TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental evaluation of a solid oxide fuel cell system exposed to inclinations and accelerations by ship motions
AU - van Veldhuizen, B. N.
AU - Zera, E.
AU - van Biert, L.
AU - Modena, S.
AU - Visser, K.
AU - Aravind, P. V.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) systems have the potential to reduce emissions from seagoing vessels. However, it is unknown whether ship motions influence the system's operation. In this research, a 1.5 kW SOFC module is operated on an inclination platform that emulates ship motions, to evaluate the influence of static and dynamic inclinations on the system's safety, operation, and lifetime. The test campaign consists of a static inclination test, a dynamic test, a degradation test, and a high acceleration test. There were no interruptions in the power supply during the different tests, and no detectable gas leakages or safety hazards. Although the SOFC does not fail in any test condition, dynamic inclinations result in forced oscillations in the fuel regulation, which propagate through the system by different feedback loops in the control architecture, leading to significant deviations in the operational parameters of the system. Additionally, for motion periods from 16 to 26 s, reoccurring exceedance of the fuel utilisation results in a gradual reduction of the power supply. Several enhancements are recommended to improve the design of SOFCs and marine fuel cell regulations to ensure their safe operation on ships.
AB - Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) systems have the potential to reduce emissions from seagoing vessels. However, it is unknown whether ship motions influence the system's operation. In this research, a 1.5 kW SOFC module is operated on an inclination platform that emulates ship motions, to evaluate the influence of static and dynamic inclinations on the system's safety, operation, and lifetime. The test campaign consists of a static inclination test, a dynamic test, a degradation test, and a high acceleration test. There were no interruptions in the power supply during the different tests, and no detectable gas leakages or safety hazards. Although the SOFC does not fail in any test condition, dynamic inclinations result in forced oscillations in the fuel regulation, which propagate through the system by different feedback loops in the control architecture, leading to significant deviations in the operational parameters of the system. Additionally, for motion periods from 16 to 26 s, reoccurring exceedance of the fuel utilisation results in a gradual reduction of the power supply. Several enhancements are recommended to improve the design of SOFCs and marine fuel cell regulations to ensure their safe operation on ships.
KW - Acceleration
KW - Inclinations
KW - Solid oxide fuel cell
KW - Sustainable shipping
KW - System testing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85171800671&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.233634
DO - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.233634
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85171800671
SN - 0378-7753
VL - 585
JO - Journal of Power Sources
JF - Journal of Power Sources
M1 - 233634
ER -