Abstract:

In order to extend the service life of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell （PEMFC）， a model for PEMFC including its cathode and anode supply system is established in this paper based on an analysis on the principle of the pressure regulation of PEMFC. A control strategy for both cathode and anode pressures is designed and the flow control components covering air compressor， throttle valve and hydrogen injection valve are jointly controlled according to the pressure difference between cathode and anode. The results of hardware-in-the-loop simulation show that with the joint control strategy for cathode and anode pressures， the cathode oxygen supply can stably respond to a large sudden change in load. The anode realizes the decoupling of pressure regulation and fuel supply， and the anode pressure can quickly change to follow the cathode pressure. The pressure difference between cathode and anode can be maintained at a very low value even under complex working conditions， significantly extending the service life of proton exchange membrane.

Key words: PEMFC, pressure control strategy