[pt] Este trabalho consiste no estudo de um sistema isolado de geração de energia elétrica, ou seja, não está ligado à rede. Seus objetivos consistem na montagem de uma banca experimental, na construção de um simulador e na realização de testes experimentais. O sistema físico possui como componentes: painéis fotovoltaicos, grupo de baterias, inversor de corrente e um sistema integrado de geração de energia elétrica (reformador + célula combustível). O reformador utiliza o etanol como combustível para geração de gás reformado que abastece uma célula a combustível do tipo Membrana de Troca de Prótons de Baixa Temperatura (LTPEM). O gás reformado é composto, principalmente, por hidrogênio e óxidos de carbono, além do metano em baixas porcentagens. Para análise do sistema, foi feito um volume de controle em cada componente, e retirados dados como potência, vazão, consumo elétrico, entre outros dados, assim como foi realizado diversos experimentos no Laboratório com os equipamentos separados e em conjunto. Com estes dados, foi possível o desenvolvimento de um simulador em Excel e Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), utilizando equações fenomenológicas. Após a caracterização dos equipamentos foi possível a validação do simulador. Com este validado, foi possível simular alguns cenários pré-estabelecidos, com objetivo de comprovar ou não a viabilidade técnica do sistema de geração isolada de energia elétrica. / [en] This work consists of the study of an isolated system of electricity generation, that is, it is not connected to the grid. Its objectives are to set up an experimental bench, build a simulator and carry out experimental tests. The physical system has as components: photovoltaic panels, battery pack, current inverter, and an integrated electric power generation system (reformer + fuel cell). The reformer uses ethanol as fuel to generate reformed gas that supplies a Low Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (LTPEM) fuel cell. The reformed gas is mainly composed of hydrogen and carbon oxides, in addition to methane in low percentages. For system analysis, a control volume was made in each component, and data such as power, flow, electrical consumption, among other data, was taken, as well as several experiments were carried out in the Laboratory with the separate equipment and together. With these data, it was possible to develop a simulator in Excel and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), using phenomenological equations. After the characterization of the equipment, it was possible to validate the simulator. With this validated, it was possible to simulate some pre-established scenarios, with the objective of proving or not the technical feasibility of the isolated electric energy generation system.

With increasing demands on lowering carbon emissions, fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles (FCHEV) have been seen as an alternative to the fossil-fuel driven trucks of today. These would have less emissions and strive to have the same range as any diesel driven transport vehicle. A lot of effort and resources have been put into fuel cell research for incorporation in new powertrains. There are however many different fuel cell types, so the aim of the thesis was to explore two different fuel cell types for use in a FCHEV model.The thesis sets up a model consisting of various subsystems of a high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC). Components for the power electronics and a cooling system are also incorporated. The system was then combined with a vehicle model, where a power split between the fuel cell and battery was investigated. The performance of the HT-PEMFC was compared to a low temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (LT-PEMFC) on three levels with increasing complexity. These were on a single cell level, stack level and on a vehicle level.The results showed that the HT-PEMFC had worse performance than the LT-PEMFC on both a cell and vehicle level. The power output of an HT-PEMFC was lower for all current densities, meaning more cells were needed in order for the HT-PEMFC to have the same power output as an LT-PEMFC. It did however have a better cooling ability and was a simpler system, which therefore does warrant further investigation on its future use in transport applications. If heat recuperation was investigated further, the HT-PEMFC performance would have been increased to a higher degree than the LT-PEMFC.