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Abstract— This paper presents a novel approach to fuel cell phenomenon such as the mass transport, heat transfer and
modeling. The model is developed with the objective to facilitate diffusion of species inside the cell [2],[3],[4]. These models
the simulation of fuel cell power systems and requires only few require excessive amount of parameters and can not be easily
variables from manufacturer datasheets. The user would need
to extract data from the datasheet in order to perform the added to electrical simulations programs. The experimental
simulation and does not need to perform experimental tests on models are derived from experiments and they represent the
a real stack. Based on the amount of information available on fuel cell by look-up tables or empirical expressions [5],[6].
a given stack, a simplified model or, alternatively, the detailed These models do not include fuel cell thermodynamics and can
model can be used. These models are generic models and not represent the effect of operating parameters such as gases
able to emulate the behavior of any fuel cell types fed with
hydrogen and air. The procedure to extract data from fuel cells inlet pressures, flow rates, compositions and temperature. The
datasheet is described along with the method to approximate electrical models represent the fuel cell by electrical circuit
cell’s parameters. The models are validated through comparison elements [8],[7]. They do not include fuel cell thermodynamics
with real datasheet performance and with experimental data from also but are more suitable for the simulation of fuel cell
an actual fuel cell stack. The simulations results obtained are power systems. In all approaches of modeling, the model
close to the expected results with an error in the range of ± 1%,
that for both steady and transient states and at any condition of parameters are obtained either empirically or by performing
operation, provided a controlled stack internal humidity. Finally, some tests on the real fuel cell. The polarization curves tests
the models are included in SimPowerSystems (SPS) and used in are required for chemical and experimental models whereas
the simulation of a Fuel Cell Backup Power System (FCBPS). The the current interrupt, impedance spectroscopy and frequency
FCBPS is used as a rescue to a three-phase to ground fault on a response tests are required for electrical models.
25 kV system feeding an asynchronous motor. The performance
obtained from the FCPBS model is as expected, the fault is totally
unseen by the connected load. In this paper, a new approach of fuel cell modeling is
proposed, an approach where the fuel cell model is obtained
from data from fuel cells datasheets which are provided by
I. I NTRODUCTION
stack manufacturers and publicly available. The model is a
Over the last decade, there have been some growing con- generic model and combines the features of chemical and
cerns regarding the emission of greenhouse gases and the electrical models. That is, the model is suitable for electrical
shrinking of fossil fuel reserves which have made fuel cell simulation programs and can represent the effect of operating
energy sources very attractive. This is mainly due to their high parameters on the fuel cell. The paper is divided into three
reliability, low emission of pollutants and little maintenance sections. In the first section, the proposed model and its
[1]. parameters are described. Furthermore, a method is presented
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert chemical to show how to determine the model parameters from the
energy from an electrolytic reaction directly to electrical manufacturer’s datasheet. In the second section, the model is
energy, rejecting only heat and water. In spite of being a validated with a typical datasheet curve and with experimental
clean source of energy, they are only capable of producing results from a real fuel cell. The third section contains an
unregulated dc voltage, hence the need for power converters example of an application where the fuel cell model integrated
to interface the driven load. An accurate model of fuel cells is in SimPowerSystems (SPS) is used in the simulation of a fuel
needed to observe their dynamic and steady state performances cell backup power System. The paper ends with a conclusion.
necessary for the design, control and simulation of such
converters.
II. T HE FUEL CELL MODEL
Several types of fuel cells models have been reported in the Two models of a fuel cell stack (several cell in series) are
literature. These models can be classified into three categories proposed: a simplified model and a detailed model. These
which are: chemical, experimental and electrical. The chem- models are described in the following lines.
ical models include complex chemical and thermodynamic
Souleman Njoya M., O. Tremblay and L.-A. Dessaint are members of A. The simplified model
the Groupe de Recherche en Electronique de Puissance et Commande In- The simplified model represents a fuel cell stack by a
dustrielle (GREPCI), Ecole de technologie superieure, Universite du Que-
bec, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada (e-mail: souleman motapon@yahoo.fr; controlled voltage source in series with a constant resistance
olivier.tremblay.1@ens.etsmtl.ca; dessaint@ele.etsmtl.ca). as shown in Fig. 1.
978-1-4244-4241-6/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE
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TABLE I
F UEL CELL PARAMETERS
Inom
Vnom = Eoc − N Aln − Rohm Inom (15)
i0
Imax
Vmin = Eoc − N Aln − Rohm Imax (16)
i0
This gives:
(V1 − Vnom )(Imax − 1) − (V1 − Vmin )(Inom − 1)
NA =
ln(Inom )(Imax − 1) − ln(Imax )(Inom − 1)
(17)
Fig. 4. Fuel cell dynamics V1 − Vnom − N Aln(Inom )
Rohm = (18)
Inom − 1
depends on the fuel cell stack itself and is usually given on V1 − Eoc + Rohm
the datasheet. The parameters for flow dynamics (U fO2 (peak) i0 = exp (19)
NA
and Vu ) depend on the dynamics of external equipments
(compressor, regulator and loads) and they are not provided by
manufacturers as their values vary with the user application. The remaining parameters (for the detailed model only) are
For simulation, the user may assume values of U fO2 (peak) determined using the set of equations shown in Table I
between 60-70 %2 and Vu between 2-5 % of the stack nominal
voltage.
III. T HE MODEL VALIDATION
2) Model parameters approximation: From equations (1)
The proposed models are first validated at steady state,
and (2), we have at steady state, the following of equations:
nominal condition of operation using a typical datasheet
polarization curve. As most manufacturers does not provide
V1 = Eoc − N Aln(i0 ) − Rohm (14)
the stack performance at different condition of operations,
2 fuel cells usually operate with 50 % oxygen utilization at nominal several tests are performed on a real stack to ascertain the
condition. validity of the detailed model.
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Fig. 7. Simulation results at Pair = 15 kPa, PH2 = 15 kPa, T = 42 o C Fig. 9. Simulation results at Pair = 35 kPa, PH2 = 33 kPa, T = 42 o C
resistance decreases. The models are integrated in SPS and used in a simulation
of a fuel cell backup power system (FCBPS). As shown in Fig.
For Pair = 15 kPa and T = 46 C, the humidity inside the
o
11, the FCBPS model is added to a plan consisting of a 100
cell is lower or close to its value at nominal condition (nominal
HP, 460 V asynchronous motor fed from a 25 kV distribution
humidity). This means the resistance doesn’t vary much and
network through a 200 kVA, 25/0.6 kV Wye-Delta transformer.
therefore the error is very low.
The FCBPS (shown in Fig. 14) consists of the following:
From the above results, it can be stated that the effect of
• A fuel cell stack: is a 400 cells, 288 Vdc, 100 kW Proton
pressure and temperature on the stack performance is well
Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack.
represented by the model. If the level of humidity is controlled,
• An ultra capacitor: A 600 V, 2F with power output of
then the error between the simulated voltage and the real
100 kW maximum
voltage will be within ± 1%. However, the model gives an
• The DC/DC converter: is a 600 Vdc average value boost
error of 1% for every 9% increase in air pressure and an error
converter with a voltage regulator
of 3% for a 15% decrease in temperature due to the effect of
• A diode bridge rectifier and a PWM inverter
humidity.
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