Optimization of Electricity Consumption by a Group of Monopolar Electrolysis Plants of the Same Type

Abstract

Recently, more and more attention has been paid to environmental problems associated with excessive extraction of traditional energy resources. The transition to sustainable and renewable energy sources is becoming a key solution to overcome the depletion of natural resources and reduce the negative impact on the environment. One of the promising areas is the use of technology for obtaining hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. However, these days the mentioned technologies require large energy costs. Yet, in some of group operating modes, several electrolysis plants that operate simultaneously (in this paper, we are talking about monopolar electrolyzers with an active electrode) were used. At the same time, they might have a very negative impact on the elements of the electrical network that supplies this group of electrolysis plants. The optimization of the operation of a group of monopolar electrolysis plants of the same type in order to minimize their negative impact on the electrical network is considered in this paper. The results of the approximation of the function that describes the change in voltage for electrolysis with an active electrode, obtained from experimental data, using Fourier series were given. The optimization objective function was determined and the problem of finding the optimal sequence of starting a group of electrolysis plants was solved using stochastic methods. As a result of the calculations, it was established that the use of stochastic methods is appropriate, and based on the proposed solution, it is possible to create a prototype of a real control system for a group of similar electrolysis plants.