Title: MPPT-based backstepping control for a grid connected fuel cell system using high step-up converter

Authors: Fadwa El Otmani; Abdelmajid Abouloifa; Meriem Aourir; Fatimazahraa Assad; Karim Noussi; Hanane Katir; Ibtissam Lachkar

Addresses: LESE Lab, ENSEM Casablanca, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco ' LESE Lab, ENSEM Casablanca, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco ' LESE Lab, ENSEM Casablanca, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco ' TI Lab, Department of Physics, FSBM, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco ' LESE Lab, ENSEM Casablanca, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco ' LESE Lab, ENSEM Casablanca, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco ' LESE Lab, ENSEM Casablanca, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco

Abstract: This paper aims at studying fuel cell energy production as a promising solution to replace fossil fuels. The management of the fuel cell stack (FCS) while connected to the grid is a real challenge due to FCS's high nonlinearity and the complexity of the power conditioning stage (PCS). Therefore, a nonlinear controller is designed to handle the energy between the FCS and the electrical grid. In fact, the FCS energy is supplied to the electrical grid through two stages (a high-gain DC-DC and DC-AC converters) and an LCL filter. The proposed controller is elaborated based on the backstepping approach, then a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) block and a fuel flow rate regulator are implemented to extract and exploit the maximum power. The suggested controller has been tested in MATLAB software, where the MPPT and the power factor correction are ensured.

Keywords: proton exchange membrane fuel cell; three-level boost; interleaved boost; electrical grid; backstepping approach; maximum power point tracker; MPPT; P&O; power factor correction; power conditioning stage.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2021.123382

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2021 Vol.39 No.1, pp.61 - 73

Received: 30 Nov 2020
Accepted: 08 Mar 2021
Published online: 13 Jun 2022 *

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