) array with an alkaline electrolyzer is performed to maximize the production of hydrogen as a reliable power resource. Detailed electrical model of PV system, as long as thermal and electrochemical model of electrolyzer is used. Since an electrolyzer is a non-linear load, its coupling with PV systems to get the best power transfer is very important. Solar irradiation calculations were done for the region of Miami (FL, USA), giving an optimal surface slope of 25.7° for the PV array. The size of the PV array is optimized, considering maximum hydrogen production and minimum excess power production in a diurnal operation of a system using the imperialistic competitive algorithm (ICA). The results show that for a 10 kW alkaline electrolyzer, a PV array with a nominal power of 12.3 kW The results show that 12.3 kW photvoltaic system can be utilized for supplying a 10 kW electrolyzer. Hydrogen production and Faraday efficiency of the system are 697.21 mol and 0.3905 mol, respectively.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Energies |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1541108. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | 1541108 |
Keywords
- Advanced alkaline electrolyzer
- Hydrogen storage
- Imperialistic competitive algorithm (ICA)
- Photovoltaic (PV)
