Adaptive airflow control of the PEM fuel cell system 2007-01-2012

To compete with internal combustion engines fuel cell system must operate and function at least as well as conventional engines. The fuel cell system power properties depends on the air and hydrogen feed, flow and pressure regulation, and heat and water management. Choosing an air flow control method is very important decision that defines many characteristics of the fuel cell system. The air supply method of the cathode side of the fuel cell can contribute to improvement of the system performance. A fuel cell is a stochastic object. Application an adaptive extremum control with bi-parameter identification provide to automatical adjusting the parameters of a controller to the changing characteristics of an object. The aim of control algorithm was air flow control of the fuel cell in order to find and hold the maximal value of net power produced by the fuel cell stack, regardless of changes of the parameters of the object of control and its outer environment. Presented algorithm was capable of reaching the aim of control. The structure of an adaptive controller was simplified on purpose. Since such a simple controller, armed only with an ability to learn, a more complex structure of an algorithm can only improve the result. The presented adaptive control system of the PEM fuel cell is a general solution and can be used for other types of fuel cells systems of both high and low power.