Background

The Small Autonomous Energy Systems (SAES) Consortium was formed in the Fall of 2007 within the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering at the University of Maryland. The long-range objective of the Small Autonomous Energy Systems Consortium is 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.