SRM university is a renowned Private University with
multiple campuses within India established with the vision to emerge as a
world-class University in creating and disseminating knowledge and providing
students a unique learning experience in their chosen field of scholarship that
would best serve the society and betterment of mankind.
SRM University, Andhra Pradesh recently ordered Renewable
Energy Lab from Ecosense which includes the following equipments:
1. Solar PV Training and Research System
2. Wind Energy Training system
3. Fuel Cell Training System
Ecosense’s Solar PV Training and research system enables
user to learn about Solar PV standalone technology. Using this system, a user
gains knowledge in three fields of Solar PV Standalone system:
a.) Physics of Solar PV Panels — I-V and P-V
characteristics, series and parallel connection of solar panels effect of
irradiation, effect of temperature, effect of shadow, effect of tilting of
panels, effect of geographical location etc.
b.) Components and Assembly of standalone system — use of
blocking diode, use of bypass diode, use of solar charge controller, use of
solar inverter, difference between MPPT and PWM charge controllers, AC load, DC
load, battery charging/ discharging characteristics, assembly of several
components and power flow calculations in each branch.
c.) Research in PV systems — Ecosense separately provides a
research unit along with standalone experimental system. User can initiate
research in the area of maximum power point tracking using this unit. It has
provision of providing automatic as well as manual gate signals to charge
controller. User can use his/ her own MPPT algorithm with any of the controller
to provide manual gate signals.
Wind Energy Training System is a scaled down version of
actual standalone Wind Turbine power plant. This system facilitates the
students with working and configurable model of wind turbine. This system gives
the insight about individual components and consequences of changing the
operating points of any wind turbine defined in terms of wind speed and pitch
angle. Students can learn concepts like I-V characteristic, cut-off, cut-in
speed etc.
This system is developed such that it can work inside a
closed laboratory with an artificial wind generating unit, which makes it
weather proof. User can access and utilize the system capability at any time of
the day without worrying about the actual climatic conditions. This system uses
a big fan mounted on top of an Induction motor, the speed of which can be
controlled by a Variable Frequency Drive. User can control the speed of motor
which further controls the Wind speed using the Variable Frequency Drive. The
variable wind speed prompts Wind Turbine to convert Wind Energy into Electrical
energy and outputs three phase electrical output. The three-phase electrical
output is connected with a three-phase rectifier which converts electrical
output from AC to DC. The DC output is then further connected to a Charge
controller and Battery. A DC load can be connected at Charge controller output.
The Battery is further connected to a home inverter which provides clean
useable AC electricity.
Ecosense’s Fuel
Cell Training system is a standalone Fuel Cell system, with the output of fuel
cell connected to a charge controller. Charge Controller is further connected
to a battery bank, an inverter and AC and DC Loads.
The Fuel Cell
stack runs on dry hydrogen with 99.995% purity. It receives dry hydrogen from
the hydrogen gas cylinder. The generated power can be used directly by a DC
Load but as per the V-I characteristics, the voltage reduces as we increase the
load, therefore, the power generated by fuel cell system cannot be used
directly hence the output is connected to a charge controller which charges the
battery and maintain output as per the battery voltage. The battery bank is
further connected to an Inverter so that AC loads can be connected to the
system.
• Draw Characteristics of fuel cell with the help of
resistive load or DC-DC converter
• Output power variation of fuel cell with change in
Hydrogen supply
• Evaluate Fuel cell system performance with only DC load
connected to the charge controller with battery bank
• Evaluate Fuel cell System performance with only AC load
connected to the inverter with battery bank
• Evaluate Output power variation of the fuel cell with a
change in temperature.
Advantages of the Fuel Cell Training System
Apart from the standard learning outcomes, a user can also
explore the following research options with the system:
• System can be developed as a grid-connected system
• System can be developed as a hybrid grid-connected system
• Using Power Electronics converters instead of the charge
controller and inverter, the user can test MPPT algorithms and different
control algorithms.
After Installation a masters training and demonstration
session was conducted by Engineers of Ecosense. During this session, the
complete scope, working and research possibilities of the system was discussed.
The faculty members enjoyed the demo and training session. They along with
students work on the equipment to conduct their research.