Volume 53

Development of a Hydrogen-based Microgrid Test Bench with Level of Hydrogen Estimator Zhipeng Hou, Fengxiang Chen, Yafeng Guo, Huitao Zhang, Su Zhou

Abstract

The hydrogen-based microgrid is an excellent solution to address the issue of curtailment caused by the intermittency of renewable energy sources. In such a system, the energy management system plays a crucial role in determining the operational status of the microgrid. To effectively verify the energy management strategies, a hydrogen-based microgrid test bench has been developed, which mainly includes photovoltaic (PV) panels, a programmable direct current (DC) power supply, loads, a lead-acid battery, and a hydrogen storage system. The lead-acid battery is directly connected to a DC bus, primarily serving as short-term storage to address instantaneous power imbalances and maintain bus voltage stability. The hydrogen storage system includes a PEM water electrolysis (PEMWE) system, metal hydride tank, and a PEM fuel cell (PEMFC) system, serving as long-term storage for seasonal energy storage. Considering that the level of hydrogen (LOH) is crucial parameter for the energy management strategy, an LOH estimator, which is used to estimate the hydrogen capacity in the metal hydride tank, has been proposed. This study aims to bridge the gap between simulation and practical application, providing valuable insights and tools for the development of hydrogen-based microgrid system.

Keywords hydrogen-based microgrid, hydrogen storage system, energy management strategy, LOH estimator