Investigation on proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance and control

• Main Author: Chilugodu Nikhita.
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/54614
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

As Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells converts hydrogen and oxygen to electricity, waste heat and water in a single step, it is clean, environmentally friendly and sustainable systems for power generation. One of the main advantages of fuel cells is that they have higher energy efficiencies over conventional energy conversion devices. Thus a large range of power requirements can be serviced with the use of fuel cells. Currently the on-going research in this field is to investigate methods to increase the efficiency and performance while keeping the cost low. This optimization can be achieved using computer aided simulations of the working of the fuel cells. In this project report, the modelling of the PEMFC using SolidWorks, generating a mesh on this model and setting up the model for simulation using ANSYS FLUENT is discussed. Dynamic models for the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell system are built using Simulink R2012b software. The performance and efficiency of these models are studied. PID pressure control of a mathematical model built using the electrochemical principles is carried out.