Stand-alone solar-pv hydrogen energy systems incorporating reverse osmosis

196 Pages·2017·4.53 MB·English

EEddiitthh CCoowwaann UUnniivveerrssiittyy
RReesseeaarrcchh OOnnlliinnee
Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses
2015
SSttaanndd--aalloonnee ssoollaarr--ppvv hhyyddrrooggeenn eenneerrggyy ssyysstteemmss iinnccoorrppoorraattiinngg
rreevveerrssee oossmmoossiiss
Daniel Clarke
Edith Cowan University
Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses
Part of the Power and Energy Commons
RReeccoommmmeennddeedd CCiittaattiioonn
Clarke, D. (2015). Stand-alone solar-pv hydrogen energy systems incorporating reverse osmosis.
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1750
This Thesis is posted at Research Online.
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1750
Edith Cowan University
Research Online
Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses
2015
Stand-alone solar-pv hydrogen energy systems
incorporating reverse osmosis
Daniel Clarke
Edith Cowan University
Recommended Citation
Clarke, D. (2015).Stand-alone solar-pv hydrogen energy systems incorporating reverse osmosis. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/
theses/1750
This Thesis is posted at Research Online.
http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1750
USE OF THESIS

The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis.
Edith Cowan University 

Copyright Warning 

You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose 
of your own research or study. 

The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or 
otherwise make available electronically to any other person any 
copyright material contained on this site. 

You are reminded of the following: 

 Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons 
who infringe their copyright. 

 A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a 
copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is 
done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of 
authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, 
this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part 
IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). 

 Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal 
sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral 
rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). 
Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, 
for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material 
into digital or electronic form
.
Stand-Alone Solar-PV Hydrogen Energy

Systems Incorporating Reverse Osmosis

By

Daniel P. Clarke

A PhD thesis is presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

School of Engineering
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
Edith Cowan University

November 2015
© Daniel Clarke 2015
Abstract
The world’s increasing energy demand means the rate at which fossil fuels are consumed has
increased resulting in greater carbon dioxide emissions. For many small (marginalised) or
coastal communities, access to potable water is limited alongside good availability of
renewable energy sources (solar or wind). One solution is to utilise small-scale renewably
powered stand-alone energy systems to help supply power for everyday utilities and to
operate desalination systems serving potable water (drinking) needs reducing diesel generator
dependence. In such systems, on-site water production is essential so as to service electrolysis
for hydrogen generation for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Whilst small
Reverse Osmosis (RO) units may function as a (useful) dump load, it also directly impacts
the power management of stand-alone energy systems and affects operational characteristics.
However, renewable energy sources are intermittent in nature, thus power generation from
renewables may not be adequate to satisfy load demands. Therefore, energy storage and an
effective Power Management Strategy (PMS) are vital to ensure system reliability.
This thesis utilises a combination of experiments and modelling to analyse the performance
of renewably powered stand-alone energy systems consisting of photovoltaic panels, PEM
electrolysers, PEM fuel cells, batteries, metal hydrides and Reverse Osmosis (RO) under
various scenarios. Laboratory experiments have been done to resolve time-resolved
characteristics for these system components and ascertain their impact on system
performance. However, the main objective of the study is to ascertain the differences between
applying (simplistic) predictive/optimisation techniques compared to intelligent tools in
renewable energy systems. This is achieved through applying intelligent tools such as Neural
Networks and Particle Swarm Optimisation for different aspects that govern system design
and operation as well as solar irradiance prediction.
Results indicate the importance of device level transients, temporal resolution of available
solar irradiance and type of external load profile (static or time-varying) as system
performance is affected differently. In this regard, minute resolved simulations are utilised to
account for all component transients including predicting the key input to the system, namely
available solar resource which can be affected by various climatic conditions such as rainfall.
System behaviour is (generally) more accurately predicted utilising Neural Network solar
irradiance prediction compared to the ASHRAE clear sky model when benchmarked against
measured irradiance data. Allowing Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) to further adjust
i
specific control set-points within the systems PMS results in improvements in system
operational characteristics compared to using simplistic rule-based design methods. In such
systems, increasing energy storage capacities generally allow for more renewable energy
penetration yet only affect the operational characteristics up to a threshold capacity.
Additionally, simultaneously optimising system size and PMS to satisfy a multi-objective
function, consisting of total Net Present Cost and CO emissions, yielded lower costs and
2
carbon emissions compared to HOMER, a widely adopted sizing software tool. Further
development of this thesis will allow further improvements in the development of renewably
powered energy systems providing clean, reliable, cost-effective energy. All simulations are
performed on a desktop PC having an Intel i3 processor using either MATLAB/Simulink or
HOMER.

ii
The declaration page
is not included in this version of the thesis
Acknowledgements
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful, all praises to Allah for the
strengths and His blessing in completing this thesis.

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisors, Dr. Yasir Al-
Abdeli and Dr Ganesh Kothapalli, whose expertise, understanding, and patience, have
instilled upon me the necessary skills to become a quality researcher. I appreciate their vast
knowledge and skills in many areas (i.e. Renewable energy, hydrogen systems as well as
intelligent prediction and optimisation techniques), and their countless hours assisting in the
writing process of this thesis and the containing journal papers. The role of Dr Magdalena
Wajrak and Mr Alexander O’Neil in the preparation and measurement of feedwater samples
is also gratefully acknowledged. The role of Miss Nisha Mubarak in the graphical rendering of
Figures 1.3 and 3.1 is also gratefully acknowledged.

I also gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided to me by an Australian
Postgraduate Award from Edith Cowan University and a top-up scholarship from the
National Centre for Excellence in Desalination-Australia (NCEDA) in a project designed to
investigate the integration of water desalting into hydrogen (renewable) energy systems.
Additionally, I am grateful to Western Power, a Western Australian State Government owned
corporation, in facilitating access to data for the simulations undertaken.
Finally, I would also like to thank my family for the support they provided me through my
entire life and in particular, I must acknowledge my fiancé and best friend, Nisha, without
whose love, encouragement and assistance, I would not have finished this thesis.

iv
List of Journal Publications Stemming from this Candidature
For publishers’ permission letter for use of the journal publications below, please refer to
Appendix A. Additionally, refer to Appendix B for statement of the contribution of co-
authors.
Clarke DP, Al-Abdeli YM, Kothapalli G. The effects of including intricacies in the modelling
of a small-scale solar-PV reverse osmosis desalination system. Desalination. 2013; 311:127-
36.
Clarke DP, Al-Abdeli YM, Kothapalli G. The impact of renewable energy intermittency on
the operational characteristics of a stand-alone hydrogen generation system with on-site water
production. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2013; 38:12253-65.
Clarke DP, Al-Abdeli YM, Kothapalli G. The impact of using Particle Swarm Optimisation
on the operational characteristics of a stand-alone hydrogen system with on-site water

production. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2014; 39:15307-19.
Clarke DP, Al-Abdeli YM, Kothapalli G. Multi-objective optimisation of renewable hybrid

energy systems with desalination. Energy. 2015; 88:457-68.

v