Equipment Arrangement Planning of a Fuel Cell Energy Network Optimized for Cost Minimization

Abstract

In recent years, uses of the distribution of fuel cells have been studied [9, 10]. Furthermore, fuel cell systems are connected by a network and the micro-grid of the electrical power operated in cooperation under the objective function given beforehand is investigated [11–13]. Moreover, compound utilization of green energy equipment is considered to have little environmental impact although it is unstable, and stable power-generator equipment is investigated by the electrical power grid of small energy equipment [11]. Construction of an electrical power micro-grid may to develop competition with the existing energy infrastructure other than in short-term utilization, such as a backup power supply at the time of disaster. Installation of both a micro-grid of solid polymer membrane-type fuel cells and a hot water piping network used to supply fuel cell exhaust heats to each building is anticipated to cause a large reduction in environmental impact [9, 10]. In order to achieve the energy network of electrical power and heat described above, cooperative control of the distributed energy equipment according to the objective function given beforehand, operation planning, the arrangement design of equipment, and capacity design of equipment are required. The fuel cell energy network (FEN) investigated in this paper examines the micro-grid (FMG) used for an electric power supply, and the hot water piping network (HWN) that uses the exhaust heat of equipment for supply or collection from each house.