| Abstract |
The problem of optimizing the photovoltaic field
orientation in stand-alone Photovoltaic-Hydrogen-Powered
Distributed Power Systems (PHP-DPS) is treated in this paper.
The system is supposed to be composed of a photovoltaic field,
as energy source, and of a hydrogen energy backup subsystem
including a hydrolyser, a hydrogen tank and a PEM fuel cell.
Given the characteristics of the solar panels, of the switching
converters and of the backup subsystem, three different load
profiles have been considered with three typical irradiation
diagrams corresponding to as many different typical days in a
year. For each case study, the best photovoltaic field
orientation, which involve the minimum number of panels to
ensure the load power and energy requirements, has been
found. Results of simulations allows to single the best
configuration out, both whenever the system is supposed to
work all the year round and if its operating period does not
include winter. The paper puts in evidence that panels’
orientations chosen according to the load time profile allow to
reduce the plant cost, in terms of number of panels and backup
size, and to save some amount of energy that is not processed by
the backup subsystem. To this regard, the paper also highlights
that the best design of a stand-alone PHP-DPS maximizes the
flux of energy that goes straight from source to load, as the
energy production matches the load needs as much as possible.
This objective is particularly important in PHP-DPS that are
characterized by a low efficiency back-up path. |
