Instrumentation Of A Pem Fuel Cell Vehicle

Electric vehicles have long held the promise of zero emission vehicles. However, battery powered electric vehicles have not been accepted by the general public, in large part, because of their very limited range. A hydrogen-based, fuel cell could provide the power necessary to give an electric vehicle the same range as a modern gasoline powered vehicle. In this case, a fuel cell is a device that converts hydrogen into electricity by a simple oxidation reaction. The products of the electrochemical process are electricity, heat and water. In a fuel cell powered vehicle, an equivalent series hybrid power train provides the driving power to the wheels. Both the battery pack and the PEM fuel cell system supply power to the motor and motor controller. Since the output electrical power of the fuel cell stack is designed to exceed the average power demands of the vehicle, the batteries can be charged while driving. The range of the vehicle is then tied to the amount of hydrogen or fuel that is on board. A fuel cell powered vehicle consists of the integration of many complex nonlinear systems. The power train, generally, contains a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack with its accessories, a DC/DC converter, battery pack, motors and motor controllers. A PEM fuel cell stack is, itself, a complex electrochemical system. 4