Integração de pilhas de células a combustível com outras fontes alternativas de energia

Abstract

This dissertation presents a project of a integrated system with distinct energy generating modules using a wind generator, photovoltaic generator, fuel cells stack (FCs) and an accumulator of energy formed by a bank of batteries. This system was implemented in the Center of Studies in Energy and Environment-CEEMA-UFSM. The alternative sources of energy were connected in such a way as to inject current to a common DC bus avoiding so current circulation among sources due to individual voltage differences. The bus voltage is controlled by modulation of a secondary load in parallel with the main load. Along all tests, it was used the algorithm "Hill Climbing Control" (HCC) to maximize the generated power in the wind generator and in the photovoltaic generator. The FC operating principles are shown in more details with respect to their static and dynamic characteristics. In this MSc dissertation a FC simulator was used connected to real electric loads. A DC-DC Boost-type converter connects each primary source to the DC bus, and a Buck-Boost DC-DC converter with an integrated to control the charge and discharge states of the storage system (bank of batteries). Finally, numerical results were presented for all electric simulations so completing the hybrid system. After discussion of these results, a practical implementation was made to verify the numerical simulations with variable loads fed by the maximized generated powers from the sources.