This paper describes a quantitative study conducted on the performance of the photovoltaic (PV) system at the University of Portland in Oregon. The objective of the study was to compare the performance to other PV systems in the Pacific Northwest. Data collected over a span of two years was used to determine the maximum and minimum energy production days of the year, to generate average monthly performance and annual energy plots, to observe correlation between outside temperature and the photovoltaic system performance, and to compare actual performance of the system to the expected performance. The greatest energy production day was found to be July 11, 2013 with total energy production of about 35 kWh. The minimum energy production day was found to be January 16, 2013 with total energy production of about 1 kWh. According to initial calculations and analysis, the actual performance of the photovoltaic system reaches an efficiency of around 12.3%. Expected system performance was listed at an estimated rating of 14.9%, indicating a slight reduction from expected performance. From the analysis conducted, the photovoltaic system has been found to be performing close to expectations. Continued analysis of the system will allow for further comparison to other PV systems in the Pacific Northwest.

Convective heat transfer beyond explicit solutions to the Navier Stokes equations is often an empirical science. Schlieren imaging is one of the only fluid imaging systems that can directly visualize the density gradients of a fluid using collimated light and refractive properties. The ability to visualize fluid densities is useful in both research and educational fields. A Schlieren imaging device has been constructed by undergraduate students at the University of Portland. The device is used for professorial heat transfer and fluid dynamics research and to help undergraduates visualize and understand natural convection. This paper documents the design decisions, design process, and the final specifications of the Schlieren system. A simple 2-D heated cylindrical model is considered and evaluated using Schlieren imaging, OpenFOAM C.F.D. simulation, and convection analysis using a Nusselt correlation. Results are presented for the three analysis techniques and show excellent verifications between the CFD simulation, Nusselt correlation, and Schlieren imaging system.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is working with industry to independently monitor up to fifteen distinct 5 kilowatt-electric (kWe) combined heat and power (CHP) high temperature (HT) proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems (FCSs) installed in light commercial buildings. This research paper discusses an evaluation of the first six months of measured performance data acquired at a one-second sampling rate from real-time monitoring equipment attached to the FCSs at building sites. Engineering performance parameters are independently evaluated. Based on an analysis of the first few months of measured operating data, FCS performance is consistent with manufacturer-stated performance. Initial data indicate that the FCSs have relatively stable performance and a long term average production of about 4.57 kWe of power. This value is consistent with, but slightly below, the manufacturer’s stated rated electric power output of 5 kWe. The measured system net electric efficiency has averaged 33.7%, based on the higher heating value (HHV) of natural gas fuel. This value, also, is consistent with, but slightly below, the manufacturer’s stated rated electric efficiency of 36%. The FCSs provide low-grade hot water to the building at a measured average temperature of about 48.4°C, lower than the manufacturer’s stated maximum hot water delivery temperature of 65°C. The uptime of the systems is also evaluated. System availability can be defined as the quotient of total operating time compared to time since commissioning. The average values for system availability vary between 96.1 and 97.3%, depending on the FCS evaluated in the field. Performance at Rated Value for electrical efficiency (PRV eff ) can be defined as the quotient of the system time operating at or above the rated electric efficiency and the time since commissioning. The PRV eff varies between 5.6% and 31.6%, depending on the FCS field unit evaluated. Performance at Rated Value for electrical power (PRV p ) can be defined as the quotient of the system time operating at or above the rated electric power and the time since commissioning. PRV p varies between 6.5% and 16.2%. Performance at Rated Value for electrical efficiency and power (PRV t ) can be defined as the quotient of the system time operating at or above both the rated electric efficiency and the electric power output compared to the time since commissioning. PRV t varies between 0.2% and 1.4%. Optimization to determine the manufacturer rating required to achieve PRV t greater than 80% has been performed based on the collected data. For example, for FCS unit 130 to achieve a PRV t of 95%, it would have to be down-rated to an electrical power output of 3.2 kWe and an electrical efficiency of 29%.The use of PRV as an assessment metric for FCSs has been developed and reported for the first time in this paper. For FCS Unit 130, a 20% decline in electric power output was observed from approximately 5 kWe to 4 kWe over a 1,500 hour period between Dec. 14th 2011 and Feb. 14th 2012.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is working with industry to independently monitor up to fifteen distinct 5 kilowatt-electric (kWe) combined heat and power (CHP) high temperature (HT) proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems (FCSs) installed in light commercial buildings. This research paper discusses an evaluation of the first six months of measured performance data acquired at a one-second sampling rate from real-time monitoring equipment attached to the FCSs at building sites. Engineering performance parameters are independently evaluated. Based on an analysis of the first few months of measured operating data, FCS performance is consistent with manufacturer-stated performance. Initial data indicate that the FCSs have relatively stable performance and a long term average production of about 4.57 kWe of power. This value is consistent with, but slightly below, the manufacturer’s stated rated electric power output of 5 kWe. The measured system net electric efficiency has averaged 33.7%, based on the higher heating value (HHV) of natural gas fuel. This value, also, is consistent with, but slightly below, the manufacturer’s stated rated electric efficiency of 36%. The FCSs provide low-grade hot water to the building at a measured average temperature of about 48.4°C, lower than the manufacturer’s stated maximum hot water delivery temperature of 65°C. The uptime of the systems is also evaluated. System availability can be defined as the quotient of total operating time compared to time since commissioning. The average values for system availability vary between 96.1 and 97.3%, depending on the FCS evaluated in the field. Performance at Rated Value for electrical efficiency (PRV eff ) can be defined as the quotient of the system time operating at or above the rated electric efficiency and the time since commissioning. The PRV eff varies between 5.6% and 31.6%, depending on the FCS field unit evaluated. Performance at Rated Value for electrical power (PRV p ) can be defined as the quotient of the system time operating at or above the rated electric power and the time since commissioning. PRV p varies between 6.5% and 16.2%. Performance at Rated Value for electrical efficiency and power (PRV t ) can be defined as the quotient of the system time operating at or above both the rated electric efficiency and the electric power output compared to the time since commissioning. PRVt varies between 0.2% and 1.4%. Optimization to determine the manufacturer rating required to achieve PRV t greater than 80% has been performed based on the collected data. For example, for FCS unit 130 to achieve a PRV t of 95%, it would have to be down-rated to an electrical power output of 3.2 kWe and an electrical efficiency of 29%.The use of PRV as an assessment metric for FCSs has been developed and reported for the first time in this paper. For FCS Unit 130, a 20% decline in electric power output was observed from approximately 5 kWe to 4 kWe over a 1,500 hour period between Dec. 14th 2011 and Feb. 14th 2012.