FCDK 1.5W User Manual
Contents
1. As more power is drawn voltage will decrease What do the voltage and current readings mean The voltage is the stack voltage On the 1 5W system this should be around 1 5V The 3W system will show around 3V the 12W system will show around 12V and the 30W system will show around 14V The current is the total current drawn from the stack Why is the software readout of current voltage inaccurate The voltage readout should be fairly accurate to about 50mV The current reading may be out by up to 100mA Additionally the software is doing some filtering on the current measurement which is why it can take some time for the current shown to match what is being measured Where can I find a voltage current curve for the fuel cell Check the Power output section of the manual What pins does the shield use See the Shield Pins section of the manual What is the software actually doing The software runs the timing of shorting the stack and purging the stack These are necessary to keep the stack working The software also monitors the stack voltage and the total drawn current How often do I need to call the poll function The polling function should be called at least every 100ms but the timing isn t overly important How do I get started writing my own application Start with one of the FCDK examples that come with the library Avoid using the pins mentioned in Shield Pins Ensure that you start the fuel cell with the start function and2. in purgeTime This can be used to change the timings of the stack shorting and purging All values should be in milliseconds void enableShort Enables short circuiting of stack to maintain membrane condition enabled by default void enablePurge Enables purging of stack to maintain membrane condition enabled by default void disableShort Disables short circuiting only disable temporarily as this will reduce performance void disablePurge Disables purging of stack only disable temporarily as this will reduce performance Default Software Timings Table 1 Timings fuelcell short circuit interval short circuit time purge interval purge time 1 5W 10s 100ms 60s 100ms 3W 10s 100ms 60s 100ms Shield Pins You should avoid using these pins in your application Table 2 Hardware v1 2 pin allocation Pin Function purge disconnect load short circuit status LED A1 stack voltage sense A2 stack current sense A3 capacitor voltage sense AREF connected to Arduino s 3 3v pin Ah FUE LC F LL User Manual STORAGE Important The fuel cell stacks will degrade if they are allowed to dry out Therefore whenever the fuel cell stack is not be used for more than one hour it should be stored in the sealed airtight bag Reconditioning If the fuel cell is not used for several days or is not working at the rated power it can be reconditioned as follows 1 Remove the purge valve from the stack and disconnect the wires from the Stack Control
3. keep the stack working by regularly calling the poll function License This documentation the hardware and the software are all released under the GPL v3 license a FUELCELL ore APPENDIX Included in the power extender module 1 5W stack 2 x T splitter Silicon tubing 30cm Setup instructions using power extender module 2 stacks User Manual J ped ad 1 Bas tire rar o gt TEE TENN in adi l etn Se ee 4 Figure 6 What is included in the extender module The instructions for using 2 stacks differ only in the hydrogen and electrical connections These are detailed below Follow all the other instructions detailed in the single stack setup Connect H2 regulator and purge valve 1 Cut a short length of silicone tube approx 3cm 2 Push one end of the short length onto the white nozzle of the purge valve 3 Push the other end of this tube onto tee splitter 4 Cut two 8cm pieces of silicone tubing connect one to each of the other ends of the first tee splitter 5 Connect each free end from the tee piece to the outlet nozzle of each fuel cell stack 6 Cut another two 8cm pieces of silicone connect one to each of the other ends of the second tee splitter 7 Connect each free end from the tee piece to the inlet nozzle of each fuel cell stack 8 Cut another 8cm piece of silicone and thread through the plastic tube clip 9 Unscrew the nut from the regulator and thread one end of
4. the tube through the nut before pushing the tube onto the regulator and tightening the nut over the tube there is no need to use a spanner finger tight is sufficient Figure 7 Hydrogen Plumbing for 2 stacks iB FUELCELL sales fuelcellstore com 7000 ES User Manual ht 979 703 1925 Solder wires to fuel cell stack Important Fuel cell stacks must be connected with correct polarity otherwise components will be damaged Please check that the red and black wires are soldered to the correct terminals as outlined below Ke Cut the wires into two 15cm lengths 1 x red 1 x black and 1 x black 5cm length 2 Strip approx 5mm of insulation from each end of the loose wires 3 Orientate the stacks so that the nozzle is at the top as you look at the side with the solder tags 4 Solder 15cm red wire to the left hand solder tag terminal of the left hand fuel cell stack 5 Solder 15cm black wire to the right hand solder tag terminal of the right hand fuel cell stack 6 Solder 5cm black wire from the right hand solder tag of the left fuel cell to the left hand solder tag of the right fuel cell Figure 8 Solder wires to 2 stacks
5. Shield 2 Fill the syringe with distilled water and connect the syringe to the hydrogen inlet of the stack using a short length of silicone tubing 3 Inject distilled water into the stack until it comes out of the fuel cell from the other nozzle 4 Disconnect the syringe from the silicone tube and connect a HYDROSTIK PRO using a tube with plastic clip to the hydrogen inlet of the stack 5 Open the plastic clip to allow hydrogen to flow into the stack You will see the remaining water from inside the stack flow out of the stack 6 When no more water comes out after about 5 10 seconds the stack has been rehydrated and emptied and is now ready for the short circuit procedure which reconditions the fuel cell membrane 7 Take the red and black wires of the stack and hold the exposed ends together thus short circuiting the stack for 20 seconds 8 Then open the short circuit stop touching the wires together and close the hydrogen supply clip on the inlet tube 9 Your stack is now reconditioned and ready for use Hydrogen supply Where delivery method permits your DEVELOPER KIT will be supplied with pre filled HYDROSTIK PRO To refill your HYDROSTIK PRO we recommend that you purchase a Horizon Fuel Cell HYDROFILL PRO home electrolyser which generates hydrogen from electricity and distilled water HYDROFILL PRO can run on mains electricity or on DC For more information see the Fuel Cell Store fuel cell website Safety WARNING Fire Hazard Th
6. a FUELCELL SKU 810011 TA O CON WV A UU N Be 12 13 14 gt 16 17 18 BLE OF CONTENTS Overview What is included What you will need Setup instructions Connect H2 regulator and purge valve Electrical connections to Arduino shield Prepare Arduino and fuel cell control shield Connect HYDROSTIK PRO and load 10 Operation Status LEDs Purge Waste water Output power Overload protection Fuel cell maintenance and use Software downloads Monitoring fuel cell status sales fuelcellstore com 979 703 1925 unununiun ma A BPW UUN NN a OMA A 19 20 71 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 FEATURES Open source hardware and Regulated 5V output Power output amp conditioning Software description Setup and defines Arduino Pinouts Available Functions Storage Reconditioning Hydrogen supply Safety FAQ License Appendix Included in the power extender module Setup instructions using power extender module 2 stacks 3 3 Connect H2 regulator amp purge valve 34 Solder wires to fuel cell stack User Manual 1 5 3W FUEL CELL DEVELOPER KIT USER GUIDE V1 1 build and create software Control system for Horizon fuel cell stack Refillable metal hydride hydrogen storage with pressure regulators Complete component kit to your own hydrogen fuel cell power plant Development board shield for popul
7. ar Arduino platform with stack control software Monitoring and data logging via USB voltage amp current Q O O O O O N NNN DD DD DW WI be ss FUELCELL E sera OVERVIEW The Developer kit enables the user to easily design and build fuel cell systems using the Horizon 1 5W PEM fuel cell stack Output power can be upgraded to 3W total using the extender module sold separately see Appendix An open source platform supported by an online developer forum encourages rapid customisation of systems control and user interface for a wide range of applications from model trains planes and automobiles to remote monitoring systems This manual doesn t attempt to replace the manual that comes with the fuel cell stack Read the fuel cell manual to get an understanding of how to properly treat the stack This manual covers shields v1 2 or above If you have a shield with a lower version number please contact us directly at support arcolaenergy com The fuel cells stack is operated with the H2 inlet open and the purge valve normally closed The Arduino and fuel cell control shield open the purge valve momentarily every 60 seconds to allow any impurities on the anode side of the fuel cell to escape improving performance The fuel cell control shield and Arduino also short circuit the stack for 100 milliseconds every 10 seconds to maintain condition of the membrane During this short 100 millisecond period the fuel cell does not genera
8. conditioning The 1 5 3W Fuel Cell Developer Kit Shield controls the fuel cell and regulates the output to 5V The super capacitors help to keep the voltage constant even when shorting the stack or purging the waste gas from the stack The plot below show the characteristics of the H1 5 as supplied off the shelf by Horizon Performance is affected by temperature and humidity Stack Voltage V O O Pe Pe KF H WH 0 5 0 10 0 10 0 30 050 0 70 0 90 1 10 1 30 1 50 1 70 1 90 Stack Current A Figure 5 1 5W IV curve is ss FUELCELL E sera SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION Setup and defines The _stacksize setting defines the size of the fuel cell stack and can be one of V1_5W V3W V12W V30W The _ shield setting defines the version of the shield This is printed on the reverse of your shield and currently can be one of V1_0 V1 2 V1 3 Available Functions void poll This function must be called at least every 100ms to keep the stack running It takes care of the timings of the shorting purging and measurement of the stack void status prints a short voltage and current measurement to the hardware serial port float getVoltage returns the stack voltage as a floating point number float getCurrent returns the stack current as a floating point number void start configures the code and blocks until the capacitors are charged void overrideTimings unsigned int shortCircuitInterval unsigned int shortTime unsigned long purgelnterval unsigned
9. er tight is sufficient 7 Connect the other end to the fuel cell stack inlet by pushing the tube over the inlet nozzle ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS TO ARDUINO SHIELD To Load Figure 3 Electrical connections User Manual Outlet Figure 2 Hydrogen plumbing 1 Take the red wire from the fuel cell stack and connect to the terminal on the Arduino shield labelled FC IN 2 Take the black wire from the fuel cell stack and connect to the next terminal on the Arduino shield labelled GND 3 Connect one wire doesn t matter which of the two from the purge valve to the terminal on the Arduino shield labelled PURGE 4 Connect the other wire from the purge valve to the terminal on the Arduino shield labelled PURGE be t FUELCELL E sera PREPARE ARDUINO AND FUEL CELL CONTROL SHIELD If you do not already have the Arduino environment and drivers installed on your computer follow these instructions relating to your operating system http arduino cc en Guide HomePage Before proceeding make sure you can open an example Arduino sketch e g blink compile it and upload If so then proceed Plug the Fuel Cell Shield into the Arduino Uno taking care that all the pins on the underside of the shield slot into the holes in the Arduino Uno stackable header Connect your Arduino to your computer using a standard USB cable Download the latest version of the Developer Kit Arduino Library arcolaenergy com developer Unzip the library
10. in the libraries directory in your sketchbook folder see http arduino cc en Guide Libraries for further instructions Launch the Arduino Environment software on your computer In the Tools menu check that you have correct Board selected Arduino Uno and correct Serial Port see Arduino Help if you are uncertain Open the example file in the Arduino Environment File Examples FCDK FCDK Check the definitions for the stack and shield are set correctly See the section on software defines for more information Click the Upload button to upload the software to the Arduino Open the Serial Monitor from the Tools menu in the Arduino Environment Check that the baud rate bottom right of the window is set at 9600 You should see text appear in the Serial Monitor window to indicate that the software is running You should also see activity on the LEDs whilst the capacitors are charging the status LED will flash ever half second once the Capacitors are fully charged the status LED will flash every second CONNECT HYDROSTIK PRO AND LOAD Important The fuel cell stack requires unobstructed airflow to all vents in order to function as the oxygen used in the electrochemical reaction is drawn through these vents Obstructed air supply will reduce the performance and lifetime of your stack 1 Ensure the plastic clip on the tube between the regulator and the inlet valve is closed 2 Screw a HYDROSTIK PRO into the regulator 3 Ensure s
11. is is not a toy keep away from children Read and Understand Operating instructions before use HYDROSTIK PRO contain flammable gas under pressure most of the hydrogen is adsorbed by the metal hydride matrix but the voids are filled with gas at circa 20bar Do not tamper with HYDROSTIK PRO Under no circumstance should a cartridge be disassembled Exposure to air will render the hydride material useless Materials within the hydride are potentially dangerous When using this kit basic safety precautions should always be followed to reduce risk of fire electric shock or personal injury Do not disassemble the fuel cell stack damage will result and your warranty will be void Stack membrane materials may be hazardous to health Keep away from alkaline and acidic environments This kit is supplied as a test and development tool Do not use it to power safety critical appliances Ah FUE LC F LL User Manual FAQ get less power than I expect why Things to check include Getting enough hydrogen perhaps you need an extra HYDROSTIK PRO The fuel cell may not be getting enough oxygen check the vents are clear Remember the Arduino will draw about 0 25W so for the lower power systems this can be a sizable percentage of available output power Is there a way to manually adjust output voltage or current for a given application No the 1 5 3W systems provide a 5V regulated output The 12 30W system provides the output given by the stack itself
12. sh hydrogen to flow in to the stack Waste water The by product of the electrochemical reaction is a small amount of water This is released through the vents on both sides of the stack The larger the electrical load the more water will be produced This small amount of water usually evaporates however occasionally under high load droplets are formed therefore the stack should not be placed in a moisture sensitive area Output power With the system running without a computer standalone the Arduino will be drawing about 0 25W so with a single stack expected output power will be 1 25W With a 3W system output power will be 2 75W Overload protection If the stack voltage drops too low due to being overloaded or externally short circuited the stack control shield will disconnect the load If you have a terminal window open a warning message will be displayed Fuel cell maintenance and use Please check the Horizon Fuel Cell H Series User Guide for further instructions on use and maintenance of your Fuel Cell stack to prevent degradation due to mishandling Software downloads Latest fuel cell stack control software is available from arcolaenergy com developer The software is fully documented inline including instructions for use Monitoring fuel cell status The fuel cell status stack voltage and current is displayed by default in the Arduino Serial Monitor For further information please see software documentation Power output amp
13. tack is mounted or positioned so that the vents on both sides are open to the air 4 Open the clip on the tube to allow hydrogen to flow into the fuel cell stack It is normal for the HYDROSTIK PRO to get cold during operation how cold will depend on factors including current drawn and ambient temperature 5 You can now connect the negative wire of your electrical load to the terminal marked GND and the positive wire to the terminal marked FC OUT 6 When you wish to turn off the system first disconnect Figure 4 Connect HYDROSTIK PRO and your load from the FC OUT terminal load 7 Close the clip on the hydrogen supply tube to stop the flow of Hydrogen 8 Care should be taken not to overload the stack Ensure that the maximum current drawn by your equipment cannot exceed that which the stack can supply For more information on stack performance including IV characteristics consult the Horizon Fuel Cell H Series User Guide Ass FUE LC F Fi User Manual OPERATION Status LEDs There are 3 LEDs After reset the status LED flashes twice in 200ms and then every 400ms until the capacitors have charged When the system is operating normally the LED will flash every second the short LED shows when the fuel cell is shorted This maintains proper temperature and humidity inside the stack the purge LED shows when the purge valve operates Purge Every minute you will hear a short hiss as the purge valves open This purging allows fre
14. te electricity so the system maintains output power by storing energy in the super capacitors which is then used to fill the gap whilst the fuel cell is short circuited The controller includes a DC DC converter to boost the stack voltage 1 2V up to 5V WHAT IS INCLUDED 1 1 5W stack 2 Arduino Fuel Cell Developer Kit Shield 3 HYDROSTIK PRO hydrogen storage Pre filled where delivery method allows 4 Pressure Regulator 5 Silicon tubing 30cm 6 Tube Clip 7 Purge valve 8 Red black electrical cable 9 Arduino Uno or upgraded board mbed or pi Figure 1 What is included WHAT YOU WILL NEED USB Cable standard A gt B printer type is t FUELCELL SETUP INSTRUCTIONS IMPORTANT Only run the kit in a well ventilated room Connect H2 regulator and purge valve m Cut a short length of silicone tube approx 3cm 2 Push one end of the short length onto the white nozzle of the purge valve 3 Push the other end of this tube onto the outlet nozzle of the fuel cell stack 4 Cut a longer piece of silicone about 8cm 5 Thread the longer length of silicone through the plastic tube clip This clip will be used later to open or close the flow of hydrogen whilst the regulator and HYDROSTIK PRO are connected 6 Unscrew the nut from the regulator and thread one end of the tube through the nut before pushing the tube onto the regulator and tightening the nut over the tube there is no need to use a spanner fing
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search