Identifying most promising energy conversion systems for stationary and mobile applications can be challenging due to an increasing number of alternative fuel options and a wide range of energy conversion technologies such as different types of fuel cells, chemical reactors and batteries in addition to application-specific requirements. Investigating all possible designs of the solution space with detailed physics-based system models during the concept phase is cumbersome and does not provide a consistent basis for global optimization approaches. Given the increasing importance of flexibility requirements due to fluctuating renewable energy sources, the influence of system dynamics, i.e. load changes, start-up and shut-down processes, also for stationary applications in addition to the inherently flexible loads of mobile applications, should already be considered in the early design phases.

A rule-based control of the system is performed on the basis of load profiles and further external constraints, for example different operating modes, efficiency optimisation, battery charging strategies and capacity minimisation. Techno-economic properties such as rated power and capacity, fuel consumption, efficiency, space requirements and costs are derived from the simulated system behaviour.

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Exemplary comparison of two different Ammonia-based system designs for marine applications, combustion engine based vs. fuel cell and battery based (left) and transient system responses to dynamic load requirements (right)

Interconnection of individual energy conversion components to the overall topology of the energy conversion system, consisting of SOFC and PEM fuel cell modules. The interconnection of individual modules through the main energy conversion paths is shown.

Main enthalpy currents of the energy conversion system during a high load demand. Both SOFC and PEM modules supply the required power. All PEM modules are operated with optimised efficiency, but only four cracker modules.

See also: https://github.com/ZBT-Tools/energysys_components