NDLI: Enhancing Engine Operations in Off-Grid Renewable Energy Applications Through the Additional Use of Hydrogen

Content Provider	The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Digital Collection
Author	Robbins, Curtis Jacobson, Roger Purcell, Rick Collier, Kirk Wagner, Ralph Mahderekal, Isaac
Copyright Year	2010
Abstract	The current renewable energy transformation taking place around the world has led to drastic advances in technology that relates to the issue of climate change. Although many solutions have been found and/or created, there has yet to be one that can, on its own, solve the problem of finding an environmentally friendly energy source. This leads to the challenge of creating an integrated system which relies on several components with different types of energy. It has been the goal of this study to further enhance an off-grid renewable energy power system to supply economical, secure, and continuous electrical power, in an environmentally conscious way, for various types of loads. The previous power system consisted of a mobile unit with inverters, batteries, hydrogen generator, hydrogen storage, propane storage and an internal combustion engine generator that was connected to photovoltaics and wind turbines while being controlled and monitored by a single computer unit. The only pollutants emitted from this power system were the result of the use of propane as a backup fuel, when renewable energy was insufficient. Even though propane is a fossil fuel, its use in this study allowed the system to be simpler and more cost effective. With the assistance of Southwest Gas Corporation, a more efficient and reliable internal combustion engine was acquired. The three cylinder engine, with a 10,000 hour maintenance interval, was converted from natural gas to combust either hydrogen or propane. The engine provides mechanical power to a belt driven alternator supplying electricity to the load and other components of the system. Initial testing of the engine achieved engine dynamometer efficiency of over 40% using propane at wide open throttle and 45% using hydrogen at wide open throttle. The output under these conditions was roughly 20 HP using propane and 10 HP using hydrogen. The current system is not mobile but has the potential to be mobile by using an existing KOH electrolyzer for hydrogen generation with a larger output and hydrogen storage capacity.
Starting Page	1493
Ending Page	1499
Page Count	7
File Format	PDF
ISBN	9780791844298
DOI	10.1115/IMECE2010-38911
Volume Number	Volume 5: Energy Systems Analysis, Thermodynamics and Sustainability; NanoEngineering for Energy; Engineering to Address Climate Change, Parts A and B
Conference Proceedings	ASME 2010 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition
Language	English
Publisher Date	2010-11-12
Publisher Place	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	Computers Hydrogen Fuels Engines Electricity (physics) Pollution Energy resources Power systems (machinery) Cylinders Photovoltaics Testing Hydrogen storage Integrated systems Generators Dynamometers Fossil fuels Maintenance Stress Climate change Storage Renewable energy Internal combustion engines Belts Wind turbines Natural gas
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in