Title: Control of PEM fuel cell system via higher order sliding mode control

Authors: Seyed Mehdi Rakhtala Rostami; Abolfazl Ranjbar Noei; Reza Gaderi

Addresses: Control Engineering Department, Babol University of Technology, Shariatee st., P.O. Box 47135-484, Post Code 47148-71167, Babol, Iran ' Control Engineering Department, Babol University of Technology, Shariatee st., P.O. Box 47135-484, Post Code 47148-71167, Babol, Iran ' Control Engineering Department, Babol University of Technology, Shariatee st., P.O. Box 47135-484, Post Code 47148-71167, Babol, Iran

Abstract: This paper presents a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) dynamic model of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. A non-linear controller is designed to prolong the stack life of the PEM fuel cell. A moderate deviation between hydrogen and oxygen partial pressures can cause severe membrane damage in the fuel cell. Therefore, a second-order sliding mode strategy is applied to the PEM fuel cell system. This controller is combined with a new step by step differentiators as an output-feedback controller. The differentiator estimates a successive derivative of the measured error signal up to n − 1 order after a finite time transient. Simulation procedure shows performance of the SOSM approach to control PEMFC stack pressure to provide robustness against uncertainties and disturbances.

Keywords: PEM fuel cells; pressure control; second order sliding mode; step by step differentiators; sliding mode control; SMC; polymer electrolyte membrane; nonlinear control; MIMO systems; dynamic modelling; membrane damage; feedback control; simulation; PEMFC stack pressure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAAC.2012.051892

International Journal of Automation and Control, 2012 Vol.6 No.3/4, pp.310 - 329

Received: 19 Aug 2012
Accepted: 19 Nov 2012
Published online: 07 Nov 2014 *

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