I. PEMFC
Introduction
A physically-based dynamic model for a PEM Fuel Cell (PEMFC) stack has been
developed at Montana State
University using MATLAB/SIMULINK. An equivalent electrical circuit model for the
same PEMFC stack has also been
developed using PSpice. Both models have been validated with experimental data
obtained on a 500-W Avista (now
Relion) PEMFC stack. The models can be used in studies related to PEMFC
performance evaluation, controller
design, fuel cell vehicles, stand-alone and grid-connected (distributed) fuel
cell power plants, to name a few.
This research work was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under
Grant No. 0135229. Any
opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
PEMFC Model Description
The MATLAB/SIMULINK simulator is most appropriate for system level studies such
as controller design, parameter
sensitivity analysis, and determining the effect of load transients on fuel cell
performance. The PSpice
equivalent electrical circuit simulator is developed for circuit level
simulation studies and controller
design. The details of model development and its application in fuel cell
distributed generation (FCDG) studies
have been reported in the following papers.
C. Wang, M.H. Nehrir, and S.R. Shaw, “Dynamic Models and Model Validation for
PEM Fuel Cells using Electrical
Circuits,” IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp 442-451,
June 2005.
C. Wang, M.H. Nehrir and H. Gao, “Control of PEM Fuel Cell Distributed
Generation Systems,” IEEE Transactions
on Energy Conversion, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 586-595, June 2006.
II. SOFC
Introduction
A physically-based dynamic model for a 5 kW tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)
stack has been developed at
Montana State University using MATLAB/SIMULINK. The model responses have been
compared with Solid-State Energy
Conversion Alliance (SECA) model and industry data. The model can be useful in
SOFC related studies such as
real-time control of SOFC and its distributed generation applications.
This research work was supported by the HiTEC fuel cell project at Montana State
University, funded by the
United States Department of Energy, as a subcontract from Battelle Memorial
Institute and Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory (PNNL) under Award No. DE-AC06-76RL01830. Any opinions,
findings, and conclusions or
recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the views
of the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
SOFC Model Description
The model is composed mainly of an electrochemical part and a thermal dynamic
part. It has 9 input quantities
and two main outputs. The scope blocks are used in the model to measure the
following quantities: Load current,
FC output power, FC output voltage, FC temperature, activation voltage drop,
ohimc voltage drop, concentration
voltage drop, fuel utilization and effective partial pressure of H2, H2O and O2.
The details of the model
development and its application in fuel cell distributed generation (FCDG)
studies have been reported in the
following papers in the IEEE Transactions
on Energy Conversion, Vol. 22, No. 4, December 2007.
C. Wang and M.H.
Nehrir, “A Physically-Based Dynamic Model for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.”
C. Wang and M.H. Nehrir, “Overloading capability and Distributed Generation
Applications of Solid Oxide Fuel
Cells.”
C. Wang and M.H. Nehrir, “Load Transient Mitigation for Stand-alone Fuel Cell
Systems.”