Monday, March 31, 2008 - 11:30 AM
The operation result of the demonstration of fuel cells and energy networks of electricity, heat, and hydrogen at an apartment building — the second report
The demonstration project on fuel cells and energy networks of electricity, heat, and hydrogen in an apartment building has been initiated to evaluate authors’ proposal. The authors proposed the setting up of an energy system by fuel cells and energy networks of electricity, hot water, and hydrogen in residential areas. In such networks, some homes are equipped with fuel cell stacks, fuel processors, hydrogen storage devices, and large storage tanks for hot water. The energy network enables the flexible operation of the fuel cell stacks and fuel processors.
A demonstration has been started in existing residential homes to evaluate the proposal since April 2007. The demonstration is presented in a small apartment building with 18 apartments, which was constructed for experimental purpose in Osaka City. Two homes on the 3rd floor and four homes on the 4th floor, total six homes are involved to the demonstration. The six families are spending their completely normal daily life using the system.
Three small PEM fuel cells which have 700 W of electricity generation capacity with hot water tanks have been installed, and the electricity and hot water from the fuel cells are shared via an internal electricity grid and a hot water pipe. Hydrogen production facility, a small storage and a hydrogen pipe have been installed as an infrastructure to supply hydrogen to the fuel cellss; it is the first apartment building which have hydrogen infrastructure. The energy flow process from hydrogen production to consumption in the homes is demonstrated.
Two energy systems are installed and can be switched; a) each fuel cell and its electricity and hot water is shared with each two apartments, and hot water is supplied as one way from the fuel cell to the apartments, b) all three fuel cells and their electricity and hot water are shared with all six apartments, and hot water is circulated. The fuel cells are operated to match the electricity demand of the apartments in both cases.
The demonstration is being conducted following orders: 1) measurement of energy supply and demand of the apartments without using fuel cells as evaluation standards, 2) operation in system a), 3) operation in system b). Each measurement and experimentation is continued for a week and switched to next experimentation.
The operation results including the performance of each system component such as fuel cell and lessons learned will be reported.
A demonstration has been started in existing residential homes to evaluate the proposal since April 2007. The demonstration is presented in a small apartment building with 18 apartments, which was constructed for experimental purpose in Osaka City. Two homes on the 3rd floor and four homes on the 4th floor, total six homes are involved to the demonstration. The six families are spending their completely normal daily life using the system.
Three small PEM fuel cells which have 700 W of electricity generation capacity with hot water tanks have been installed, and the electricity and hot water from the fuel cells are shared via an internal electricity grid and a hot water pipe. Hydrogen production facility, a small storage and a hydrogen pipe have been installed as an infrastructure to supply hydrogen to the fuel cellss; it is the first apartment building which have hydrogen infrastructure. The energy flow process from hydrogen production to consumption in the homes is demonstrated.
Two energy systems are installed and can be switched; a) each fuel cell and its electricity and hot water is shared with each two apartments, and hot water is supplied as one way from the fuel cell to the apartments, b) all three fuel cells and their electricity and hot water are shared with all six apartments, and hot water is circulated. The fuel cells are operated to match the electricity demand of the apartments in both cases.
The demonstration is being conducted following orders: 1) measurement of energy supply and demand of the apartments without using fuel cells as evaluation standards, 2) operation in system a), 3) operation in system b). Each measurement and experimentation is continued for a week and switched to next experimentation.
The operation results including the performance of each system component such as fuel cell and lessons learned will be reported.
Manuscript