NREL ESIF: National Renewable Energy Laboratory Energy Systems Integration Facility, Golden, Colorado: A Case Study Focused on the High Bay Labs

David Sereno, Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
Kevin Krause, Affiliated Engineers, Inc.

The recent winner of R & D magazines Lab of the Year, the ESIF high bay lab portion of this novel facility will be the focus of this presentation. The presentation will have (4) areas of focus:

1. SCADA: Normally applied to larger process systems, the very application of a SCADA system is somewhat novel to laboratories. It also provides an efficient outline for the subsystems to be addressed below. Specifically the presenters will address:
a. SCADA functionality benefits
b. SCADA safety benefits
c. SCADA cost benefits

2. REDB: Research Electrical Distribution Bus. This is the heart and soul of ESIF enabling over 20,000 (conservative estimate) permutations of large (up to 1 megaWatt) of renewable energy line and load scenarios to be tested. Bullets:
a. Brief overview of REDB scope: bus quantity, type(AC vs DC)and amperage.
b. Elevation of the DC component; relevance to renewables and marketplace challenges/new frontiers.
c. (2) significant innovations to share discovered along the way.

3. Safety/PHAs: The nature of the REDB connect/disconnects underscored by the insertion of DC and associated risks--deeper into facilities, necessitated a thorough process hazards analysis (PHA). Topics to be shared:
a. A brief on severity vs likelihood & reduction there-of via engineered controls and 'defense n depth'.
b. ESIF specific application to (2) critical systems each requiring a different approach REDB What if?
Hydrogen Production/Compression/Dispensing Point to Point
c. SOPs, PHRs and ORRs the culture of safety: instilling that from Kickoff to Lock Out Tag Out placards. (Acronyms will be defined: Safe Operating Procedures, Process Hazards Review lab level, Operational Readiness Review DOE level.

4. Complexion of a Physical Sciences Laboratory as contrasted to traditional wet or dry, chemistry labs:
a. Flexibility/functionality solutions.
b. Energy: Ventilation minimization in a high heat rejection environment.
c. REDB lines and loads: Hardware-in the Loop and a new set of gadgets

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the basics of Process Hazards Analysis with-in the context of a research laboratory; specifically a What-if analysis and a Point to Point analysis.
  • Understand the advent of DC power systems into building systems. Specifically, relating to safely and cost effectively integrating large, distributed and variable. renewable energy sources.
  • Understand the advantages of a SCADA system to maximizing safety, functionality and minimizing cost as applied to R & D laboratories and high performing buildings.

Biographies:

With 26 years at AEI Mr. Sereno has planned 100s of projects. Clients include: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland; Bentley Technical Centre, Crewe, England; Purdue University, Boeing, Hamilton Sundstrand Aerospace, Jaguar Land Rover, Whitley, England, GE, GM, Ford, NY State Alternative Fuels Vehicle Research Facility; and, extensive worldwide project work for Cummins, Deere and Co. and Caterpillar.

Mr. Krause has focused much of his 11-year career designing electrical systems that support the industrial test laboratory, a highly complex environment measuring regulated energy efficiency, emissions, and particulate levels. For the US Department of Energy's at NREL's Electrical Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) his electrical expertise informed the complex Research Electrical Distribution Bus, which supports the research conducted on a broad range of renewable energy generation sources.

 

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