Modelling and Control of Reversible Solid Oxide Cell

Abstract

We are more than seven thousand million people living on earth, and most of us use energy and electricity daily. Energy is an essential resource for our lives. However, concerns about the energetic use of fossil fuels, as well as contamination and climate change, have been increasing. This has resulted in the research of new clean energy sources that will be able to substitute them. Reversible Solid Oxide Cells (rSOC) are a promising technology that integrates the steam electrolysis process (SOEC) and the high temperature fuel cell (SOFC), so they can split water to produce hydrogen, as well as convert hydrogen back to electricity. This Final Master Thesis has been developed in the framework of the HyBCN, which aims to develop an rSOC prototype. This work presents the development a theoretical simulation model that describes the behavior of a solid oxide cell in reversible mode. From the theoretical model obtained, controllers for the correct and safe operation of the system are designed and simulated. Finally, it is described the construction and programming of the test station at Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya). This part of the work consists on set up and programming the controllers, communication protocol, experiment sequences and the user interface of a test station where a solid oxide cell stack is going to be tested and studied in reversible mode.