Modeling and Analysis of Grid Tied Combined Ultracapacitor Fuel Cell for Renewable Application

TL;DR

This paper investigates the performance of an ultracapacitor fuel cell system connected to the grid, focusing on voltage regulation, power flow management, and the effects of power factor correction using advanced converter models and simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a grid-connected ultracapacitor fuel cell model with a three-level bidirectional DC-DC converter for efficient voltage regulation and power flow control, validated through detailed simulations.

Findings

High efficiency and low harmonic distortion achieved with the three-level converter.

Effective voltage regulation and power flow management demonstrated in simulations.

Power factor correction impacts on current and power injection analyzed.

Abstract

In this manuscript, the performance of an ultracapacitor fuel cell in grid connected mode is investigated. Voltage regulation to the ultracapacitor was achieved with a three level bidirectional DC-DC converter while also achieving power flow from the grid to the ultra-capacitor via the bidirectional converter. The choice of a bidirectional three level converter for voltage regulation is based on its inherently high efficiency, low harmonic profile and compact size. Using the model equations of the converter and grid connected inverter derived using the switching function approach, the grid's direct and quadrature axes modulation indices, Md and Mq, respectively were simulated in Matlab for both lagging and leading power factors. Moreover, the values of Md and Mq were exploited in a PLECS based simulation of the proposed model to determine the effect of power factor correction on the current and power injection to grid