Control System for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Hybrid Systems

The aim of this work is the development and testing of a control system for solid oxide fuel cell hybrid systems through dynamic simulation. Because of the complexity of these cycles, several parameters, such as the turbine rotational speed, the temperatures within the fuel cell, the differential pressure between the anodic and the cathodic side, the Steam-To-Carbon Ratio, need to be monitored and kept within safe limits. On the other hand, the system response to load variations is required to be as quick as possible in order to meet the energy demand. The plant component models and their integration were carried out in previous works. This paper focuses on the control strategy to regulate the net electrical power from the hybrid system, avoiding malfunctions or damage. Once the control system had been developed, its performance was evaluated simulating the transient behavior of the whole hybrid cycle: the results for several operating conditions are presented and discussed.