Characterisation of a 3 kW PEFC power system coupled with a metal hydride H2 storage

Fuel cells and hydrogen storages, eventually integrated in hybrid power systems with hydrogen production from renewables, represent an interesting option for small stationary applications such as power generation in remote sites beyond the grid or back up power for telecom stations. This paper deals with the CESI RICERCA experiences on a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) power system fuelled with the hydrogen supplied by a metal hydride storage. The power system consists of three ReliOn Independence 1000 PEFC units, a battery bank and a 3.3 kWe DC–AC converter (inverter). The hydrogen storage is made of LaNi5 type powders and can supply more than 6 Nm3 of hydrogen per discharge cycle. The PEFC units, the inverter and the hydrogen storage performances were characterised. These subsystems were integrated into an automated power generation system and connected to a local grid including other power generators, power quality analysers, energy storage systems and electrical loads. The main features of the integrated system are analysed herein. In particular the overall system stability upon cycling, the heat transfer issues and the possibility of recovering the fuel cell waste heat to extract hydrogen from the metal hydrides are discussed. Finally, during grid-connected operations, the power quality indexes were measured and found in agreement with the EN 50160 standard.