Control of Fuel Cell Breathing : Initial Results on the Oxygen Starvation Problem

In this paper we present the results of the air supply control problem for a Fuel Cell Stack (FCS) power system. In particular, we control the compressor motor in order to regulate (and replenish) the oxygen depleted from the fuel cell cathode during power generation. This task needs to be achieved rapidly and efficiently to avoid oxygen starvation and degradation of the stack voltage. Different control configurations and FCS measurements for feedback design are considered and their relative merits are analyzed. The tradeoff between reduction of oxygen starvation and fast net FCS power response during rapid current (load) demands is also delineated. We demonstrate that simple control techniques can provide useful insights and contribute to the design and development of fuel cell systems.

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