A multi-input and single-output voltage control for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell system using model predictive control method

Efficient and robust control strategies can greatly contribute to the reliability of fuel cell systems, and a stable output voltage is a key criterion for evaluating a fuel cell system's reliability as a power source. In this study, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) system model is developed, and its performances under different operating conditions are studied. Then two different novel controllers—a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller and a model predictive control (MPC) controller—are proposed and applied in the PEFC system to control its output voltage at a desired value by regulating the hydrogen and air flow rates at the same time, which features a multi-input and single-output control problem. Simulation results demonstrate that the developed PEFC system model is qualified to capture the system's behavior. And both the developed PID and MPC controllers are effective at controlling the PEFC system's output voltage. While the MPC controller presents superior performance with faster response and smaller overshoot. The proposed MPC controller can be easily employed in various control applications for fuel cell systems.