Advanced Control for Fuel Cells Connected to a DC/DC Converter and an Electric Motor

BOTELLÉ, G.; FERRARI, J.; ZUMOFFEN, D.; BASUALDO, M.; JIMÉNEZ ESTELLER, L.

Cracow, Poland.

Simposio; 19th European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering – ESCAPE19; 2009

Silesian University of Technology, Rzeszów University of Technology and Polish Society of Chemical Engineering

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> The transient behavior of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system under an efficient adaptive predictive control with robust filter (APCRF) is analyzed using a non-linear dynamic, control-oriented computer model. Sudden changes in the stack current are associated with the abrupt changes in power demanded by the electric motor of a vehicle, powered by the PEMFC. The APCRF is designed for controlling the air-compressor-motor voltage accounting three working zones. It is specially thought to maintaining the necessary level of the oxygen in the cathode to prevent short circuit and membrane damage. A DC/DC converter is connected to the electric motor. It is used as an actuator in a cascade control loop to control the torque output of a DC electric motor with a PI controller in the external loop. Several simulated results are presented when disturbances such as sudden current demands from two types of motors are done and the APCRF shows its potentiality for a wide working range.