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Domestic and commercial fuel cell / battery / ultra-capacitor / thermoelectric hybrid power energy conversion and energy storage management CCHP system
Author(s)
Bayendang, Nganyang Paul
Date Issued
2021
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
South Africa and by and large Africa, have been experiencing dire electrical energy crisis with
unstable national grids which have led to load shedding (power rationing) from time to time and
consequently inconveniencing many people’s lives and livelihoods. As a result of this, various
sustainable energy initiatives focusing on renewable/alternative energy, have been commissioned
to supplement the national grid and for private use. However, renewable energy systems suffer
from inefficiency at various levels, since it involves various hybrid power and energy conversion
technologies and systems. In light of these developments, my research was undertaken to
investigate the energy conversion inefficiency problem and the objectives were defined which
include; to propose and model an innovative hybrid power energy conversion scheme, enhance
the energy / power inefficiency at component(s) or system levels and if possible justify the
merits practically. To achieve this, an extensive literature review was conducted on combined,
cold, heat and power (CCHP) systems, fuel cells, thermoelectricity and power converters as well
as energy management systems. A research design and methodology was devised which
constitutes a proton exchange membrane fuel cell and thermoelectricity CCHP system aided with
Lithium ion battery and ultra-capacitor as well as power converters and energy management
system. The postulated system was modeled and simulated using MATLAB and Simulink and
deeper research was focused on the thermoelectricity section − which became the primal point of
my research. Thermoelectric devices (generators and coolers) can produce power, cold and heat;
however, their efficiencies are limited by their i) intrinsic figure of merit and further, their ii)
practical design and implementation. Only the manufacturers can improve the former; however,
the latter can be enhanced by the system or application researcher, hence thermoelectricity with
and without heatsinks was comprehensively modeled using MATLAB / Simulink to understand
their theoretical and practical functioning, optimal operations and configurations at module and
system levels. Various unique findings and novel results were presented on how to improve the
thermoelectric generator (TEG) output power and thermoelectric cooler (TEC) cooling power as
well as their respective conversion efficiency and coefficient of performance. My research
scientific contributions are summed up in ten research articles, in which numerous MATLAB /
Simulink models of thermoelectricity were created and validated, new formulas were derived
and validated as well as the proffered innovative CCHP system was modeled. However, due to
procurement delays, the practical system was not designed and tested to demonstrate physically
my research findings and hence, it is recommended as the next logical step for further studies.
unstable national grids which have led to load shedding (power rationing) from time to time and
consequently inconveniencing many people’s lives and livelihoods. As a result of this, various
sustainable energy initiatives focusing on renewable/alternative energy, have been commissioned
to supplement the national grid and for private use. However, renewable energy systems suffer
from inefficiency at various levels, since it involves various hybrid power and energy conversion
technologies and systems. In light of these developments, my research was undertaken to
investigate the energy conversion inefficiency problem and the objectives were defined which
include; to propose and model an innovative hybrid power energy conversion scheme, enhance
the energy / power inefficiency at component(s) or system levels and if possible justify the
merits practically. To achieve this, an extensive literature review was conducted on combined,
cold, heat and power (CCHP) systems, fuel cells, thermoelectricity and power converters as well
as energy management systems. A research design and methodology was devised which
constitutes a proton exchange membrane fuel cell and thermoelectricity CCHP system aided with
Lithium ion battery and ultra-capacitor as well as power converters and energy management
system. The postulated system was modeled and simulated using MATLAB and Simulink and
deeper research was focused on the thermoelectricity section − which became the primal point of
my research. Thermoelectric devices (generators and coolers) can produce power, cold and heat;
however, their efficiencies are limited by their i) intrinsic figure of merit and further, their ii)
practical design and implementation. Only the manufacturers can improve the former; however,
the latter can be enhanced by the system or application researcher, hence thermoelectricity with
and without heatsinks was comprehensively modeled using MATLAB / Simulink to understand
their theoretical and practical functioning, optimal operations and configurations at module and
system levels. Various unique findings and novel results were presented on how to improve the
thermoelectric generator (TEG) output power and thermoelectric cooler (TEC) cooling power as
well as their respective conversion efficiency and coefficient of performance. My research
scientific contributions are summed up in ten research articles, in which numerous MATLAB /
Simulink models of thermoelectricity were created and validated, new formulas were derived
and validated as well as the proffered innovative CCHP system was modeled. However, due to
procurement delays, the practical system was not designed and tested to demonstrate physically
my research findings and hence, it is recommended as the next logical step for further studies.
Additional information
Thesis (DEng (Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2021
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