Component Power Sizing and Limits of Operation for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell/Battery Hybrid Automotive Applications

Abstract

Abstract This paper describes use of a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell system model for automotive applications in a fuel cell system/battery hybrid configuration. The fuel cell system model has been integrated into a vehicle performance simulator that determines fuel economy and allows consideration of control strategies. The simulator is used to explore relevant regions of the fuel cell-powered hybrid electric vehicle design space by conducting simulations using two simple supervisory-control strategies: thermostatic control and proportional control. During the simulations power provided by the battery and fuel cell system and operational limits on battery state of charge and fuel cell system current density are varied while maintaining minimum component sizing to meet vehicle performance criteria. Analysis of results from these simulations provides component power sizing and limits of operation suitable for development of a more advanced supervisory vehicle control strategy for a fuel cell vehicle.

Key findings

• ▸Component power sizing and limits of operation were determined for a fuel cell/battery hybrid automotive application.
• ▸Two supervisory-control strategies (thermostatic control and proportional control) were used to analyze the fuel cell system's performance.
• ▸Minimum component sizing was maintained to meet vehicle performance criteria during simulations.

Keywords

Identifiers

DOI

10.1115/imece2001/dsc-24524

Journal

Dynamic Systems and Control

Year

2001