A Reduced Fuel Cell Stack Model for Control and Fault Diagnosis

Abstract

This paper proposes a reduced fuel cell stack model for control and fault diagnosis which was validated with experimental data. Firstly, the electro-chemical phenomena are modeled based on a mechanism of gas adsorption/desorption on catalysts at the anode and at the cathode of the stack, including activation, diffusion, and carbon monoxide poisoning. The electrical voltage of a stack cell is then modeled by the difference between the two electrode potentials. A simplified thermal model of the fuel cell stack is also developed in order to take into account heat generation from reactions, heat transfers, and evaporation/condensation of water. Finally, the efficiency ratio is computed as a model output. It is used to evaluate the efficiency changes of the entire system, providing an important indicator for fault detection.