Optimal Start-up of Micro Power Generation Processes

Fuel cell based systems are a promising alternative to batteries in man-portable power generation applications. These micro power generation processes must operate fully autonomously and automatically without the intervention of operators. Operational considerations are indeed so important that they influence the optimal design, following the paradigm of interaction of design and operation. This paper presents a methodology for the simultaneous optimization of design and operation of such systems. We illustrate the methodology with two case studies, focusing on the start-up procedure. A small rechargeable battery is necessary to satisfy the power demand during the start-up while the device temperature is too low for power generation. The optimization problem is formulated as minimization of the mass of fuel and battery required to heat the device up to operating temperature.