DAQ Software

GREEN ENERGY RESEARCH, INC.
User Manual FuelCellLab™ Software
©GREENENERGYRESEARCH2007
REV1.102508.

Introduction

Nearly everything we use today requires some sort of energy source to power it.

We take for granted the so-called 120 or 240 Volt “alternating current” electrical outlets built into the walls in our homes, schools and offices because it is nearly always there. We find out about power mostly when we don’t have it-when we overload an electrical outlet and the circuit breaker turns off the flow of electricity, we realize that too much power was being used.

We use portable devices with small power sources called batteries that have a set amount of energy stored in them that lasts a limited time. Once the energy is consumed, we typically dispose of the old batteries replacing them with new ones.

Some batteries are designed to allow you to recharge and reuse them many times. Recharging uses another source of energy- typically your 120Volt AC outlet or an automotive battery to “refill” the small rechargeable battery in the portable device, like your cell-phone or iPod.

So we have the sense that power, energy, voltage, current and time are somehow all related. These parameters can be used to explain how an air conditioner can consume more energy than another or more than your cell-phone or iPod. We can measure these parameters and build relationships between them to understand the importance of more efficient energy production.

As we know today, there are new energy sources in development such as Fuel Cells, Photo-Voltaic panels, Wind generators that all promise to be more efficient, less polluting and RENEWABLE, unlike our present power generated from burning fossil fuel.

The FuelCellLab™is a data acquisition and control software designed to conduct experiments with small fuel cells that are either hydrogen or methanol powered.

The experiments (labs) are designed for high school and two year colleges and fit into the chemistry, physics, and environmental science curriculums.

All the software and hardware required for the experiments is contained in one box and does not require any other supporting software and/or components.

Installation


Please insert your FuelCellLab™ CD into your laptop or desktop computer CD reader. Once the “Installer Wizard” loads, please follow the instructions until you are prompted with a “Finish” button. The final screen will look as below (FIG 1.):



Once the software has started up, you will see the Version and revision date in the upper left hand corner of the screen (FIG 2.)

FIG 2. Version information.



FIG 3. Graph Trace selection screen.

 

FIG 4. Graph Trace area.


The colored graph traces will appear on the screen above. (FIG 4.)

The X-axis is always time. The Y-axis is multi-functional and is scaled automatically, so you can view various traces at the same time. By pointing and RIGHT clicking on the scale you can select other graphing formats.

Selecting and Connecting Sensors

ALL the various sensors utilized with the FuelCEllLab™ software are designed to be connected and powered by the USB hub supplied with the kit. The software starts up with the STATUS BAR yellow, prompting for a sensor problem. The FuelCellLab™ software automatically identifies each sensor by utilizing the “Sensor Discovery Wizard”. (FIG 5.) It is activated by clicking on the “Sensor Discovery” button. Once the utility is open, please follow the sequence as instructed.

WARNING! – Once you have connected and activated a sensor and closed the “Sensor Discovery Wizard” you will not be able to plug in another sensor. You will have to unplug all the sensors from the USB hub, re-start the “Sensor Discovery Wizard” and follow the connection sequence.

FIG 5. Sensor Discovery Wizard.


Once you have clicked on the “NEXT” button, you will see the following screen (FIG 6):

FIG 6. Sensor Discovery .

At this point start connecting the sensors you will utilize in the experiment to the USB hub. Once the system recognizes a sensor, a green light will light up next to the sensor name. You will also hear a brief characteristic tone. If you will not use a particular sensor,, click on “Skip Sensor” button, until the blue pointer is positioned against the sensor you are going to use next. (FIG 7.)

FIG 7. Sensor Setup.

Once you have connected all the sensors you are going to use in a particular experiment, (last sensor is the Cell Voltage sensor), the wizard will prompt you to click on “NEXT” to return to the main program.

FIG 8. Status Box.

Once you have completed the sensor installation and returned to the main program, please click on the “Clear” button to remove the status alarm.

The “STATUS” box will turn yellow and post an error message if there are any errors within the system.

 

Selecting Data Logger

If you wish to record the data from your experiment for extended periods of time (the Log interval settings are 5, 15, 30 minutes, 1 hour, and CONTINUOUS)) for future use and manipulation by another application, such as Microsoft EXCEL, you can.

FIG 9. Data Logger Control panel



FIG 10. Cell Parameters

 

Selecting Electronic Load Parameters


FIG . 11 Electronic
Load Control

 

Selecting Heater & RH control


FIG 12.


Selecting Gas Valve control

FIG13.

 

 

Selecting Plot Graph



FIG 14. Plot Graph Utility.
Once you have acquired all your data and would like to display it visually, the most informative and most common format is a GRAPH or X-Y PLOT where you can relate one parameter to another, and as you know, once you have a relationship between the parameters, you can derive an equation between the two. Once you have an equation, you have a MODEL and with a model you can PREDICT future behavior or test your model against new data sets.

In the “Plot Graph” utility (FIG 14.) you can:

    •Select any of the ten sensor outputs on the X or the Y axis.

For example, to obtain a POLARIZATION curve, you would select VOLTAGE as your Y-axis and CURRENT DENSITY as your X-axis.

To obtain a POWER DENSITY curve you would select POWER DENSITY as your Y-axis and your CURRENT DENSITY as your X-axis.