Modelling of the PEM fuel cell and design of a peak current control based DC-DC boost converter for locomotive application

The present work aims at the modelling and performance analysis of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) based energy system in supplying the dynamically varying power demand of an intercity passenger train operating in India. In the proposed energy system, the PEMFC is connected to the DC-bus via a DC-DC boost converter. A prototype model of the proposed energy system is developed in MATLAB/SIMULINK and the dynamic performance of this model in supplying the locomotive power demand is examined. The PEMFC model is developed using the experimental data of the commercially available NEXA 1200 PEMFC system of Ms. Heliocentris. For effective regulation of the DC-bus voltage irrespective of the variation in operating and loading conditions, the peak current control scheme is adopted and a pulse width modulation controller is designed for the converter switches. Lastly, the performance of the designed controller in maintaining the DC-bus voltage is investigated.