Hydrogen Generation from a Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T) Electrolyzer System: Numerical Model and Experimental Verification

Metin Gül and Ersin Akyüz
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Metin Gül: Engineering of Electrical and Electronics, Balıkesir University Institute of Science, 10154 Balıkesir, Turkey
Ersin Akyüz: Electronics and Automation, Balıkesir University Vocational School, 10154 Balıkesir, Turkey

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-20

Abstract: In this study, the electrical, electrochemical and thermodynamic performance of a PV/T electrolyzer system was investigated, and the experimental results were verified with a numerical model. The annual amounts of electrical and thermal energy from the PV/T electrolyzer system were calculated as 556.8 kWh and 1912 kWh, respectively. In addition, the hydrogen production performance for the PV/T electrolyzer was compared with that of a PV electrolyzer system. The amount of hydrogen was calculated as 3.96 kg annually for the PV system, while this value was calculated as 4.49 kg for the PV/T system. Furthermore, the amount of hydrogen production was calculated as 4.59 kg for a 65 °C operation temperature. The electrical, thermal and total energy efficiencies of the PV/T system, which were obtained hourly on a daily basis, were calculated and varied between 12–13.8%, 36.1–45.2% and 49.1–58.4%, respectively. The hourly exergy analyses were also carried out on a daily basis and the results showed that the exergy efficiencies changed between 13.8–14.32%. The change in the electrolysis voltage was investigated by changing the current and temperature in the ranges of 200–1600 mA/cm 2 A and 30–65 °C, respectively. While the current and the water temperature varied in the ranges of 400–2350 mA/cm 2 and 28.1–45.8 °C respectively, energy efficiency and exergy efficiency were in the ranges of 57.85–69.45% and 71.1–79.7%, respectively.

Keywords: photovoltaic thermal system (PV/T); solar energy; exergy; PEM electrolyzer; hydrogen energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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