Electrical characterisation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells stack using grasshopper optimiser

• Published in: IET renewable power generation Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 9 - 17
• Main Author: El-Fergany, Attia A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 08.01.2018
• Subjects: electrical characterisation; GOA‐based method; grasshopper optimisation algorithm; MATLAB‐SIMULINK simulation model; optimisation; PEMFC; proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack; proton exchange membrane fuel cells; Research Article; sensitivity analysis; SSE; sum of square error; optimisation; PEMFC; SSE; proton exchange membrane fuel cells; sensitivity analysis; sum of square error; MATLAB-SIMULINK simulation model; grasshopper optimisation algorithm; electrical characterisation; proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack; GOA-based method
• ISSN: 1752-1416; 1752-1424; 1752-1424
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-rpg.2017.0232

In this study, optimum values of unknown seven parameters of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) stack are generated for the sake of appropriate modelling. An objective function is adopted to minimise the sum of square errors (SSE) between the experimental data and the corresponding estimated results. A novel application of grasshopper optimisation algorithm (GOA) is engaged to minimise the SSE subjects to set of inequality constraints. Three study cases of typical commercial PEMFCs stacks are demonstrated and verified under various steady-state operating scenarios. Necessary subsequent comparisons to new results by others found in updated state-of-the-art are made. Sensitivity analysis of defined parameters is carried out. It is found that the PEMFC model is susceptible to the deviations of optimised parameters as the errors are substantially disturbed which signifies the value of the GOA-based method. In addition, performance measures to indicate the robustness of the GOA-based methodology are pointed out. At this moment, dynamic model of the stack is addressed and incorporated to demonstrate its dynamic response. Detailed MATLAB/SIMULINK simulation model is implemented to study the PEMFC dynamic performance. The simulated test cases emphasise the viability and effectivity of the GOA-based procedure in steady-state and dynamic simulations.