KR20240058765A - Ship including plurality of fuel cell moduel and method of controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A ship including a plurality of fuel cells and a method for controlling the same are disclosed.
A ship according to one embodiment includes a plurality of fuel cell modules; An integrated controller that detects the required load of a plurality of demand sources within the ship and generates control commands for operating the plurality of fuel cell modules based on the characteristics of each fuel cell module to meet the required load; and a local controller that controls on, off, and power generation of the plurality of fuel cells according to control commands from the integrated controller.

Description

Ship including a plurality of fuel cell modules and control method thereof {SHIP INCLUDING PLURALITY OF FUEL CELL MODUEL AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME}

The present disclosure relates to a ship including a plurality of fuel cell modules and a method of controlling the same.

In general, ships have diesel engines that generate driving force using diesel oil, gas engines that generate driving force using gas such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), and generating driving force using a mixture of diesel oil and gas. It is propelled by a heterogeneous fuel engine.

When fossil fuel engines are used to generate driving force for ships, the fossil fuel engines emit environmental pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx). To reduce environmental pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx), reduction of environmental pollutants such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs), scrubbers, and selective catalytic reduction (SCRs) is used. The device was installed on board the ship.

However, with recent strengthening of environmental regulations, the demand for eco-friendly/high-efficiency engines that can reduce the amount of environmental pollutants emitted from ships is increasing. In response to this, research is being actively conducted to reduce the amount of environmental pollutants emitted from ships. However, as environmental regulations are strengthened, a problem arises in which environmental regulations cannot be satisfied with environmental pollutant reduction devices alone.

To solve this problem, research is being done on installing fuel cells on ships that are environmentally friendly and can provide driving power for ships with high efficiency. Fuel cells generate electrical energy by electrochemically reacting fuel and oxidizer. Fuel cells are attracting attention as a power source for ships to respond to environmental regulations due to their environmentally friendly emissions and the ability to continuously recharge.

Accordingly, research on control technology for fuel cells used as a driving source for ships is being developed.

In addition, conventionally, only the technology for controlling the entire output of the fuel cell system is covered. However, despite the gradual increase in the scale and output of recently developed fuel cells, conventionally only one control method that integrates the modules of the entire fuel cell is used. It is being dealt with. In particular, it takes several hours to start up to output the load required by the consumer from the standby mode of the fuel cell, and in the case of SOFC, which requires additional power supply when starting the fuel cell, it cannot respond to the output required by the power system. Cases may arise. Therefore, a technology for controlling fuel cells on a module basis is required.

The matters described in this background art section are written to enhance understanding of the background of the disclosure, and may include matters that are not prior art already known to those skilled in the art in the field to which this technology belongs.

Republic of Korea Public Notice 10-2017-0142354 A (2017.12.28) Republic of Korea Public Notice 10-2020-0072054 A (2020.06.22) Republic of Korea Public Notice 10-2022-0059784 A (2022.05.10)

The purpose of the problem to be solved is to provide a ship and a control method for the same that can efficiently control a plurality of fuel cells when a plurality of fuel cells are mounted on the ship.

In addition, another purpose is to provide a ship and a control method thereof that reflect the characteristics of different fuel cells, such as power generation efficiency, power generation rate according to start-up time, power generation rate according to cooling time, output fluctuation rate, operating time, etc.

A ship according to one embodiment includes a plurality of fuel cell modules; An integrated controller that detects the required load of a plurality of demand sources within the ship and generates a control command to sequentially turn on or off the plurality of fuel cell modules based on the characteristics of each fuel cell module to meet the required load. ; and a local controller that controls on, off, and power generation of the plurality of fuel cells according to control commands from the integrated controller.

In some embodiments, the characteristics of the fuel cell module may include at least one of the operating time, output change rate, power generation rate according to startup time, and power generation rate according to cooling time of the plurality of fuel cell modules.

In some embodiments, the integrated controller assigns priority to fuel cell modules with a short operating time when the fuel cell module is turned on, and gives priority to fuel cell modules with a long operating time when the fuel cell module is turned off. Rankings can be assigned.

In some embodiments, the integrated controller may assign priority to the fuel cell module with the high output fluctuation rate when the operating times of the fuel cell modules are the same.

In some embodiments, when the demand load of the demand source fluctuates, the integrated controller is based on the operation time of the plurality of fuel cell modules, the power generation rate according to the start-up time, the output change rate, and the power generation rate according to the cooling time. The fuel cell can be controlled on or off.

A method of controlling a ship according to an embodiment is a method of controlling a ship including a plurality of fuel cell modules, the method comprising: detecting a demand load of a demand source by an integrated controller; generating, by the integrated controller, a control command to sequentially control the fuel cells to be turned on or off based on characteristics of each fuel cell module to meet the required load; and controlling, by a local controller, on, off, and power generation amount of the plurality of fuel cell modules according to the control command.

In some embodiments, the characteristics of the fuel cell module may include at least one of the operating time, output change rate, power generation rate according to startup time, and power generation rate according to cooling time of the plurality of fuel cell modules.

In some embodiments, when the fuel cell module is turned on, by the integrated controller, priority is assigned to a fuel cell module with a short operation time, and when the fuel cell module is turned off, by the integrated controller, priority is assigned to the fuel cell module. Priority may be assigned to fuel cell modules with longer durations.

In some embodiments, when the operating times of the fuel cell modules are the same, priority may be assigned by the integrated controller to the fuel cell module with the high output fluctuation rate.

In some embodiments, when the demand load of the demand source fluctuates, the integrated controller is based on the operation time of the plurality of fuel cell modules, the power generation rate according to the start-up time, the output change rate, and the power generation rate according to the cooling time. The method may further include controlling the fuel cell module to be turned on or off.

A computer-readable medium recording a program according to an embodiment may record a program for executing the aforementioned ship control method in a computer including a processor that executes a program or command stored in a memory or storage device. there is.

According to a ship and its control method according to an embodiment, both economic efficiency and control stability can be secured when supplying power to demand within the ship from a ship equipped with a plurality of different types of fuel cells.

Additionally, by configuring different types of fuel cell systems according to characteristics such as fuel cell power generation efficiency and start-up time, ships equipped with various types of fuel cells can be efficiently controlled.

Additionally, by controlling the output of the fuel cell on a module basis, power can be stably supplied to the ship's power system.

Additionally, since the operation time of the fuel cell module can be managed through the module-unit output distribution of the fuel cell, the lifespan of the fuel cell can be maximized.

In addition, the fuel cell's module-level output distribution can efficiently utilize the fuel cell's startup time and/or cooling time and enable stable power supply.

In addition, by supplying power to demand by mixing low-cost, high-efficiency fuel cells with relatively expensive, low-efficiency fuel cells with high load-following performance, economics and control stability can be improved.

In addition, stable operation of the fuel cell may be possible even if the demand load of the consumer changes rapidly.

In addition, effects that can be obtained or expected due to embodiments of the present disclosure will be directly or implicitly disclosed in the detailed description of the present disclosure. That is, various effects predicted according to the present disclosure will be disclosed in the detailed description to be described later.

Since these drawings are for reference in explaining exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the technical idea of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as limited to the attached drawings.
1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a ship including a fuel cell according to an example of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a ship including a fuel cell according to an example of the present disclosure.
Figure 3 is a graph showing the output relationship of the fuel cell according to the required load and the type of required load according to an example of the present disclosure.
Figure 4 is another graph showing the output relationship of the fuel cell according to the required load and the type of required load according to an example of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a ship system including fuel cell modules with different capacities according to an example of the present disclosure.
Figure 6 is a graph showing the output relationship of the fuel cell when the required load is constant according to an example of the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is another graph showing the output relationship of the fuel cell when the required load is constant according to an example of the present disclosure.
Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a ship including a fuel cell according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9 is another graph showing the output relationship of the fuel cell according to the required load and the type of required load according to another example of the present disclosure.
Figure 10 is a diagram for explaining the power system of a ship according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a computing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
The drawings referenced above are not necessarily drawn to scale and should be understood as presenting rather simplified representations of various preferred features illustrating the basic principles of the present disclosure. The specific design features of the present disclosure, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientation, location, and shape, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and usage environment.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, singular forms are intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprise” and/or “comprising”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but It will also be understood that this does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any one or all combinations of the associated listed items.

Additionally, it is understood that one or more of the methods or aspects thereof below may be implemented by at least one or more controllers. The term “controller” may refer to a hardware device that includes memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store program instructions, and the processor is specifically programmed to execute the program instructions to perform one or more processes described in more detail below. A controller may control the operation of units, modules, components, devices, or the like, as described herein. It is also understood that the methods below can be performed by an apparatus that includes a controller along with one or more other components, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Additionally, the controller of the present disclosure may be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing executable program instructions executed by a processor. Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, compact disk (CD) ROM, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards, and optical data storage devices. It is not limited to this. The computer-readable recording medium may also be distributed throughout a computer network so that program instructions can be stored and executed in a distributed manner, for example, on a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN).

With reference to the attached drawings, the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice it. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

In order to clearly explain the present disclosure, parts unrelated to the description have been omitted, and identical or similar components are assigned the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, so the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to what is shown in the drawings, and the thickness is enlarged to clearly express various parts and areas. It was.

The suffixes “module” and/or “part” for components used in the following description are given or used interchangeably only for the ease of preparing the specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles in themselves.

Additionally, in describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that detailed descriptions of related known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed descriptions will be omitted.

In addition, the attached drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical idea disclosed in this specification is not limited by the attached drawings, and all changes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure are not limited. , should be understood to include equivalents or substitutes.

Terms containing ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms.

In the description below, expressions described as singular may be interpreted as singular or plural, unless explicit expressions such as “one” or “single” are used.

The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

In this application, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to indicate the presence of one or more other features. It should be understood that this does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of elements, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

In the flowchart described with reference to the drawings, the order of operations may be changed, several operations may be merged, certain operations may be divided, and certain operations may not be performed.

Hereinafter, a method for controlling a ship including a fuel cell according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a ship including a fuel cell according to an example of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ship according to the present disclosure includes a detection module 30 that detects the required load of the demand source 20 within the ship, a plurality of fuel cell modules 10, and each fuel cell module 10. A local controller 41 that controls the output, and an integrated controller 43 that integrates and controls each local controller 41 to control the output amount of the fuel cell module 10 according to the required load detected through the detection module 30. may include.

The detection module 30 detects the load change rate, which is the change per unit time from the current demand load to the next demand load, and the demand load of the demand sources 20 within the ship at a set period (e.g., every minute or every hour). The required load and load change rate detected at (30) are transmitted to the integrated controller (43). To this end, the detection module 30 may include a detection sensor that detects the required load of the demand source 20. In one embodiment, the sensing module 30 may be included in the local controller 41 or the integrated controller 43.

The required load of the consumer 20 detected by the detection module 30 may include a base load and a variable load. Base load refers to the minimum load required for a ship to operate, and the amount of change in load is relatively small. And the variable load (peak load) refers to a demand load excluding the base load and a load that fluctuates aperiodically or periodically at each demand source 20. Fluctuating load has a relatively large load change amount (load change rate) per unit time.

In one embodiment, demand loads may include base loads, intermediate loads, and variable loads. Base load may mean a load with a load variation of 0 or a load variation close to 0 among the required loads required for a ship to operate or dock. In other words, the base load may mean a certain amount of load with little change among the required loads. Fluctuating load (peak load) refers to a load with a relatively large load change amount (load change rate) per unit time among required loads. Intermediate load refers to a load between the base load and the variable load among the required loads, and refers to a load in which the amount of load change per unit time (load change rate) is relatively small compared to the variable load.

The required load may be comprised of a base load and a variable load. In this case, the required load may be determined as the sum of the base load and the variable load. Alternatively, the required load may be composed of a base load, an intermediate load, and a variable load. In this case, the required load may be determined as the sum of the base load, the intermediate load, and the variable load.

The fuel cell module 10 may be composed of a plurality of fuel cells. Fuel cells produce electricity using fuel containing hydrogen. In other words, a fuel cell refers to a clean power generation system that converts hydrogen and oxygen in the air into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction.

Depending on the operating temperature and type of electrolyte, fuel cells are divided into polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), phosphate fuel cells (PAFC), alkaline fuel cells (AFC), and molten carbonate fuel cells. (MCFC: Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell), and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC: Solid Oxide Fuel Cell).

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) use hydrogen, methanol, and natural gas as fuel, a hydrogen ion exchange membrane as an electrolyte, and platinum as a catalyst. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) have an operating temperature of about 80 degrees Celsius and have a power generation efficiency of about 40% or less. Because they operate at relatively low temperatures, start-up times are very short.

Phosphate fuel cells (PAFC) use hydrogen, methanol, and natural gas as fuel, highly phosphoric acid as an electrolyte, and platinum as a catalyst. Phosphate fuel cells (PAFC) have an operating temperature of approximately 200 degrees Celsius and a power generation efficiency of approximately 50%. Phosphate fuel cells (PAFCs) have higher operating temperatures than polymer electrolyte angle fuel cells (PEMFCs) and therefore have longer start-up times than PEMFCs. And phosphate fuel cells (PAFC) have relatively higher power generation efficiency than polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC).

Alkaline fuel cells (AFC) use hydrogen as a fuel, high concentration phosphoric acid as an electrolyte, and platinum as a catalyst. Alkaline fuel cells (AFC) have an operating temperature of about 100 degrees Celsius and a power generation efficiency of about 65%. Alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) have higher operating temperatures than polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), and therefore have longer start-up times than polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). And alkaline fuel cells (AFC) have relatively higher power generation efficiency than polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC).

Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) use natural gas, methanol, naphtha, coal, gasification gas, etc. as fuel, lithium potassium carbonate as electrolyte, and platinum as a catalyst. Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) have an operating temperature of about 650 degrees Celsius and a power generation efficiency of about 50%. Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) have very high operating temperatures compared to alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) and therefore have very long start-up times compared to alkaline fuel cells (AFCs). And because they operate at very high temperatures compared to alkaline fuel cells (AFCs), start-up times are very long.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) use natural gas, methanol, naphtha, coal, gasification gas, etc. as fuel, zirconia-based ceramics as electrolyte, and perovskite as a catalyst. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) have an operating temperature of about 800 degrees Celsius and a power generation efficiency of about 35%. Because they operate at very high temperatures, start-up times are very long.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 may include different types of fuel cells. Accordingly, a plurality of fuel cell modules 10 including the different types of fuel cells illustratively mentioned above may be mounted on the ship. The type of fuel cell may be determined based on power density, price, lifespan, operating temperature, output change characteristics, etc., which determine the performance of the fuel cell. For example, two types of fuel cell modules 10 can be mounted on a ship. For example, the fuel cell module 10 mounted on a ship may be a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) module or a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) module. Alternatively, three types of fuel cell modules 10 may be mounted on a ship. For example, the fuel cell module 10 mounted on a ship may be a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) module, a phosphate fuel cell (PAFC) module, and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) module.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 may include the same type of fuel cell. Accordingly, a plurality of identical fuel cell modules 10 can be mounted on a ship. For example, a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), a plurality of phosphate fuel cells (PAFC), or a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) may be mounted on the ship.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 may include the same type of fuel cell, and the capacity of each of the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 may be different. For example, if there are five fuel cell modules 10 included in a ship, the capacity of each fuel cell module 10 may be 100 kW, 200 kW, 200 kW, 500 kW, and 1000 kW.

The local controller 41 individually controls the output of each fuel cell module 10. That is, the local controller 41 controls the on and off of each fuel cell module 10 and the output amount (generation amount) of the fuel cell module 10.

The integrated controller 43 controls the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 through the local controller 41 so that the required load of the demand source 20 within the ship is met. The integrated controller 43 operates the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 through the local controller 41 to meet the required load and load change rate of the consumer 20 based on the characteristics of each fuel cell module 10 ( On and/or off of the fuel cell can be controlled.

The characteristics of the fuel cell module 10 include the type of fuel cell module 10, the capacity of the fuel cell module 10, the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell module 10, and the startup time (heat-up) of the fuel cell module 10. At least one of the power generation rate according to time or starting time, the power generation rate according to the cooling time of the fuel cell module 10, the output change rate (Ramp Rate), and the running time of the fuel cell module 10. It can be included. Here, the starting time means the time from room temperature to reaching the operating temperature of the fuel cell module 10, and the power generation rate according to the starting time means the rate of change in the power generation amount of the fuel cell module 10 during the starting time. , the cooling time means the time from the operating temperature of the fuel cell module 10 to reaching room temperature, and the power generation rate according to the cooling time means the rate of change of the power generation amount of the fuel cell module 10 during the cooling time, The output change rate refers to the rate of change in power generation of the fuel cell module 10 when startup of the fuel cell module 10 is completed, and the operating time refers to the total time that the fuel cell module 10 operates. If the operating time is long, the fuel cell module 10 may be old due to relatively long use, and if the operating time is short, the fuel cell module 10 may be relatively young.

In one embodiment, local controller 41 and integrated controller 43 may be distributed, but may also be integrated as needed. That is, the local controller 41 and the integrated controller 43 may be integrated to form the controller 40.

The controller 40 may be implemented with one or more processors that operate according to a set program, and the memory of the controller 40 is programmed to perform each step of the ship control method according to the present disclosure through one or more processors. Program instructions are stored.

The ship according to one embodiment may further include an energy storage system 50 (ESS: energy storage system). The energy storage system 50 stores power generated by the fuel cell 10, and when necessary, the power stored in the energy storage system 50 is supplied to the consumer 20. The energy storage system 50 is a system that connects renewable energy, batteries that store power, and the existing power system. The energy storage system 50 stores idle power generated by the fuel cell 10 and supplies the stored power to the demand source 20 as needed. The energy storage system 50 has the advantage of having no startup time, allowing the power generation source to respond very quickly to changes in output of the load. Charging and discharging of the energy storage system 50 is performed under the control of the controller 40 (or integrated controller 43).

When the required load is less than the base load, the power generated by the fuel cell 10 may be stored in the energy storage system 50. And when the amount of change in the required load rapidly changes beyond the set amount of change (load change amount per unit time), the power stored in the energy storage system 50 may be supplied to the demand source 20.

Hereinafter, a method for controlling a ship according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a ship including a fuel cell according to an example of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, the detection module 30 detects the required load and load change rate of the demand source 20 at each set cycle, and transmits the detected required load and load change rate to the integrated controller 43 (S10). As described above, the required load of the consumer 20 may include a base load and a variable load. Depending on need, demand loads may include base loads, intermediate loads, and variable loads.

The integrated controller 43 may determine the type of required load and control the output of the fuel cell module 10 corresponding to the type of required load based on the characteristics of the fuel cell module 10 (S20). That is, the integrated controller 43 determines whether the required load is divided into a base load and a variable load, or whether the required load is divided into a base load, an intermediate load, and a variable load, and determines the characteristics of the fuel cell module 10. Based on this, the combination of fuel cell modules 10 to be turned on can be determined. The characteristics of the fuel cell include the type of fuel cell module 10, the capacity of the fuel cell module 10, the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell module 10, the startup time of the fuel cell module 10, and the power of the fuel cell module 10. It may include at least one of an output variation rate and an operating time of the fuel cell module 10. The integrated controller 43 may control the output of the fuel cell module 10 based on the characteristics of the fuel cell module 10.

In the present disclosure, the fuel cell module 10 may be composed of the same type of fuel cell module, or may be composed of a combination of different types of fuel cell modules. The type of fuel cell may be determined based on power density, price, lifespan, operating temperature, output change characteristics, etc., which determine the performance of the fuel cell. The characteristics of fuel cells, including these types of fuel cells, can be used to combine fuel cell modules in step S20.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the required load of the consumer 20 includes a base load and a variable load, the integrated controller 43 has a relatively high power generation efficiency and a relatively high output fluctuation rate to meet the base load. It may be determined that the fuel cell module 10, which is low and has a relatively long startup time, is turned on to respond to the base load. Accordingly, the integrated controller 43 may transmit a command to the local controller 41 to turn on the fuel cell module 10, which has a relatively high power generation efficiency, a relatively high output variation rate, and a relatively long startup time. The local controller 41 generates power from the fuel cell module 10 according to commands from the integrated controller 43 and supplies it to the demand source 20.

In order to meet the variable load, the integrated controller 43 determines to respond to the variable load by turning on the fuel cell module 10, which has a relatively low power generation efficiency, a relatively high output fluctuation rate, and a relatively short startup time. You can. Accordingly, the integrated controller 43 may transmit a command to the local controller 41 to turn on the fuel cell module 10, which has a relatively low power generation efficiency, a relatively high output variation rate, and a relatively short startup time. The local controller 41 generates power from the fuel cell module 10 according to the command of the integrated controller 43 and supplies it to the demand source 20.

In one embodiment, when the integrated controller 43 determines that the required load includes a base load and a variable load, power corresponding to the base load is supplied through a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) module, and the variable load is supplied through a polymer It can be decided to supply through an electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) module. The integrated controller 43 may transmit the corresponding control command to the local controller 41.

In this way, the base load is supplied through the fuel cell 10, which has a relatively short start-up time and relatively high power generation efficiency, and the variable load is supplied through the fuel cell 10, which has a relatively long start-up time and relatively low power generation efficiency. By supplying power, both economic efficiency and control stability can be secured when supplying power to the demand source 20 within the ship.

In this way, by providing a mixture of high-efficiency fuel cells 10 and fuel cells 10, which are relatively expensive and have low efficiency but have high load tracking performance, in the ship, economic efficiency is achieved when supplying power to the demand source 20 in the ship. All control stability can be secured.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the demand load of the demand source 20 includes base load, intermediate load, and variable load, the integrated controller 43 has relatively high power generation efficiency and startup time to meet the base load. A command to turn on this relatively long fuel cell module 10 can be generated and transmitted to the local controller 41, and the local controller 41 turns on the fuel cell module 10 in response to the received command to supply the base load. The corresponding electric power is generated and supplied to the demand source (20).

To meet the intermediate load, the integrated controller 43 turns on the fuel cell 10 whose power generation efficiency and startup time are between those of the fuel cell 10 corresponding to the base load and the fuel cell 10 corresponding to the variable load. A command can be generated and transmitted to the local controller 41, and the local controller 41 turns on the fuel cell module 10 in response to the received command to generate power corresponding to the intermediate load and supply it to the demand source 20. do.

To meet the intermediate load, the integrated controller 43 may generate a command to turn on the fuel cell 10, which has a relatively medium power generation efficiency and a relatively medium start-up time, and transmit it to the local controller 41, and the local controller In response to the received command, (41) turns on the fuel cell module (10) to generate power corresponding to the intermediate load and supplies it to the consumer (20).

And in order to meet the fluctuating load, the integrated controller 43 can generate a control command to turn on the fuel cell 10 with the relatively lowest power generation efficiency and relatively short startup time and transmit it to the local controller 41, The local controller 41 turns on the fuel cell module 10 in response to the control command received from the integrated controller 42, generates power corresponding to the fluctuating load, and supplies it to the demand source 20.

Here, the fuel cell module 10 for meeting the base load may be the fuel cell module 10 (eg, SOFC) with the longest start-up time and the highest power generation efficiency. The fuel cell module 10 for meeting the intermediate load has a starting time between the fuel cell module 10 for meeting the base load and the fuel cell module 10 for meeting the variable load. The power generation efficiency of the fuel cell module 10 for the fuel cell module 10 is between the fuel cell module 10 for meeting the base load and the fuel cell module 10 for meeting the variable load (e.g., PAFC). And the fuel cell module 10 for meeting the fluctuating load may be the fuel cell module 10 (eg, PEMFC) with the shortest start-up time and lowest power generation efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 5, the integrated controller 43 can determine whether to turn on/off the fuel cell module 10 by considering the capacity of the fuel cell module 10. When the capacities of the fuel cell modules 10 are different, the integrated controller 43 may determine which fuel cell module 10 to output based on the load change rate. The integrated controller 43 may compare the load change rate and the output change rate of the fuel cell module 10 and preferentially turn on the fuel cell module 10 with the larger output change rate.

For example, when a load change rate of 500 kW per 10 seconds is required, the integrated controller 43 can output a load of 500 kW per 10 seconds instead of a fuel cell module with a capacity of 500 kW that can output a load of 500 kW per 20 seconds. A control command to turn on a fuel cell module with a capacity of 1000 kW can be output.

For example, when a load change rate of 1,000 kW per 10 seconds is required, the integrated controller 43 does not turn on five fuel cell modules with a capacity of 200 kW that can increase the load of 200 kW in 10 seconds, but You can turn on two fuel cell modules with a capacity of 500kW, which can raise a load of 500kW.

Alternatively, the integrated controller 43 may determine various configurations of the fuel cell module to quickly respond to load fluctuation rates. That is, in order to output the required load per unit time, the integrated controller 43 may not output the required load through fuel cells of the same capacity, but output the required load through fuel cell modules 10 of different capacities. . For example, when the required load per unit time is 1,000kW, the integrated controller 43 does not turn on five fuel cell modules with a capacity of 200kW, but turns on two fuel cell modules with a capacity of 200kW and a capacity of 100kW. One fuel cell module with a capacity of 500 kW can be turned on.

In this way, by configuring different types of fuel cell systems according to characteristics such as power generation efficiency and start-up time of the fuel cell module 10, ships equipped with various types of fuel cells 10 can be efficiently controlled. there is.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the integrated controller 43 determines whether the required load of the demand source 20 changes (S50). That is, it is determined whether the required load of the demand source 20 detected by the detection module 30 remains constant without change for a certain period of time, or whether the required load of the demand source 20 changes.

When the required load of the demand source 20 is constant, the integrated controller 43 sequentially controls the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 to turn on or off to meet the required load based on the characteristics of the fuel cell 10 (S51) ). The integrated controller 43 can determine the priority of the fuel cell module 10 according to the characteristics of the fuel cell module 10, and output a control command to turn on or off the fuel cell module 10 according to the priority. You can.

The integrated controller 43 may determine the priority of the fuel cell module 10 based on the running time of the fuel cell module 10.

When turning on the fuel cell 10, priority may be assigned to the fuel cell module 10 with a short running time. Accordingly, when turning on the fuel cell module 10, the fuel cell module 10 with a short operating time is turned on before the fuel cell module 10 with a long operating time. At this time, when the operating times of the fuel cell modules 10 are the same, priority may be assigned to the fuel cell module 10 with a high output variation rate.

Conversely, when turning off the fuel cell module 10, priority may be assigned to the fuel cell module 10 that has a long running time. Accordingly, when turning off the fuel cell module 10, the fuel cell module 10 with a long operating time is turned off first compared to the fuel cell module 10 with a short operating time. At this time, when the operating times of the fuel cell modules 10 are the same, priority may be assigned to the fuel cell module 10 with a high output variation rate.

For example, referring to FIG. 6, four fuel cell modules (first fuel cell to It is assumed that the fourth fuel cell) is provided and the required load of the consumer 20 is constant at 200 kw.

At this time, the integrated controller 43 may transmit control commands to sequentially turn on and off the four fuel cell modules to each local controller 41. Since the required load of the consumer 20 is 200 kw, the required load of the consumer 20 can be satisfied when two fuel cell modules have the rated output. If one fuel cell module is continuously turned on to meet the required load, a problem may occur in which the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell is lowered. Therefore, by sequentially turning on/off a plurality of fuel cell modules, the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell can be prevented from being lowered.

Therefore, when turning on the fuel cell module 10, the integrated controller 43 preferentially turns on the fuel cell 10 with the shortest operating time, and when turning off the fuel cell 10, it turns on the fuel cell 10 with the longest operating time. The fuel cell 10 can be turned off preferentially.

When the required load is constant at 200kw, the integrated controller 43 can satisfy the required load by turning on two fuel cell modules (a third fuel cell and a fourth fuel cell) (see between T0 and T1 in FIG. 6 ). During the first set time (T1 to T2), the required load can be met by additionally turning on the first fuel cell and simultaneously turning off the fourth fuel cell. And during the second set time (T2 to T3), the required load can be met by turning off the third fuel cell and turning on the second fuel cell. This process can be repeated to meet the required load.

In addition, when the required load changes, when tracking the rate of change when changing from the current required load to the next required load, the integrated controller 43 determines the power generation rate according to the startup time of the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 and Based on the power generation rate according to the cooling time, the plurality of fuel cell modules 10 can be turned on and/or turned off to meet the required load.

In this way, by assigning priorities when turning on or off the fuel cell module 10 according to the operating time, the lifespan of each fuel cell module 10 can be efficiently managed. In addition, when the load required by the demand source 20 is constant, the load required by the demand source 20 can be stably supplied by sequentially turning on and off the plurality of fuel cell modules 10.

Referring again to FIG. 2, when the required load of the consumer 20 changes, the integrated controller 43 turns on the plurality of fuel cells 10 based on the characteristics of the fuel cell module 10 to meet the required load. Or you can control it off. At this time, the integrated controller 43 controls the fuel cell module 10 on or off based on the power generation rate according to the startup time of the fuel cell module 10 and the power generation rate according to the cooling time to meet the load change rate ( S53). That is, the power generation rate of the fuel cell module 10 according to the running time of the fuel cell module 10, the starting time (starting time or heat-up time), and the cooling time (cool-down time). Based on the characteristics of the fuel cell 10, including the power generation rate of the fuel cell module 10, the controller 40 operates the plurality of fuel cells 10 (turns the fuel cells on or off) to supply the demand source 20. can meet the required load. If necessary, the integrated controller 43 may generate a control command that outputs the required load amount per unit time through the fuel cell modules 10 of different capacities.

When the required load changes from the current required load to the next required load, the integrated controller 43 turns the fuel cell module 10 on or off to meet the required load to meet the difference between the current required load and the next required load. You can.

If the next required load is greater than the current required load, the integrated controller 43 may transmit a control command to the local controller 41 to turn on some fuel cells in addition to the operating fuel cell module 10. And when the next required load is smaller than the current required load, the integrated controller 43 may transmit a control command to the local controller 41 to turn off some fuel cells among the operating fuel cells.

When turning on the fuel cell module 10, the local controller 43 assigns priority to the fuel cell 10 with a short running time among the plurality of fuel cells 10. Accordingly, when turning on the fuel cell module 10, among the plurality of fuel cell modules 10, the fuel cell module 10 with a short operating time is turned on preferentially.

Conversely, when turning off the fuel cell module 10, the local controller 43 assigns priority to the fuel cell module 10 with a long running time among the plurality of fuel cell modules 10. Accordingly, when turning off the fuel cell module 10, among the plurality of fuel cell modules 10, the fuel cell module 10 with a longer operating time is turned off preferentially.

For example, referring to FIG. 7, a ship has a rated output of 100kw, a power generation rate according to startup time of 50kw/hour, and a power generation rate according to cooling time of 50kw/hour. Four fuel cell modules (first fuel A case where a battery to a fourth fuel cell) is provided will be described as an example.

In a situation where the current required load is 200kw (between T0 and T1), the two fuel cells (the third fuel cell and the fourth fuel cell) are rated for output, thereby satisfying the current required load.

When the required load changes from the current required load of 200kw to the next required load of 300kw, and the change rate is 100 kw/hour (between T1 and T3), the integrated controller 43 determines the difference between the current required load and the next required load (100kw) ), and to follow the fluctuation rate (100kw/hour), two fuel cell modules (a first fuel cell and a second fuel) with a rated output of 100kw and a power generation amount of 50kw/hour according to the startup time of the fuel cell module 10 (battery) is additionally turned on. At this time, the integrated controller 43 controls the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell to output 50 kw for a set time, and when the set time elapses, turns off the first fuel cell and controls the second fuel cell to output 100 kw. can do.

When the current required load changes from 300kw to the next required load to 100kw and the change rate is 150 kw/hour (between T3 and T5), the integrated controller 43 determines the difference between the current required load and the next required load (200kw), and To follow the fluctuation rate (150 kw/hour), three fuel cell modules (fuel cells 2 to 4) can be turned off and one fuel cell module (fuel cell 1) can be turned on.

Hereinafter, a ship control method according to another embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a ship including a fuel cell according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a required load according to another embodiment of the present disclosure and the output of the fuel cell according to the type of the required load. This is another graph showing the relationship.

The embodiment of FIG. 8 adds charging and discharging processes using the energy storage system 50 compared to the embodiment of FIG. 2 described above. Therefore, steps S10, S20, S50, S51, and S53 in FIG. 2 are the same as steps S10, S20, S50, S51, and S53 in FIG. 8, so detailed description thereof will be omitted, and the differences from FIG. 2 Only the parts with are explained.

Referring to FIG. 8, the integrated controller 43 determines whether the required load of the demand source 20 is less than the base load (S30). If the required load is less than the required load of the demand source 20, the integrated controller 43 stores the power generated by the fuel cell module 10 to meet the base load in the energy storage system 50 (S31). That is, the power generated by the fuel cell module 10 charges the energy storage system 50.

The integrated controller 43 determines whether the amount of change in the required load is greater than or equal to the set amount of change (S40). If the change in the required load is more than the set change amount, the integrated controller 43 supplies the power stored in the energy storage system 50 to the demander 20 (S41), so that even if the demand load of the demander 20 changes rapidly, the integrated controller 43 supplies power stored in the energy storage system 50 to the demander 20. A response may be possible. That is, the power charged in the energy storage system 50 is discharged to the demand source 20 (see FIG. 9).

In this way, when the required load changes rapidly, power stored in the energy storage system 50 can be quickly supplied to the demander 20, and each fuel cell module 10 can be operated in an optimal state. there is.

Figure 10 is a diagram for explaining the power system of a ship according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 10, the power system of a ship may include a plurality of fuel cell modules 10, a generator (GE), a main bus (HV Bus), a motor (M), and a demand source (Load).

The generator (GE) can output alternating current electrical signals to the main bus (HV Bus). Generators (GE) may include diesel generators, combined fuel generators, gas-fueled generators, gas turbines, etc. The generator (GE) may further include one or more switches and/or disconnectors to control power supply depending on the situation.

The main bus (HV Bus) can transmit power generated from the fuel cell module 10 and the generator (GE) to the motor (M) and the demand source (Load).

A plurality of fuel cell modules 10 may be controlled through the integrated controller 43 and the local controller 41 described above with reference to FIG. 1 . The integrated controller 43 may calculate the required load based on the alternating current electrical signal output from the generator GE. For example, the required load may be a value obtained by excluding the load that can be handled by the generator (GE) from the load required by the consumer 20.

10 shows a plurality of fuel cell modules 10, a generator (GE), a main bus (HV Bus), a motor (M), and a demand source (Load), but the present invention is not limited thereto, and some of them Configurations may be changed or added.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a computing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 11 , the ship control method according to the present disclosure may be implemented using the computing device 100.

Computing device 100 includes at least one of a processor 110, a memory 130, a user interface input device 140, a user interface output device 150, and a storage device 160 that communicate over a bus 120. can do. Computing device 100 may also include a network interface 170 that is electrically connected to network 190. The network interface 170 can transmit or receive signals to and from other entities through the network 190.

The processor 110 may be implemented in various types such as a Micro Controller Unit (MCU), Application Processor (AP), Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphic Processing Unit (GPU), Neural Processing Unit (NPU), and memory. 130 or may be any semiconductor device that executes instructions stored in the storage device 160. Processor 110 may be configured to implement the functions and methods described above with respect to FIGS. 1 to 10 .

Memory 130 and storage device 160 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory may include read-only memory (ROM) 131 and random access memory (RAM) 132. In this embodiment, the memory 130 may be located inside or outside the processor 110, and the memory 130 may be connected to the processor 110 through various known means.

In some embodiments, at least some configurations or functions of the ship control device and method according to the embodiments may be implemented as a program or software running on the computing device 100, and the program or software may be stored in a computer-readable medium. It can be saved.

In some embodiments, at least some components or functions of the ship control method according to the embodiments are implemented using hardware or circuitry of the computing device 100, or separate hardware that can be electrically connected to the computing device 100. Alternatively, it may be implemented as a circuit.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the claims, the detailed description of the disclosure, and the accompanying drawings. It is natural that it falls within the scope of disclosure.

10: Fuel cell
20: Source of demand
30: detection module
40: controller
41: Local controller
43: Integrated controller
50: Energy storage system
100: computing device

Claims (11)

a plurality of fuel cell modules;
An integrated controller that detects the required load of a plurality of demand sources within the ship and generates a control command to sequentially turn on or off the plurality of fuel cell modules based on the characteristics of each fuel cell module to meet the required load. ; and
a local controller that controls on, off, and power generation of the plurality of fuel cells according to control commands from the integrated controller;
Vessels containing . According to paragraph 1,
The characteristics of the fuel cell module are:
A ship comprising at least one of the operating time, output variation rate, power generation rate according to startup time, and power generation rate according to cooling time of the plurality of fuel cell modules. According to paragraph 2,
The integrated controller is
When the fuel cell module is turned on, priority is assigned to the fuel cell module with a short operating time,
When the fuel cell module is turned off, the vessel assigns priority to the fuel cell module with a longer operating time. According to paragraph 3,
The integrated controller is
A ship that assigns priority to the fuel cell module with the high output fluctuation rate when the operating times of the fuel cell modules are the same. According to paragraph 1,
If the demand load of the above demand source fluctuates,
The integrated controller controls the fuel cells on or off based on the operating time of the plurality of fuel cell modules, the power generation rate according to the start-up time, the output change rate, and the power generation rate according to the cooling time. A control method for a ship including a plurality of fuel cell modules,
Detecting, by an integrated controller, a demand load of a demand source;
generating, by the integrated controller, a control command to sequentially control the fuel cells to be turned on or off based on characteristics of each fuel cell module to meet the required load; and
Controlling, by a local controller, on, off, and power generation amount of the plurality of fuel cell modules according to the control command;
A control method for a ship comprising: According to clause 6,
The characteristics of the fuel cell module are:
A method of controlling a ship including at least one of the operating time, output variation rate, power generation rate according to startup time, and power generation rate according to cooling time of the plurality of fuel cell modules. In clause 7,
By the integrated controller, when the fuel cell module is turned on, priority is assigned to the fuel cell module with a short operating time,
A control method for a ship in which priority is assigned to a fuel cell module with a long operating time by the integrated controller when the fuel cell module is turned off. According to clause 8,
A control method for a ship in which, by the integrated controller, priority is assigned to the fuel cell module with the high output fluctuation rate when the operating times of the fuel cell modules are the same. In clause 7,
When the demand load of the demand source changes, the integrated controller determines the fuel cell module based on the operation time of the plurality of fuel cell modules, the power generation rate according to the start-up time, the output change rate, and the power generation rate according to the cooling time. controlling on or off;
A control method for a ship further comprising: In a computer that includes a processor that executes programs or instructions stored in memory or storage devices;
A computer-readable medium recording a program for executing the method for controlling a ship according to any one of claims 6 to 10.

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