Sizing, dynamic modeling and simulation of a solar-wind-hydrogen power system of the MUN explorer autonomous underwater vehicle

Albarghot, Mohamed Musbah (2020) Sizing, dynamic modeling and simulation of a solar-wind-hydrogen power system of the MUN explorer autonomous underwater vehicle. Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

In this doctoral research dissertation, sizing, dynamic modeling, and simulation of a solar, wind and hydrogen power system of the MUN Explorer Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) have been explored, integrating a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell into an existing power system which uses a lithium ion battery as the main source of its energy. Along with the batteries the integrated fuel cell was designed to power the MUN Explorer AUV to increase its hours of operation and reduce the number of batteries. The installation of hydrogen and oxygen gas tanks next to the batteries augmented the buoyancy force underwater. An electrolyzer powered by solar and wind energy, was used to produce hydrogen. The produced hydrogen was then stored in gas cylinders. A PEM fuel cell was used to consume the hydrogen gas inside the MUN Explorer AUV. The fuel cell was connected to a DC / DC Boost Converter to increase the output voltage from 24 to 48 V, as required by the battery and DC motor. It was proposed that the renewable excess energy be stored and used for recharging a battery. The system design is based on MUN Explorer data sheets and system dynamic simulation results. The system sizing was performed using Hybrid Optimization Model for Electrical Renewable (HOMER) software. The dynamic model was then built in MATLAB / Simulink environment to give a better understanding of the system’s behaviour. A PI controller was applied in the dynamic model to maintain the operating conditions such as motor speed, DC bus voltage and the load torque. The simulation of dynamic models and experiment results in hydrogen production and consumption were compared and found to have an acceptable error. The results from hydrogen production systems (solar and wind) were measured to be 7.0 ml/min. The PI controller provided satisfactory results in terms of maintaining the same operating conditions of the MUN Explorer AUV with a fuel cell.

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