Activities at the Brookhaven National Laboratory integrated test bed for advanced hydrogen technology

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6839412

Metz, P D; Leigh, R W

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is developing an Integrated Test Bed to illustrate renewable energy-based hydrogen energy systems. A coordinated program of system testing, computer simulation, and economic analysis has been developed to characterize and optimize these systems. The first phase of this effort investigates the use of solar energy to produce hydrogen from water via photovoltaic-powered electrolysis. After briefly describing the activities planned for the facility and the photovoltaic-electrolyzer system now in place, this paper presents a synopsis of the results of recent transient simulations of PV-electrolyzer systems. The transient simulation program TRNSYS was used, with existing, modified, or new component subroutines as required. Innovative features of the modeling include the use of real weather data, and detailed simulation of system control strategies over a wide range of array power and voltage ratings. For directly coupled systems, we found the PV array power and voltage ratings. For directly coupled systems, we found the PV array voltage which maximizes hydrogen production to be quite near the nominal electrolyzer voltage for a wide range of PV array powers. The use of an ideal (100% efficient) maximum power tracking system provides only a six percent increase in annual hydrogen production. 11 references, 6 figures.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6839412
• Report Number(s): BNL-34391; CONF-840702-6; ON: DE84010226
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
080101* -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Electrolysis
14 SOLAR ENERGY
140600 -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONVERSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROLYTIC CELLS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY CONVERSION
EQUIPMENT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
LYSIS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POWER SUPPLIES
SIMULATION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TEST FACILITIES
WATER