• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.556-566
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• 2019

Recently, as the supply of residential polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) increases, the durability and lifetime of the PEMFC system are becoming important. The related studies have been mainly focused on the durability and lifetime of materials while the research on the durability and maintenance of the system level is insufficient. In this paper, a model-based fault detection method is developed considering an air supply system that is dominant to the system performance and efficiency. A commercial 1 kW residential fuel cell system is built, and experiments are conducted under various operation loads and states (normal, 6 faults). From the experimental data, nominal models and residuals are generated. With the residual pattern obtained from real-time data, the detection and classification of various faults can be possible. The technical importance of this paper is to minimize extra sensor installation by using the empirical model rather than a complex mathematical model, and to decrease the number of models by using the applicable model at three loads. Finally, the model-based fault detection method for the air supply system of a PEMFC is established and is expected to be applicable to other subsystems.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.490-498
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• 2019

The intermittent electric power supply of renewable energy can have extremely negative effect on power grid, so long-term and large-scale storage for energy released from renewable energy source is required for ensuring a stable supply of electric power. Power to gas which can convert and store the surplus electric power as hydrogen through water electrolysis is being actively studied in response to increasing supply of renewable energy. In this paper, we proposed the novel concept of hydrogen liquefaction process combined with pre-cooling process using the liquid air. It is that hydrogen converted from surplus electric power of renewable energy was liquefied through the hydrogen liquefaction process and vaporization heat of liquid hydrogen was conversely recovered to liquid air from ambient air. Moreover, Comparisons of specific energy consumption (kWh/kg) saved for using the liquid air pre-cooling was quantitatively conducted through the performance analysis. Consequently, about 12% of specific energy consumption of hydrogen liquefaction process was reduced with introducing liquid air for pre-cooling and optimal design point of helium Brayton cycle was identified by sensitivity analysis on change of compression/expansion ratio.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.567-577
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• 2019

Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and environmental pollution, demand for alternative energy is gradually increasing. Among the various methods, a method to convert biomass into alternative fuel has been proposed. The bio-fuel obtained from biomass through pyrolysis process is called pyrolysis oil (PO) or bio-oil. Because PO is difficult to use directly in conventional engines due to its poor fuel properties, various methods have been proposed to upgrade pyrolysis-oil. The simplest approach is to mix it with conventional fossil fuels. However, due to their different polarity of PO and fossil fuel, direct mixing is impossible. To resolve this problem, emulsification of two fuels with a proper surfactant was proposed, but it costs additional time and cost. Alternatively, the use of alcohol fuels as an organic solvent significantly improve the fuel properties such as fuel stability, calorific value and viscosity. In this study, blends of diesel, n-butanol, and coffee ground pyrolysis oil (CGPO) which is one of the promising PO, was applied to diesel generator. Combustion and emissions characteristics of blended fuels were investigated under the entire load range. Experimental results show that ignition delay is similar to that of diesel at high load. Although, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions are comparable to diesel, significant reduction of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions were observed.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.531-539
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• 2019

The development of cost-effective electrocatalysts with high durability is one of the most important challenges for the commercialization of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). The durability of the electrocatalyst has been studied in terms of structural change in the active metal and the support. In particular, in fuel cell vehicles, degradation of the carbon-based support is known to have a significant effect on the electrocatalyst deterioration since the start-up/shut-down cycle is frequently repeated. The requirements for the support of the electrocatalyst include high surface area, electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and so on. In this study, we propose the evaluation methods for choosing better support materials and present the physicochemical properties that promising carbon supports should have. Three kinds of carbon materials with different crystallinity are compared. From in-depth study using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and accelerated stress test, it is clearly confirmed that the durability of carbon-supported electrocatalysts is closely related to the physicochemical properties of the carbon supports.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.593-600
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• 2019

The combustion characteristics of methane/hydrogen pre-mixed flame have been investigated with swirl stabilized flame in a laboratory-scale pre-mixed combustor with constant heat load of 5.81 kW. Hydrogen/methane fuel and air were mixed in a pre-mixer and introduced to the combustor through a burner nozzle with different degrees of swirl angle. The effects of hydrogen addition and swirl intensity on the combustion characteristics of pre-mixed methane flames were examined using particle image velocimetry (PIV), micro-thermocouples, various optical interference filters and gas analyzers to provide information about flow velocity, temperature distributions, and species concentrations of the reaction field. The results show that higher swirl intensity creates more recirculation flow, which reduces the temperature of the reaction zone and, consequently, reduces the thermal NO production. The distributions of flame radicals (OH, CH, C₂) are dependent more on the swirl intensity than the percentage of hydrogen added to methane fuel. The NO concentration at the upper part of the reaction zone is increased with an increase in hydrogen content in the fuel mixture because higher combustibility of hydrogen assists to promote faster chemical reaction, enabling more expansion of the gases at the upper part of the reaction zone, which reduces the recirculation flow. The CO concentration in the reaction zone is reduced with an increase in hydrogen content because the amount of C content is relatively decreased.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.401-410
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• 2019

The operating conditions greatly impact the efficiency and performance of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems and must be properly managed to ensure better performance and efficiency. In particular, small variations in operating conditions interact with each other and affect the performance and efficiency of PEM fuel cell systems. Thus, a systematic study is needed to understand how small changes in operating conditions affect the system performance and efficiency. In this paper, an automotive fuel cell system (including cell stack and balance of plant [BOP]) with a turbo-blower was modeled using MATLAB/Simulink platform and the sensitivity analyses of main operating parameters were performed using the developed system model. Effects of small variations in four main parameters (stack temperature, cathode air stoichiometry, cathode pressure, and cathode relative humidity) on the system efficiency were investigated. The results show that cathode pressure has the greatest potential impact on the sensitivity of fuel cell system efficiency. It is expected that this study can be used as a basic guidance to understand the importance of achieving accurate control of the fuel cell operating conditions for the robust operation of automotive PEM fuel cell systems.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.388-400
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• 2021

Power to gas (P2G) is one of the energy storage technologies that can increase the storage period and storage capacity compared to the existing battery type. One of P2G technology produces hydrogen by decomposing water from renewable energy (electricity) and the other produces CH4 by reacting hydrogen with CO2. This study is an experimental study to produce CH4 by reacting CO2 of biogas with hydrogen using a 40 wt% Ni-Mg-Al catalyst and a commercial catalyst. Catalyst characteristics were analyzed through H2-TPR, XRD, and XPS instruments of 40% Ni catalyst and commercial catalyst. The effect on the CO2 conversion rate and CH4 selectivity was analyzed, and the activities of a 40% Ni catalyst and a commercial catalyst were compared. As a result of experiment, In the case of a 40 wt% catalyst, the maximum CO2 conversion rate showed 77% at the reaction temperature of 400℃. Meanwhile, the commercial catalyst showed a maximum CO2 conversion rate of 60% at 450℃. When 50% of CO was added to the CO2 methanation reaction, the CO2 conversion rate was increased by about 5%. This is considered to be due to the atmosphere in which the CO reaction can occur without the process of converting to CH4 after forming carbon and CO as intermediates in terms of the CO2 mechanism on the catalyst surface.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.315-323
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• 2021

The air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) stacks, which is widely used in small-sized PEMFC, have a problem in that durability is weaker than that of the water-cooled type. Because the cathode is open to the atmosphere and the structural problem of the air-cooled stack, which is difficult to maintain airtightness, is highly likely to form a hydrogen/air boundary during start-up/shut-down (SU/SD). Through the accelerated durability evaluation of the 20 W air-cooled PEMFC stack, the purpose of this study was to find out the cause of the degradation of the stack and to contribute to the improvement of the durability of the air-cooled PEMFC stack. In this study, it was possible to evaluate durability in a relatively short time by reducing 20-30% of initial performance by repeating SU/SD 1,000 to 1,200 times on an air-cooled PEMFC stack. After disassembling the stack, each cell was divided into two and the performance analysis showed that the electrode degradation was more severe in the anode outlet membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which facilitates air inflow as a whole, than in the inlet MEA. It was shown that the cathode Pt was dissolved/precipitated to deteriorate the polymer ionomer inside the membrane.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.374-387
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• 2021

Basic design of 3 MWth chemical looping combustion system for LNG combustion and steam generation was conducted based on the mass and energy balance and the previous reactivity test results of oxygen carrier particles. Process configuration including fast fluidized bed (air reactor), loop seal and bubbling fluidized bed (fuel reactor) was confirmed and their dimensions were determined by mass balance. Then, the external fluidized bed heat exchanger (FBHE) was adopted based on the energy balance to extract heat from the system. The optimum reactor design and operating condition was confirmed with sensitivity analysis by modifying system configuration based on the mass and energy balance.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.365-373
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• 2021

In this study, evaporation of LN2 non-spreading pool on concrete plate was dealt with experimentally. The thermophysical properties of concrete, which is a composite material, were obtained by minimizing the difference between the numerical analysis results obtained from the assumed properties and the results from experiments. The thermal energy required for evaporation of the liquid pool is supplied from the concrete plate and the wall of the container. As a result of the measurement, the thermal energy flowing in from the wall was negligible compared to the one supplied from the concrete plate. It was found that the measured evaporation rate of the liquid pool by the heat energy supplied through the concrete plate agrees well with the PTC model except for the initial section of the experiment. The validity of the semi-infinite assumption and the one-dimensional assumption, which are the main conditions of the PTC model, was also verified through experiments. The evaporation rate model in the non-spreading pool discussed in this study can provide a basic frame for the one in the spreading pool, which is a meaningful result considering that the spreading pool is very realistic compared to the non-spreading pool.