Test system design for Hardware-in-Loop evaluation of PEM fuel cells and auxiliaries

In order to evaluate the dynamic behavior of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and their auxiliaries, the dynamic capability of the test system must exceed the dynamics of the fastest component within the fuel cell or auxiliary component under test. This criterion is even more critical when a simulated component of the fuel cell system (e.g., the fuel cell stack) is replaced by hardware and Hardware-in-Loop (HiL) methodology is employed. This paper describes the design of a very fast dynamic test system for fuel cell transient research and HiL evaluation. The integration of the real time target (which runs the simulation), the test stand PC (that controls the operation of the test stand), and the programmable logic controller (PLC), for safety and low-level control tasks, into one single integrated unit is successfully completed.