International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol.39, No.8, 3855-3867, 2014
The development of an exchangeable PEMFC power module for electric vehicles
This paper develops an exchangeable fuel-cell power module that is replaceable on different light electric vehicles (LEVs). The module consists of a proton exchange membrane fuel-cell (PEMFC) and two battery sets, which provide continuous power for LEVs. The study includes three topics: fuel-cell control, power management, and system modularization and vehicle integration. First, we design robust controllers for the PEMFC to provide a steady voltage or current for charging the battery sets. Second, we develop a serial power train that can provide continuous power for driving the vehicle motors. Third, we modularize a power system that can be easily implemented on different LEVs. We build the system on Matlab (TM) SimPowerSystem for simulation before road tests, and integrate the power module onto a mobility car and an electric motorbike for experimental verification. Based on the results, the proposed systems are deemed effective. Copyright (C) 2013, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.