Load Response Characteristics of the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell for Individual Cold-Region Houses

Abstract

The power load pattern of an individual house is a set of loads that fluctuate rapidly. If it is controlled to follow a system at rapid load fluctuation, depending on the response characteristics of the system, the equipment may have poor power quality (voltage and frequency). When introducing a fuel cell system into a house, it is necessary to consider two transient response characteristics: electric power and heat power. Then, the details of the transient response characteristics of the fuel cell system composed from a reformer, a fuel cell, an inverter, a system interconnection device, etc., are investigated by experiment and numerical analysis. As a result, the control variables of the controllers and the relation to the response characteristics of the fuel cell system were clarified. Furthermore, the response characteristics of the system when accompanied by a load fluctuation of power were also clarified. The response characteristics when introducing the energy demand pattern of an individual cold-region house into a fuel cell system geothermal heat pump were analyzed. From this analysis result, the details of operation, including each auxiliary machine of the fuel cell system, were clarified.