Fuel efficient power management strategy for fuel cell hybrid powertrains

• Published in: Control engineering practice Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 408 - 417
• Main Authors: Bernard, J., Delprat, S., Guerra, T.M., Büchi, F.N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Algorithms; Applied sciences; Battery; Buffers; Computer science; control theory; systems; Control system synthesis; Control theory. Systems; Energy; Energy use; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental results; Fuel cell system; Fuel cells; Hybrid vehicle; Hybrid vehicles; Optimal control; Real time; Real time control; Strategy; System theory; Test bench; Test bench; Fuel cell system; Hybrid vehicle; Real time control; Optimal control; Experimental results; Control program; Plug; Bench test; Control synthesis; Fuel consumption; Optimization; Supercapacitor; Hybrid model; Fuel cell; Accumulator recharge; Capability index; Optimal algorithm; Hardware in the loop simulation; Buffer system; Experimental study; Real time; Real time system; Causality; Energy management
• ISSN: 0967-0661; 1873-6939
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conengprac.2009.12.009

A real time control strategy for fuel cell hybrid vehicles is proposed. The objective is to reduce the hydrogen consumption by using an efficient power sharing strategy between the fuel cell system (FCS) and the energy buffer (EB). The energy buffer (battery or supercapacitor) is charge-sustained (no plug-in capabilities). The real time control strategy is derived from a non-causal optimization algorithm based on optimal control theory. The strategy is validated experimentally with a hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) test bench based on a 600 W fuel cell system.