Current source rectifier for high-power water electrolysers: analysis and sizing

Iribarren, Álvaro; Barrios, Ernesto L.; Balda, Julián; Rivera, Marco; Wheeler, Patrick; Ursúa, Alfredo; Sanchis, Pablo

Abstract

Current source rectifiers offer advantageous features that make them attractive solutions for powering grid-connected high-power electrolysers. Being a single-stage step-down rectifier topology is particularly well-suited for the low voltage, high current characteristics of high-power electrolysers. This paper investigates the impact of electrolyser electrical behaviour on the operation of current source rectifiers and provides practical guidelines for their optimal sizing, aiming to enhance power quality while minimizing overall system costs. Requirements for both grid and electrolyser sides are defined, and key considerations for sizing converter elements such as semiconductors, input LC filter, output dc inductance, and power transformer are discussed. Through optimal sizing of these components, it is demonstrated that high switching frequency IGBT-based current source rectifiers can emerge as cost-effective solutions for industrial high-power electrolyser applications.

Citation

Iribarren, Á., Barrios, E. L., Balda, J., Rivera, M., Wheeler, P., Ursúa, A., & Sanchis, P. (2024, June). Current source rectifier for high-power water electrolysers: analysis and sizing. Presented at IET Conference Proceedings, Nottingham, England

• Presentation Conference Type: Edited Proceedings
• Conference Name: IET Conference Proceedings
• Start Date: Jun 10, 2024
• End Date: Jun 13, 2024
• Acceptance Date: May 10, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 3, 2024
• Publication Date: Jun 10, 2024
• Deposit Date: Nov 19, 2024
• Electronic ISSN: 2732-4494
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 606-612
• Book Title: 13th International Conference on Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD 2024)
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1049/icp.2024.2215
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/40002456
• Publisher URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10663619