Development of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Control System for Public Transport

The magnitude of pollution generated by public transport is significant and poses a major obstacle to the advancement of the Paris Climate Agreement. Therefore, it is crucial to adopt clean energy sources to drive bus vehicle, with fuel cells being an eco-friendlier option. Merely examining the fuel cell stack in isolation does not provide a viable solution to the problem. It is imperative to study the complete system, encompassing the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) integrated with the load, specifically in the context of public transports. The aim of this paper is to design a control system model for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) within MATLAB Simulink environment. The model is designed to simulate the operating state of PEMFC under the conditions of urban road vehicle loads, which can reach up to 60kW. The key feature of PEMFC control system comprises the gas supply system and temperature regulator. For gas supply system, a PID control method is employed to regulate the anode pressure and maintain an acceptable pressure difference with the Cathode. For temperature regulator, water is used as a coolant to maintain the temperature level within the reactor. The fuel cell temperature is then kept within an acceptable range through feedback linearization control, further enhancing the stability of the system. The gas supply system and temperature regulator is incorporated into a system coordinator, which ensure stability of power output, capable of providing for up to 60kW.