The Selective Zero Emission Power Systems Between NaBH4-Based Fuel Cells and Solar Cells for UAVs
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ORIGINAL PAPER
The Selective Zero Emission Power Systems Between NaBH4-Based Fuel Cells and Solar Cells for UAVs Byeong Gyu Gang1 Received: 3 August 2019 / Revised: 17 February 2020 / Accepted: 19 February 2020 © The Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences 2020
Abstract The selective zero emission power system using fuel and solar cells is tested on the ground to evaluate if this system can provide continuous power for UAVs. The sodium borohydride (NaBH4 ) solution with two catalysts, Co/γ-Al2 O3 and Co-P/Ni foam catalyst, is adopted as a hydrogen source for the fuel-cell system, so that the volume of required hydrogen gas is readily produced in accordance with hydrogen-consumption rates from the fuel-cell stack by controlling NaBH4 solution flow rates. Thus, two catalysts play a major role to promote the hydrogen production speed. The solar-cell system is formed with a maximum power-point tracking device (MPPT), solar modules, and a lithium-polymer battery. Thus, the power generated from solar arrays flows through the MPPT to the electric load or to the battery simultaneously, charging mode if extra energy is available. The selective power system between two different power sources is achieved using power relays which can allow one system to function, while the other is on standby. In consequence, the selective electric power system can offer continuous power for the high-endurance operation. Keywords Solar-cell system · Fuel-cell system · Sodium borohydride · Selective power system · Catalyst · UAV
1 Introduction Recently, the demand for green technologies has increased to reduce environmental issues, such as the depletion of fossil fuels and pollution generated by burning fossil fuels. Furthermore, as ground transportation industries still depend on fossil fuels, even hybrid propulsion systems have been introduced to minimize the use of internal combustion engines by integrating them with electric motors [1]. However, this system can just delay diminishing reserves of oil, so that advanced plans need to be set to promote more efficient use of energy from growing proportion of carbon-free sources [2]. In addition, the increasing green energy power demand for air transport sectors has urged research engineers to seek new, environmentally friendly energy sources, so that they have started to produce the electric power like car industries from the non-fossil fuels such as hydrogen and solar energy, resulting in almost zero emissions. Thus, considerable atten-
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Byeong Gyu Gang [email protected] Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), Aeronautics Research Directorate, 169-84 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea
tion has been devoted to green and renewable energy sources, such as sunlight-based solar energy and hydrogen-based fuelcell energy to meet the increasing energy demands, as an alternative to constructing new conventional power plants. The proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel-cell system is a portable electrochemical power plant that directly converts chemical energy in
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