Objective of the SAES Consortium

It is the long-range objective of the proposed effort to develop a verified,
component-based, highly flexible software package for the design, analysis
and optimization of Small-scale Autonomous Energy Systems. 
This development effort will focus on improving the integration of component
solutions with system solutions for both transient and steady-state
simulations. 

To validate the software development, extensive acquisition of experimental
data for major component types (compressors, heat exchangers, combustion
systems, electrochemical conversion devices) will be conducted as needed.
CEEE's strong industrial support and relationships with other industrial
partners including Ballard Power Systems will provide some means for
supporting this validation effort. This software must allow for the
optimization in terms of many variables of interest such as compactness,
reliability, noise and vibration, first and operating cost and to allow for
sophisticated controls to meet all conceivable operating requirements and
load ratios.

This software will be licensed to sponsors of SAES.  Validation and
verification of the software imply an extensive experimental effort.

Current Projects

• Development of 5 kW tactical fuel cell running on JP8
• Field test of residential CHP system, accompanied by
  laboratory test of that same CHP system
• Secondary new climate control system for truck anti-idling applications
• Development of software for the analysis design and systematic
  of small autonomous energy systems using genetic and/or gradient
  based optimization algorithms.