A Simplified Electric Circuit Model for the Analysis of Hybrid Wind-Fuel Cell Systems

This paper proposes a simulation methodology for a wind energy conversion system (WECS) incorporating fuel cells as a backup generator. A complete mathematical model for each component of the wind/fuel cell hybrid system is presented, and a simplified electric circuit is developed. The complete electric circuit is composed of two parts; the first part models a wind turbine driving a three-phase permanent magnet alternator connected to a rectifier and an electrolyzer, and the second part models the fuel cell and the load. Simulations are then carried out using simulink to determine the current flowing though the electrolyzer, the amount of hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, the amount of hydrogen consumed by the fuel cell and the current drawn by the load. Although the paper focuses only on the steady state analysis of the system, the model can also be used to conduct dynamic studies.