Title: Route-dependent operation of automotive fuel cell systems

Authors: Thomas Kämpke

Addresses: InMach Intelligente Maschinen GmbH, Kässbohrerstr. 19, 89077 Ulm, Germany

Abstract: Information on energy demand and traversal times along segments of a route is used to operate a fuel cell of an automotive drive in order to minimise fuel consumption. The buffering capacity of a battery is exploited to proactively leave the fuel cell idle or run it as close as possible to its maximum efficiency power level. Additionally, recuperation energy is buffered. Shortest paths in so-called power graphs correspond to approximately optimal fuel cell operation along a given route. In principle, minimum consumption routes can be computed in the same way. The approach targets planning rather than control.

Keywords: automotive fuel cells; electric vehicles; predictive energy management; electric mobility; nonlinear optimisation; directed graphs; shortest path computation; dynamic programming; fuel consumption; buffering capacity; batteries.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEHV.2012.048330

International Journal of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, 2012 Vol.4 No.2, pp.123 - 147

Received: 14 Mar 2012
Accepted: 09 May 2012
Published online: 15 Apr 2015 *

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