Dynamic Simulation of a Hybrid Energy System for Powering a Water Treatment Facility in McCallum, Newfoundland and Labrador

Abstract

Clean water, a basic human need, is in short supply in McCallum, Newfoundland and Labrador, primarily due to lead contamination, forcing residents to rely on collected rainwater. Reverse Osmosis (RO) has been identified as the most suitable desalination method because of its lower energy requirements and high effectiveness in treating lead-contaminated water. Powering the RO system with renewable energy sources (RES) offers a promising solution for this remote, off-grid area, currently powered by a diesel generator. The proposed hybrid energy system (HES) provides not only the most economically optimal configuration but also greater reliability. The system consists of a 3.6 kW solar array, a 2-kW wind turbine, a 3-kW DC diesel generator, and a 680 Ah 48 V battery bank to supply the single-phase water treatment system, which includes a 0.3 kW resistive load, lighting, and two asynchronous machines rated at 0.5 hp and 0.75 hp, respectively. A dynamic simulation of the proposed system, based on calculation done in Kafrashi and Iqbal [1], is presented in this paper. All system components are modeled in MATLAB/Simulink. Simulation results show expected dynamics in the system. Results indicate proper system operation with reasonable within-range system voltage and current during normal operation.