Publication

Model-based control design for H2 purity regulation in high-pressure alkaline electrolyzers

Journal Article (2021)

Journal

Journal of the Franklin Institute

Pages

4373–4392

Volume

358

Number

8

Doc link

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfranklin.2021.04.005

File

Download the digital copy of the doc pdf document

Abstract

This paper proposes two control strategies that mitigate the cross contamination of H2 and O2 in a high-pressure alkaline electrolyzer, which consequently increases the supplied gases purity: one based on a decoupled PI scheme and the other based on optimal control tools. In order to reduce the diffusion of gases through the membrane, the controllers establish the opening of two outlet valves based on the pressure of the system and the difference in liquid level between both separation chambers. Therefore, two multiple input - multiple output controllers are designed here. For this purpose, a high-fidelity model previously developed was simplied in order to obtain a control-oriented model. The proposed controllers were evaluated in simulation using the high-fidelity nonlinear model in a wide operating range, which resulted in less than 1% impurity of gases.

Categories

infinite horizon, PI control.

Author keywords

Hydrogen, alkaline electrolysis, multivariable control, H infinite optimal control

Scientific reference

M.R. David, F. Bianchi, C. Ocampo-Martínez and R. Sánchez Peña. Model-based control design for H2 purity regulation in high-pressure alkaline electrolyzers. Journal of the Franklin Institute, 358(8): 4373–4392, 2021.