Real-Time Fuel Cell Model Development Challenges for Cyber-Physical Systems in Hybrid Power Applications

The use of cyber-physical systems to simulate novel hybrid power cycles provides a cost-effective means to develop and test control strategies at the pilot scale. One of the primary challenges of implementing a cyber-physical power system component is the seamless coupling of a real-time model with hardware that interacts with its environment. A real-time solid oxide fuel cell model integrated with a physical recuperated turbine cycle results in significant capability in exploring the operational limits of a hybrid system. The creation of a model that can interact with hardware requires a delicate balancing act between fidelity, speed, and stability. In this case, the developed model makes use of both implicit and explicit methods for solving the differential equations associated with heat transfer and electrochemistry in a solid oxide fuel cell system. Stability and computational speed are evaluated over some transient simulations. The balance between implicit and explicit methodologies for solving the differential equations associated with heat transfer and the temperature profiles was examined. The method is particularly relevant during simulations involving localized degradation distributed along the cell. The results provide some quantification of the challenges faced in applying cyber-physical systems to hardware simulation of advanced power systems.