Project description
A new way to monitor fuel cell technologies
Today’s fuel cell technologies, which convert the chemical energy of fuel and oxygen into electricity, are developed at the same level as other market-existing energy conversion technologies. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are among the most important fuel cell technologies. To monitor and control both technologies, a specific instrument is needed that will enhance production and marketisation of the new generation of innovative and cost-effective fuel cell stationaries (FCSs) with increased warranty periods. The EU-funded RUBY project intends to develop this specific instrument and complete the work by integrating hardware, stack diagnosis, control algorithms and fault detection algorithms for blowout preventer (BOP). The project’s goal is to evaluate the lifetime of FCS components for reliable and accurate monitoring.
Objective
RUBY aims at developing and implementing a tool able to perform integrated Monitoring, Diagnostic, Prognostic and Control functions for production μ-CHP and Backup (BUP) systems, based on SOFC and PEMFC. The proposal is the final step toward the production, installation and commercialization of stationary FCSs with new management functions that will enhance system lifetime, stack durability, availability, reliability and overall performance with improved efficiency. These enhancements will lead to TCO reduction, paving the way toward advanced maintenance service implementation, less cost and increased warranty periods, leading to a better customer satisfaction. RUBY leverages the findings of the last 8 years applied research that contributed to move the FC technologies towards the same maturity of market-available conventional energy conversion technologies. The key-feature of RUBY tool is the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS)-based advanced monitoring of both SOFC and PEMFC stacks, which has been demonstrated viable for its implementation on FCSs. RUBY will finalize the work on the hardware integration with stack diagnostic and control algorithms as well as with fault detection algorithms for BOP. Then, condition monitoring algorithms will be built along with prognostic and advanced adaptive control functions. The holistic vision of the FCS and a thorough knowledge of the State of the Health will be used to evaluate the lifetime of FCS components for improved supervisory control. Artificial Intelligence-based algorithms will be exploited to elaborate grid and FCS data toward the development of control functions for perspective VPP management and future integration with smart-grid. One-year tests will be conducted in real environment for certified μ-CHP and for BUP installed in a controlled real field to concentrate long-term operations in a shorter timeframe. The tool’s components will begin with TRL5/6 and end with TRL8 for μ-CHP and TRL7 for BUP.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineeringpower engineeringelectric power generationcombined heat and power
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cells
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsenergy conversion
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
84084 Fisciano Sa
Italy