Design and stability analysis of a super-twisting controller for a PS-FBC-based fuel cell module

PULESTON, PAUL F.; ANDERSON AZZANO, JORGE L.; MORÉ, JERÓNIMO J.

Advanced Control for Applications: Engineering and Industrial Systems

Wiley

Año: 2019

Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells have been established as a really promising technology, specially due to their high efficiency and scalability features,additionally to their low pollution emissions. In a typical topology, fuel cellmodule (FCM) is usually integrated into a hybrid power system, where theFCM is designed to satisfy the main power requirements and reduce the current ripple at the fuel cell output. In this framework, the aim of this paper isto analyze and design a sliding mode control (SMC) for a FCM based on anisolated phase-shifted full bridge converter. This particular topology provides a high conversion ratio and attains a reduction of switching losses, which allow its application in low and medium power systems. From the control viewpoint, theproposed module represents a challenge due to the highly nonlinear behaviorand wide operation range of the FCM, together with system parameter uncertainties and perturbations. To solve these issues, a second-order sliding mode super-twisting algorithm (STA) is proposed. As its main advantage, the STAreduces significantly the control chattering while preserving several features of conventional SMCs, such as robustness and finite time convergence. In orderto analyze the zero dynamics stability, a Lyapunov study is proposed, taking advantage of its particular Liérnad-type system structure. Finally, the designed algorithm is thoroughly analyzed and validated by computer simulation on a commercial 10-kW FCM and compared to first-order SMC.