New Energy Lab. Experiment Guide. New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 1

New Energy Lab Experiment Guide New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 1

NEW ENERGY LAB Experiment Guide Version 1.5 August 2013 Heliocentris Academia GmbH Rudower Chaussee 29 12489 Berlin Germany All rights reserved. No part of this Experiment Guide may be reproduced, stored in a data retrieval system or transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of the issuer. The following exception applies: photocopying pages from the manual for instruction for or by lecturers is allowed. Components of the NEW ENERGY LAB are protected by patents and / or utility patents. NEW ENERGY LAB is a trademark of Heliocentris Academia GmbH, Germany. We reserve the right to make changes.

Contents 1 Introduction... 3 1.1 How to use this document... 3 1.1.1 Symbols... 4 1.1.2 Warnings... 5 1.2 Accompanying Documents... 5 2 Solar Energy... 7 2.1 Experiment 1: How to measure values of the photovoltaic system - small position changes... 8 2.2 Experiment 2: How to measure values of the photovoltaic system - large position changes... 18 2.3 Experiment 3: How to recognize conversion losses with the charging and discharging of batteries... 25 2.4 Experiment 4: How to test day and night profiles... 33 2.5 Experiment 5: How to determine the characteristic of a solar cell... 42 3 Wind Energy... 50 3.1 Experiment 6: How to identify the advantages and disadvantages of wind energy use 50 4 Hydrogen generators and fuel cells... 59 4.1 Experiment 7: How to determine the efficiency of the fuel cell and the DC/DC converter... 60 4.2 Experiment 8: How to calculate the efficiency of the hydrogen generator and the fuel cell... 66 4.3 Experiment 9: Relationship of fuel cell power (current) and hydrogen consumption... 73 4.4 Experiment 10: How to determine the characteristic curve of a fuel cell... 79 4.5 Experiment 11: Simulation of a failure of the mains grid... 88 4.6 Experiment 12: Simulation of the backup by the mains grid... 95 5 Appendix... 103 5.1 Equations... 103 New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 1

How to use this document 1 Introduction This Experiment Guide includes 12 experiments covering various thematic blocks from renewable energies. A fundamental description of the components and the basic action sequence can be found in the instruction manual. Each of the experiments includes: Overview sheet for the teacher, checklist Experiment sheet Worksheet with questions for your students Corresponding answer sheet with sample solutions The solutions make no claim to completeness or to being the only correct results; rather, they show possible answers. If your students arrive at different solutions, this does not mean in any way that their answers are not correct. Overview This Experiment Guide contains instruction material covering the subject of renewable energies. This manual is subdivided into the following topics: Solar energy Wind energy Electrolyzers and fuel cell usage Learning Objectives The user should learn how to work with fuel cell systems based on this Experiment Guide. This includes: Commissioning of a fuel cell system Behavior of fuel cells (systems) in theory and in practice Assessment of the characteristics Dimensioning and layout of fuel cells (systems) How to work safely with the hydrogen supply 1.1 How to use this document Familiarize yourself with the NEW ENERGY LAB before you conduct the experiments during the lesson. The following applies for all experiments: New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 3

Introduction The instruction manual must be read (at least the chapters Safety, Installation and Operation) The commissioning of the system on the basis of the instruction manual is prerequisite for all experiments Conduct the experiments on your own before using them in the lesson. You become familiar with the experiment and can recognize any potential difficulties which your students may encounter. Each experiment starts with introductory explanations and prerequisites. Prior to the experiment, check all prerequisites. Make sure that each student has a copy of the hand out. Depending on the previous knowledge of the students you make a hand out of the following pages: Handout Page(s) Student Level Beginner Intermediat e Advanced Worksheet Measurement Instructions Experiment Set-up Prerequisites () For students at beginner level, the teacher has to take care for the prerequisites and the experiment set-up and has to explain the measurement instructions. TIP TIP Consider additional tasks for groups which finish with an experiment before others. However, do not hand out the second worksheet to the faster students ahead of time. If you work directly in the provided Excel worksheet, the calculations are performed automatically you need a table calculation software on the PC. 1.1.1 Symbols Symbol or label Meaning Instruction Aids or prerequisites that are required prior to an action 4 New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide

Accompanying Documents 1. Instructions in a specific sequence, - SWITCH Reference to page x Result of an action List Refers to a switch, key, button or icon Refers to a software button or icon Reference to further information Start of an experiment with information and instructions on required components, arrangement of necessary modules, set-up and start-up according to the respective English quick guides as well as execution of the experiment. Worksheet for this experiment Solutions for this experiment 1.1.2 Warnings Figure 1-1 Symbols in the experiment guide A HAND indicates that you must adjust settings on a cabinet. A PC MOUSE indicates that you must adjust settings in the software. The following warnings are used: DANGER Warns of dangers of fatal injury. WARNING Warns of dangers of serious injury. CAUTION Warns of dangers of injury. NOTICE Warns of physical damage to the product. 1.2 Accompanying Documents The following documents are supplied with the product in addition to the Experiment Guide: Instruction Manual of the NEW ENERGY LAB Textbook "XXX" New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 5

Introduction Laminated Quick Guides CD-Rom with NEW ENERGY LAB software, manuals and various Excel work sheets 6 New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide

Accompanying Documents 2 Solar Energy 2.1 Experiment 1: How to measure values of the photovoltaic system - small position changes... 8 2.2 Experiment 2: How to measure values of the photovoltaic system - large position changes... 18 2.3 Experiment 3: How to recognize conversion losses with the charging and discharging of batteries... 25 2.4 Experiment 4: How to test day and night profiles... 33 2.5 Experiment 5: How to determine the characteristic of a solar cell... 42 New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 7

Solar Energy 2.1 Experiment 1: How to measure values of the photovoltaic system - small position changes Learning Objectives Prerequisites In this experiment you observe the PV power with varying alignment and tilt angles of the photovoltaic modules: The various alignments of the solar modules are 30, -30 and 0. The various tilt angles are 15, 30 and 45. In the process, the differences of single and double axis tracking of photovoltaic systems can be recognized. The students learn: Solar cells attain optimal power yields at a specific angle Advantages of one and two-axis tracking in comparison with stationary photovoltaic systems The students need for this experiment: Theoretical knowledge of basic principles of electrical engineering and photovoltaics. Knowledge of relevant names and SI abbreviations General questions answered / Entry test passed There is sufficient sunshine (there is no point to the experiment with overcast weather) Worksheet: Table for entering measurements. Findings for the measurements. Experiment duration: approx. 120 minutes TIP If you work directly in the provided Excel worksheet, the calculations are performed automatically you need a table calculation software on the PC. Save the data of the data loggings to a storage medium (e.g. to a USB stick). 8 New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide

Experiment 1: How to measure values of the photovoltaic system - small position changes Experiment Set-up Prepare the system for the measurement Ensure that the EMERGENCY STOP button is unlocked ( = green ring is visible) External monitor, keyboard and mouse are connected to the system 1. Set up the photovoltaic modules with - an alignment angle of 0 and - a tilt angle of 45. Fig. 2-1 Alignment angles 0, -30, 30, tilt angle 45 Fig. 2-2 Different tilt angles: equatorial: 15, 0, -15 ; northern hemisphere: 45, 30, 15 2. Power on the system by setting the main switch to position ON (main control cabinet) New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 9

Solar Energy 3. Start the PC and monitor 4. Start the NEW ENERGY LABORATORY software 5. On the main control cabinet press the button CONTROL VOLTAGE ON 2. Optional: If you wish to do further data analysis, you can log specific values to a file. The logged data is essential for further data analysis; it is not part of this experiment. In the NEW ENERGY LABORATORY software, in the DATA LOGGING area, click on OPTIONS The window DATA LOG OPTIONS opens up For the SAMPLE RATE, select 1 SEC. For FILE EXTENSION:, select *.csv. Select the following parameters by clicking them in the list on the left side, one by one, and then clicking INSERT Solar rad. [W/m²] U mod. #2 [V] I mod. #1 [A] I mod. #2 [A] U mod. #1 [V] I CT Bat [A] U CT Bat [V] I Load [A] U Load [V] On the right side, all these parameters are listed Close the window DATA LOG OPTIONS by clicking OK. Click on START in the DATA LOGGING area. Use the proposed file name or enter a file name and confirm with OK. The system is ready for the measurement These settings apply for the entire experiment. Measurement Instructions Measure no-load voltage, short circuit current, current and voltage under load for the following alignments and tilt angles The following measurement instructions have to be followed 9 times, in order to fill in the tables on worksheet 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Tilt angle Alignment angle 45 45 45 30 30 30 15 15 15 0-30 30 0-30 30 0-30 30 How to measure open-circuit voltage (OCV) 1. Run the solar module in open-circuit: On the CONFIGURATION module, set the SOLAR switch to the position OCV. 2. Connect the component test battery with the solar module by setting the CT switch to the position OFF. 10 New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide

Experiment 1: How to measure values of the photovoltaic system - small position changes 3. In the NEW ENERGY LAB software, read the following values and enter them in the worksheet 1, table 1-1: U mod. #1 I mod. #1 U mod. #2 I mod. #2 Solar rad. [W/m²] How to measure short circuit current 1. Measure the short circuit current of the solar cell: On the CONFIGURATION MODULE, set the SOLAR switch to the position SC. 2. Connect the component test battery with the solar module by setting the CT switch to the position OFF. 3. In the NEW ENERGY LAB software, read the following values and enter them in the worksheet 1, table 1-2: U mod. #1 I mod. #1 U mod. #2 I mod. #2 Solar rad. [W/m²] How to measure current and voltage under load 1. On the CONFIGURATION MODULE, connect the solar module with the component test battery by setting the SOLAR switch to the position CT. 2. And vice versa, connect the component test battery with the solar module by setting the CT switch to the position SOLAR. 3. In the NEW ENERGY LAB software, in the E-LOAD INPUT area, select CT BATTERY. 4. In the E-LOAD area, click. The E-Load is in Automatic mode. 5. Increase the current by pulling the slide control CURRENT until I CT BAT is nearly at 0 A. The E-load is now supplied directly from the solar modules. 6. In the NEW ENERGY LAB software, read the following values and enter them in the worksheet: U mod. #1 I mod. #1 I mod. #2 Solar rad. [W/m²] U Load I Load U mod. #2 7. Decrease the current to 0A by pulling the slide control CURRENT. 8. In the E-LOAD area click. 9. Select OFF for INPUT. The E-Load is now switched off. New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 11

Solar Energy Reset the system to its initial state: NOTICE Damage due to incorrect settings! Improper handling can damage the system. Always shut down the system with SOFT SHUT DOWN. Check the following settings after each experiment: 400 W PV PART: SOLAR switch to the position CT CT SWITCH TO SOLAR 800 W PV PART: extra PV switch in ON position WIND switch to the position SC FC switch to the position OCV Hand valves of the hydrogen storage canisters closed Switch OFF the 230V output Switch OFF the 24V output Switch OFF the 12V output 12 New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide

Experiment 1: How to measure values of the photovoltaic system - small position changes Worksheet 1 General questions / Entry test 1. What is solar energy? 2. What does photovoltaic mean and what is solar electricity? 3. How is a solar cell assembled? 4. Battery: What is the function of the charge controller? 5. Battery: What is a discharge curve? 6. Photovoltaics: Describe the meaning of - alignment angle - tilt angle - MPP tracking Experiment questions 1. How do voltages and currents vary with different tilt and alignment angles? - Draw an voltage over current (UI) graph - Draw a power over angle graph Tilt angle 45 U mod.#1 [V] I mod. #1 [A] OCV U mod.#2 [V] I mod. #2 [A] U mod.#1 [V] I mod. #1 [A] Short cut U mod.#2 [V] I mod. #2 [A] U mod.#1 [V] I mod. #1 [A] U mod.#2 [V] I CT Bat = 0A I mod. #2 [A] U Load [V]: I Load [A]: Table Experiment 1-1 Alignment angle 0-30 30 New Energy Lab - Experiment Guide 13