Dr Utkal Mehta (right), an Associate Professor at USP, with developers of Eye-Cane, Shivneel Kumar (middle) and Mohammed Alim (left).The Braille Eye-Slate.

Dr Franco Rodie, Permanent Secretary of Solomon Islands Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) (middle) with Dr Utkal Mehta, an Associate Professor at SEP, USP (left) and Mr Nikhil Singh, developer of Braille Eye-Slate (right).

Nonlinear Modeling of Fuel Cell for Residential Application in the South Pacific Countries (FCSPC = Fuel Cell in the South Pacific Countries).

Abstract: This research aims to improve the modelling of Fuel Cells Systems (FCS) in micro grids by using online nonlinear modelling in the FC and using nonlinear control to improve its performance inside a micro grid (MG). The project will involve setting up a FC system at the University and monitoring its health over a long period and place it inside a Micro Grid (MG). The power produced with the FC is supplied to a grid through a DC–AC converter, as shown in Fig.1. The electrolysis is the electrolysis of water to hydrogen that store in metal hybrid tank in order to deliver hydrogen to FC. The power of electrolyser is supplied by PV system.

Summary:
Fuel cell consists of electrochemical cells that generate electricity through the electrochemical reaction. Majority of the power system of a marine vessel make use of diesel or unleaded fuels

known as fossil fuels. The rise on the impact of climate change and global warming is caused by

the usage of the non-renewable energy. The use of fossil fuel can be controlled as the fuel cell can be the alternative and sustainable energy source. Fuel cell does not discharge any greenhouse gases during its process as the by-product is water (H2O) and heat. The (DC) direct current produced from the output from the energy unit after filters and converters can be utilized to power up an engine of a ship and other electrical sources. The hybrid control design will make use of batteries and fuel cell that will allow to power up the marine vessel. The operation of current fuel cell can be up to 50% of efficiency. Hence, this project will investigate various strategies for increasing the efficiency of both the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM) and Solid oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) were it will combat with the non-renewable energy source. The fuel cell powered marine vessel can turn out into a future improvement in the Pacific as the understanding will be further discussed along in the project. The exploration on (FCs) will be embraced as it will give the high dependence on petroleum products in the South Pacific and FCs

are probably going to be an imperative piece of power supply later on. An achievability study will be carried out on a marine vessel that has been setup at the research office in USP.

Thus, this research base project will be focusing on the modelling and designing of a hybrid fuel

cell for Green energy of the boat application. The product will be a leading initiative in the Pacific as the prototype will benefit the Pacific region as the existing design will easily be retrofitted.

This multi-disciplinary group researches a broad range of topics including:

• Modeling and Control of linear and nonlinear processes
• Modeling Energy Storage devices
• Fractional control on unstable and integrating plants such as coupled tank, quadrotor, or twin-rotor systems
• Realization of fractional-order filters and controllers
• Mechatronics Applications

• A novel approach of fractional-order time delay system modeling based on Haar wavelet
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isatra.2018.07.019
  
• Optimized fractional low and highpass filters of (1 + α) order on FPAA
  https://doi.org/10.24425/bpasts.2020.133123
• Parametric identification of nonlinear fractional Hammerstein models
  https://doi.org/10.3390/fractalfract4010002

• Generalized formulation to estimate the Supercapacitor’s R-C series impedance using fractional order model
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2021.04.018

• Flexible Fractional Supercapacitor Model Analyzed in Time Domain.
  https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2938543
  https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/ielx7/6287639/8600701/8821292/graphical_abstract/access-gavideo-2938543.mp4

• Two degree of freedom fractional PI scheme for automatic voltage regulation
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jestch.2021.08.003

• Fractional-order two-input two-output process identification based on Haar operational matrix
  https://doi.org/10.1080/00207721.2020.1857503

• A single-step identification strategy for the coupled TITO process using fractional calculus
  https://doi.org/10.1177/0142331221992732

• Identification scheme for fractional Hammerstein models with the delayed Haar wavelet
  https://doi.org/10.1109/JAS.2020.1003093

• Modeling and parametric identification of Hammerstein systems with time delay and asymmetric dead-zones using fractional differential equations
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymssp.2021.108568

• Fractional-order PI plus D controller for second-order integrating plants: Stabilization and tuning method
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isatra.2021.12.012

• Improved Performance in Quadrotor Trajectory Tracking Using MIMO PI^λ-D Control
  https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3214810

• Fractional filter IMC-TDD controller design for integrating processes
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rico.2022.100155

• Fractional-Order Impedance Identification for Inductors
  http://dx.doi.org/10.18576/pfda/080310

• Fractional-order tilt integral derivative controller design using IMC scheme for unstable time-delay processes
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40313-023-01020-6

• Novel Fractional-Order Proportional-Integral Controller for Hybrid Power System with Solar Grid and Reheated Thermal Generator
  https://doi.org/10.3390/solar3020018

• Improved control of integrating cascade processes with time delays using fractional-order internal model controller with the Smith predictor
  https://doi.org/10.1177/09596518231168510

• A comprehensive review of modified Internal Model Control (IMC) structures and their filters for unstable processes
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcontrol.2023.04.006

• Modelling of an Optimized Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Using Fractional-Order
  https://doi.org/10.1109/IC_ASET58101.2023.10151016

• Tri-parametric Fractional-order Controller Design for Integrating Systems with Time Delay
  https://doi.org/10.1109/TCSII.2023.3269819
• Fractional internal-model-control filter-based controller tuning for series cascade unstable plants
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40435-023-01162-0
• Fractional dual-tilt control scheme for integrating time delay processes: Studied on a two-tank level system
  https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3351183

• A comprehensive review of wireless power transfer systems: Focused study with fractional-order elements
  https://doi.org/10.1002/cta.3921

• Enhancing neural network classification using fractional-order activation functions
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aiopen.2023.12.003

•  Novel Approach to Modeling Incommensurate Fractional Order Systems Using Fractional Neural Networks
  https://doi.org/10.3390/math1201008

FraCAL Contact information:
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
School of Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics (STEMP)
The University of the South Pacific (USP)
Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji
E: utkal.mehta@usp.ac.fj
P: +679-3232337