Thermal Management of Fuel Cell Systems

In this paper, a cooling channel was incorporated in the fuel cell to analyse the effect of cooling on fuel cell performance. Four different types of coolant combinations, namely DI100 (100% Deionised water), PG10 (90% DI water + 10% Propylene Glycol), PG20 (80% DI Water + 20% Propylene Glycol), and PG30 (70% DI Water + 30% Propylene Glycol) are used to analyse the fuel cell performance. A computational fluid dynamics model relying on a finite volume technique was used to assess efficiency. Performance evaluation was described as system temperature, operational parameters, coolant, and cooling channel geometry. The PEM fuel cell performance was good at PG30 combination, especially at high operating temperatures. The obtained results specify that the fuel cell performance was good at 356k. A decline in fuel cell performance was observed at temperatures between 362 and 371 k, obtained with the PG10 and PG20 conditions.

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Abstract The current research status of fuel cells in the space field is first introduced, followed by an analysis of the comprehensive utilization mode of fuel cell energy from three aspects: water, gas, and heat. The fuel evaporated from the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks of spacecraft can be used for fuel cell power generation. The heat generated by fuel cells can be used to preheat gases through a dual-channel heat exchanger, achieving thermal energy recovery for hydrogen and oxygen fuels. The water produced by fuel cells can be separated and recovered through static drainage for reuse in heating control or environmental control systems. A prototype of a fuel cell power generation system is designed and relevant performance tests are conducted. When the fuel cell system stably generates 400W of power, approximately 215W of waste heat can be reused. The utilization efficiency of hydrogen and oxygen fuels reaches over 97%, and the water recovery efficiency of the system reaches over 95%.

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In the paper, a model of a heated building using a PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell is presented. This work introduces a novel and more comprehensive depiction of the thermal processes occurring within a fuel cell under transient conditions. The developed PEM fuel cell model was synergistically incorporated with a thermodynamic model of a build-ing. The resulting mathematical framework provides insights into the building's performance concerning fluctuating am-bient temperatures and the heating system powered by the PEM cell. The developed mathematical model delineates the interplay between the building's thermodynamics and the fuel cell in the context of the devised heating control system featuring an indirect heat distribution mechanism.

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Abstract The stable output of power and the effective control of stack temperature play a very important role in the durability and stability of fuel cell hybrid vehicles. In actual working conditions, energy management of power system and thermal management of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) need to be coordinated with each other to jointly ensure the efficient and stable operation of vehicles, however, most of the research in these two directions is independent. In response to the research gaps mentioned above, the concept of adaptability has been proposed for the first time with the aim of combining these two systems for research. This paper takes the fuel cell hybrid vehicle as the research object and establishes the energy management system and thermal management system model based on Matlab/Simulink software. In order to investigate the adaptability of energy management strategies to the temperature control system, two representative types of rule-based and optimization-based energy management strategies (power-following strategy, PFS, and adaptive equivalent hydro... Read More

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Abstract The adoption of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology in heavy-duty trucks represents a promising solution for addressing the pressing issues of emissions and sustainability in the transportation sector. Achieving high-endurance operation is critical for the success of these systems, and effective cooling is central to this goal. This paper explores innovative cooling topologies and control strategies designed to extend the endurance and operational longevity of dual PEMFC stack systems in heavy-duty truck applications. To address these issues, a comprehensive analytical model for a dual PEMFC stack system is developed to assess the heat generation within the fuel cell stacks, enabling a meticulous evaluation of the cooling requirements. Two strategies for controlling coolant bypass flow are evaluated, one based on coolant temperature and the other based on stack temperature, during dynamic operation. Three different topologies are designed to achieve efficient cooling systems, and their impact on parasitic power and energy consumption is examined. The result... Read More

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Abstract Hydrogen energy is an important means of achieving decarbonization goals. Hydrogen fuel cells have broad application prospects due to their high-power output and wide temperature range. To improve the heat dissipation capacity of the fuel cell thermal management system, this paper establishes a simulation model of a 60kw fuel cell. The performance of the fuel cell engine thermal management system model under optimal operating parameters is studied by taking the temperature of the inlet and outlet water of the stack as the observation value. This is significant in improving the thermal environment of the fuel cell engine and ensuring its safe and efficient operation.

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The safe and efficient working of fuel cells depends on the thermal management of the heat generated during the electrochemical process.

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The energy management system and thermal control of fuel cell in fuel cell vehicles plays a crucial role in ensuring their stable and efficient operation.This study presents a novel fuel cell powertrain energy management system control strategy considered the temperature fluctuation based on deep reinforcement learning.A comprehensive SIMULINK model, encompassing fuel cell cooling system and stack models, was constructed for the fuel cell, followed by simulation testing under various temperature scenarios.To validate the robustness and stability of the control system, the standard operating conditions -US06 were employed for experimental verification.The experimental results highlight the effectiveness of the designed fuel cell energy management system in achieving transient temperature stabilization.Additionally, the results revealed that stable operation temperatures correlate with reduced hydrogen consumption.Furthermore, it's noted that fuel cell hydrogen consumption displays substantial variation under uniform operating conditions at varying temperatures.This highlights the key ... Read More

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<title>Abstract</title> The performance of fuel cells is influenced by many factors, among which operating temperature is crucial. Therefore, this study focuses on analyzing the performance of fuel cells at different temperatures and optimizing operational parameters at the optimum temperature condition to enhance the performance and lifespan of fuel cells. The research finds that the optimal temperature for fuel cells is 69.9°C, with an efficient operating temperature range of 60–80°C, and the optimal flow rate range is 1000–1600 ml/min. The influence of back pressure on fuel cell performance becomes less significant when it exceeds 2.5 bar. Furthermore, this study utilizes a Gaussian process regression model to optimize the performance of fuel cells under different temperature, flow rate, and back pressure combinations. Regression analysis model predictions suggest that the optimum operating temperature is 71°C, with an optimal back pressure range of 0.9–1.4 bar and a flow rate range of 1310–1600 ml/min.

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Abstract This paper introduces the application demands and research progress of fuel cells in the space field. Subsequently, an analysis of the comprehensive energy utilization modes of fuel cells from the aspects of water, gas, and heat is conducted. The fuel evaporated from the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks of spacecraft can be used for fuel cell power generation, and the heat generated by fuel cells, together with the low-absorption and low-emissivity thermal control coatings, maintains the temperature of the spacecraft in the shadow area. The product water from fuel cells can be purified for reuse in thermal control, environmental control, and water electrolysis cells. The hydrogen and oxygen produced by electrolyzing water can be recycled for fuel cell power generation, and the oxygen can also be used for environmental control and life support, while the hydrogen can be used for methane production. To reduce system weight and achieve comprehensive utilization of energy and resources, integrated system design and research on regenerative fuel cell system principles are ... Read More

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Energy Management Strategies for Fuel Cell Vehicles: A Comprehensive Review of the Latest Progress in Modeling, Strategies, and Future Prospects

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Temperature plays a crucial role in efficiency improvement and lifespan extension of the fuel cell system which encourages energy management strategy (EMS) taking thermal into consideration. However, sluggish thermal response prevents the fuel cell performance from tracking the optimal states during scenarios with significant power variations, which was disregarded in the previous works. To solve this issue, an online hydrogen consumption minimization guarantee strategy (HCMG) including thermal management is proposed which is divided into two parts: 1) primary power distribution strategy, where a model predictive control (MPC) based EMS is employed herein to distribute power between fuel cell and battery with the objectives of minimizing hydrogen consumption as well as maintaining the state of charge (SOC), and 2) HCMG, where a modified MPC based method is exploited herein to track the reference power and optimal temperature with minimum hydrogen consumption by adjusting both the duty cycle of fan and fuel cell current. The presented approach ascertains hydrogen consumption reduction... Read More

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In this paper, fuel cell micro combined heat and power with green hydrogen production is investigated for a residential house. Solar and wind energy were investigated for green hydrogen production. The performance of the micro-CHP system was evaluated using yearly energy coverage rate as an index, defined by the energy production and need ratio. A dynamic mathematical model of PEM fuel cell combined with the condensing boiler, supplied by local production of green hydrogen was developed. It was validated based on the yearly measurements in the FC micro-CHP unit installed in a French residential house. The key factors in the micro-CHP operating strategy were the fuel cell heat generation, stop phases, and regeneration which control water temperature, fuel cell life cycle, and annual performance. For conventional residential house in Normandy, the fuel cell operates for a short period during a summer day and the stored hot water was sufficient for heat demand. For winter typical day, the fuel cell operates continuously with maximum heat production. Electricity demand is satisfied and t... Read More

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Hydrogen can serve as an abundant, green, low-carbon, and widely applicable secondary energy source, holding significant importance in building a clean, low-carbon, secure, and efficient energy system and achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. In the research of hydrogen fuel cells, thermal management, particularly cooling methods, plays a crucial role in the operation of the battery units. This paper primarily focuses on cooling methods in thermal management, using factors such as arrangement, cooling medium, and environmental temperature as variables to establish a simulation model for the thermal behavior of cylindrical hydrogen fuel cells and conduct a parametric study. The research findings indicate that enveloping the battery with a cooling medium can enhance heat dissipation by 19 %. Arranging the hydrogen fuel cell units in a symmetrical rectangular pattern yields excellent heat dissipation results. The battery's maximum temperature increases with the rise in environmental temperature, with every 5 K increase in environmental temperature resulting in a 1.01 % rise... Read More

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Abstract This research paper presents analysis of heat generation problem in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell using COMSOL Multiphysics software. PEM fuel cells are widely recognized for their high electrical power output and environmental sustainability. However, in a PEM fuel cell around 50 to 60 % of energy generated from chemical reactions is dissipated as heat energy. To address this issue PEM fuel cell stack model is designed and thermal modeling is carried out to evaluate its performance. Based on thermal modeling of surface temperature distribution of cell it is found that the cathode side of PEM fuel cell is warmer and generates more heat as compared to other parts due to the exothermic reactions,slow reaction rate,joule heating effect and material properties.Moreover, it is also found that there is uniform temperature distribution across the cell due to rapid heat conduction from cathode side to the surface of the cell.The results of this study show that due to more heat generation on cathode side temperature will tend to increase.This increasing temperature enhance... Read More

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The thermal management of proton exchange membrane fuel cells is of great importance during the actual operation of the fuel cell. This study aims at the control of fuel cell coolant inlet and outlet temperature, considering the model uncertainty and disturbance, an output feedback controller is designed based on <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$H_{\infty}$</tex> . The simulation and experiment results show that both the inlet and the outlet coolant temperature can be kept at desired value even under the dynamically changing loads, which verifies the robustness of the proposed controller.

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The operating parameters of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are very effective at generating heat. The study examined and evaluated parameters that can help determine fuel cell (FC) performance. The parameters and structures used in systems have been examined. In this context, performance evaluations have been made by performing electrochemical analyses of PEMFCs. Evaluations about how the study parameters affect the performance was made on MATLAB® and the results were presented. As a result of the study, it was seen that the operating temperature increased the efficiency until it reached certain limits. On the other hand, although the performance-enhancing effects of the working pressure are observed, high pressure appears as an obstacle. Air stoichiometric rate is another variable that affects FC performance. While high stoichiometric rates improve performance, they can adversely affect the membrane. According to the simulation result, it was found that the working temperature, working pressure and air stoichiometry should be optimized together.

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Energy has allowed the development of our society and currently, the hydrogen-powered fuel cell is the most promising energy source of the future since it would help to eliminate serious problems such as climate change and economic inequality. The fuel cell converts the chemical energy of the reactants used into electrical energy and produces water and heat as by-products during its operation. The proton exchange membrane fuel cell is expected to play a key role in the future energy system due to its favourable characteristics and its application in mobile phones, electric vehicles, distributed power systems, submarines and aerospace applications. To optimize the operation of the fuel cell, models have been developed that represent it as a structural, dimensional, thermal and state system, which requires -as a contribution to technological development-, a strategic and systemic vision. The document analyzes the technique of numerical methods, to ensure optimal operation of the Proton exchange membrane fuel cell, addressing non-linearities of electrical behaviour and the imprecision o... Read More

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The lately technology advancements of usage for fuel alternate energy source has gained tremendous pace with several organizations leading active development in the same sector. From all the technologies currently under advance stage of development, hydrogen powered fuel cell technology looks to be promising with very little disadvantages. Major challenge in the same field is the efficiency and thermodynamic voltage improvement by different avenues. The impacts of change in pressure in supplied hydrogen and oxygen, its effects on thermodynamic voltage and possible efficiency improvement. With the improvement in fuel cell voltage, number of fuel cells requirement can be dropped reducing the required area for mounting on mobile applications. This study details the calculations of required fuel flow, air flow, exhaust flow etc. with different pressure is determined. Supercharged fuel cell conceptual study is performed.&#x0D;

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The high-efficiency thermal management is one of the major challenges for fuel cell vehicles due to the diversity and complexity of the components and systems. Thermal management systems and corresponding control strategies can affect the components’ performance, durability and reliability, the vehicle’s driving performance, fuel economy and occupant thermal comfort. The main objective of this study is to perform multi-case simulation analysis of the fuel cell vehicle thermal management system through modeling to derive the operating mechanism and thermal performance analysis of each subsystem and integrated system. To achieve this purpose, an integrated thermal management system model with different control strategies was proposed based on a fuel cell vehicle prototype, powered by a 65 kW proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack and a Li-ion battery with a capacity of 15 kWh, which considers the cooling of the driving system, fuel cell stack, battery and cabin. The results showed that the critical temperature of each subsystem could be controlled within a reasonable range even in th... Read More

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