Operational Efficiency Enhancement of Multi-Stack Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer Systems with Power-Temperature Adaptive Control
Han Pengfei1,2, Xu Xiaoyuan1,2, Wang Han1,2, Yan Zheng1,2
1. Key Laboratory of Control of Power Transmission and Conversion Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 China; 2. Shanghai Non-Carbon Energy Conversion and Utilization Institute Shanghai 200240 China
Abstract：With the growing focus of human society on low-carbon energy, the proportion of hydrogen energy in power systems is increasing and the hydrogen production system from water electrolysis is evolving towards a larger capacity and multiple stacks. Water electrolysis based on the proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology using renewable energy is a promising means of promoting the consumption of renewable energy and building a low-carbon power system. However, the randomness and volatility of renewable energy pose challenges to the efficient operation of a multi-stack PEM electrolytic hydrogen production system under fluctuating power scenarios. To enhance the efficiency of hydrogen production systems with multi-stack PEM electrolyzers, this research proposes an efficiency optimization strategy with power-temperature adaptive control. The research work is described as follows: Firstly, an overall efficiency model of the hydrogen production system is established. The relationship between optimal system efficiency and the electrolytic power and temperature is analyzed. It reveals that the optimal electrolytic efficiency might not be achieved at the upper limits of electrolytic temperature. When the current density is low, the optimal electrolytic temperature is relatively low due to the significant reduction in Faraday efficiency caused by temperature rise. However, when the current density exceeds 1.5 A/cm2, the optimal electrolysis temperature increases with the increase of current density. Therefore, to improve the electrolytic efficiency when the power of renewable energy fluctuates, it is necessary to properly adjust the electrolytic power and temperature of the electrolyzers. Secondly, offline optimization and online control are employed to enhance electrolytic efficiency. The offline optimization involves a two-stage optimization model, where the first stage optimizes the startup and shutdown status, electrolysis power, and temperature settings of different electrolyzers to maximize hydrogen production efficiency. In the second stage, a specific power-temperature implementation scheme is determined for the electrolyzers, to achieve rapid temperature adjustment when there are multiple solutions in the first stage. In the online control section, the dynamic models of the power and temperature control of the electrolyzers are established, respectively. Based on the current total power of hydrogen production and the power-temperature setting scheme determined in the offline optimization stage, the PWM modulation signal and the valve opening signal are generated by the buck and the valve controllers, respectively. Finally, to verify the effectiveness of the proposed efficiency enhancement strategy, a comparison is made between the proposed method and the existing average allocation strategy and chain allocation strategy. The analysis shows that the efficiency of hydrogen production is affected by both electrolytic power and temperature. Increasing the electrolysis temperature does not necessarily improve the hydrogen production efficiency, and its optimal value should be determined based on the electrolysis power. Compared with the average allocation strategy and the chain allocation strategy, the power-temperature adaptive control strategy proposed in this research can make full use of low renewable energy efficiently, while maintaining high efficiency over a large power range, making it suitable for hydrogen production with power fluctuations. In actual scenarios of hydrogen production from wind power, the proposed power-temperature adaptive control strategy can increase hydrogen production by 6.4% and 5.7%, respectively, compared with the average allocation strategy and chain allocation strategy.
韩鹏飞, 徐潇源, 王晗, 严正. 基于功率-温度自适应控制的多堆质子交换膜电解制氢系统效率优化[J]. 电工技术学报, 2024, 39(7): 2236-2248.
Han Pengfei, Xu Xiaoyuan, Wang Han, Yan Zheng. Operational Efficiency Enhancement of Multi-Stack Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer Systems with Power-Temperature Adaptive Control. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 2024, 39(7): 2236-2248.
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2024, Vol. 39 
