Temperature dynamics and control of a water-cooled fuel cell stack

In this paper, a time-varying proportional-integral (PI) controller is designed for controlling the temperature of a water-cooled 5 kW hydrogen fuel cell stack. This controller is designed using a mathematical model for the stack temperature, which is derived using basic chemical engineering material and energy balances. The controller affects the stack temperature by changing the flow rate of cooling water that passes across the stack. The model is then analyzed using a number of power demand profiles to determine the effectiveness of the controller. The results show that a time-varying PI controller is adequate for maintaining the stack temperature within 5 K of the target point.