Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.6113/JPE.2011.11.2.194

Maximum Efficiency Point Tracking Algorithm Using Oxygen Access Ratio Control for Fuel Cell Systems  

Jang, Min-Ho (Dept. of Electrical and Electronics Eng., Seoul National University)
Lee, Jae-Moon (Fuel Cell Vehicle Team, Hyundai Motor Company)
Kim, Jong-Hoon (Dept. of Electrical and Electronics Eng., Seoul National University)
Park, Jong-Hu (Dept. of Electrical and Electronics Eng., Soongsil University)
Cho, Bo-Hyung (Dept. of Electrical and Electronics Eng., Seoul National University)
Publication Information
Journal of Power Electronics / v.11, no.2, 2011 , pp. 194-201 More about this Journal
Abstract
The air flow supplied to a fuel cell system is one of the most significant factors in determining fuel efficiency. The conventional method of controlling the air flow is to fix the oxygen supply at an estimated constant rate for optimal efficiency. However, the actual optimal point can deviated from the pre-set value due to temperature, load conditions and so on. In this paper, the maximum efficiency point tracking (MEPT) algorithm is proposed for finding the optimal air supply rate in real time to maximize the net-power generation of fuel cell systems. The fixed step MEPT algorithm has slow dynamics, thus it affects the overall efficiency. As a result, the variable step MEPT algorithm is proposed to compensate for this problem instead of a fixed one. The complete small signal model of a PEM Fuel cell system is developed to perform a stability analysis and to present a design guideline. For a design example, a 1kW PEM fuel cell system with a DSP 56F807 (Motorola Inc) was built and tested using the proposed MEPT algorithm. This control algorithm is very effective for a soft current change load like a grid connected system or a hybrid electric vehicle system with a secondary energy source.
Keywords
Air flow control; Fuel cell system; Fuel efficiency; Maximum efficiency point; MEPT algorithm;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 3  (Citation Analysis)
Times Cited By Web Of Science : 0  (Related Records In Web of Science)
Times Cited By SCOPUS : 1
연도 인용수 순위
1 J. Zhang, G. Liu, W. Yu, and M. Ouyang, "Adaptive control of the air flow of a PEM fuel cell system," Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 179, No. 2, pp. 649-659, May 2008.   DOI   ScienceOn
2 C. A. Ramos-Paja, C. Bordons, A. Romero, R. Giral, and L. Martinez-Salamero, "Minimum fuel consumption strategy for PEM fuel cells," IEEE Trans. Ind. Eletron., Vol. 56, No. 3, pp. 685-696, Mar. 2009.   DOI   ScienceOn
3 C. A. Ramos-Paja, R. Giral, L. Martinez-Salamero, J. Romano, A. Romero, and G. Spagnuolo, "A PEM fuel cell model featuring oxygen excess ratio estimation and power electronics interaction," IEEE Trans. Ind. Eletron., Vol. 57, No. 6, pp. 1914-1924, Jun. 2010.   DOI   ScienceOn
4 Y. A. Chang and S. J. Moura, "Air flow control in fuel cell systems: an extremum seeking approach," American Control Conference, pp. 1052-1059, 2009.
5 A. Giustiniani, G. Petrone, C. Pianese, M. Sorrentino. G. Spangnuolo, and M. Vitelli, "PEM fuel cells control by means of the perturb and observe technique," in Proc. IEEE IECON, pp. 4349-4354, 2006.
6 J.-M. Lee and B.-H. Cho, "A dynamic model of a PEM fuel cell system," Applied Power Electronic Conference and Exposition, pp. 720, 2009.
7 J. T. Pukrushpan, A. G. Stefanopoulou, and H. Peng, "Modeling and control for PEM fuel cell stack system," American Control Conference, Vol. 4, pp. 3117-3122, 2002.
8 K. W. Suh and A. G. Stefanopulou, "Performance limitations of air flow control in power-autonomous fuel cell systems," IEEE Trans. Control Syst. Technol., Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 465-473, May 2007.   DOI   ScienceOn
9 C. Ramos, A. Romero, R. Giral, and L. Martinez-Salamero, "Maximum power point tracking strategy for fuel cell power systems," in Proc. IEEE ISIE, pp. 2613-2618, 2007.
10 C. Bordons, A. Arce, and A. J. del Real, "Constrained predictive control strategies for PEM fuel cells," American Control Conference,pp. 6088-6093, Dec. 2006.
11 A. J. del Real, A. Arce, and C. Bordons, "Development and experimental validation of a PEM fuel cell dynamic model," Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 173, No.1, pp. 310-324, Nov. 2007.   DOI   ScienceOn
12 M. W. Ellis, M. R. Von Spakovsky, and D. J. Nelson, "Fuel cell systems: efficient, flexible energy conversion for the 21st century," in Proc. IEEE, Vol. 89, No. 12, pp. 1808-1818, Dec. 2001.
13 J. T. Pukrushpan, A. G. Stefanopoulou, and H. Peng, "Control of fuel cell breathing," Control System Magazine, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 30-46, Apr. 2004.   DOI
14 A. Vahlidi, A.G. Stefanopoulou, and H. Peng, "Current management in a hybrid fuel cell power system: A model-predictive control approack," IEEE Trans. Control Syst. Technol., Vol. 14, No.6, pp. 1047-1057, Nov. 2006.   DOI   ScienceOn
15 Z. Zhong, H. Huo, X. Zhu, G. Cao, and Y. Ren, "Adaptive maximum power point tracking control of fuel cell power plants," Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 176, No. 1, pp. 259-269, 2008.   DOI   ScienceOn
16 Y. Kishinevsky and S. Zelingher, "Coming clean with fuel cells," IEEE Power & Energy Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 6, pp. 20-25, Nov./Dec. 2003
17 H.-S. Bae, J.-H. Park, B.-H. Cho, and G.-J. Yu, "New MPPT control strategy for two-stage grid-connected photovoltaic power conditioning system," Journal of Power Electronics, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 174-180, Apr. 2007.
18 S. S. Williamson, S. C. Rimmalapudi, and A. Emadi, "Electrical modeling of renewable energy sources and energy storage devices," Journal of Power Electronics, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 117-126, Apr. 2004.
19 J.-G. Lim, S.-K. Chung, "Implementation of a fuel cell dynamic simulator," Journal of Power Electronics, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 336-342, Oct. 2007.
20 J. K. Shin, "Performance analysis and optimization of control strategy for fuel cell hybrid vehicle using battery and ultra capacitor," Dissertation, Department of Electrical Engineering, Seoul National University, 2005.
21 P. Huynh, "Analysis and Design of Microprocessor-Controlled Peak-Power Tracking System". Ph. D. Dissertion, VPEC, 1992.
22 J.-H. Lee, H.-S. Bae, and B.-H. Cho, "Advanced incremental conductance MPPT algorithm with a variable step size," in Proc. EPE, pp. 603-607, 2006.