Dynamic modelling of PEM fuel cell system for simulation and sizing of marine power systems.

This article presents a model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system for marine power systems. PEMFC in marine hybrid power sources can have various power ranges and capacities in contrast with vehicle applications. Investigating PEMFCs behaviour and performance for various conditions and configurations is demanded for proper sizing and feasibility studies. Hence, modelling and simulation facilitate understanding the performance of the PEMFC behaviour with various sizes and configurations in power systems. The developed model in this work has a system level fidelity with real time capabilities, which can be utilized for simulator approaches besides quasi-static studies with a power-efficiency curve. Moreover, the model can be used for scaling the PEMFC power range by considering transient responses and corresponding efficiencies. The Bond graph approach as a multi-disciplinary energy based modelling strategy is employed for the PEMFC as a multi domains system. In the end, various PEMFC cell numbers and compressor sizes have been compared with power-efficiency curves and transient responses in a benchmark. • PEM fuel cell system with auxiliary components is modeled by the bond graph modelling approach based on physics. • A scaling method for the model of PEM fuel cell system is proposed. • The model can be employed for marine simulators and design optimizations with real time capabilities. • Influence of compressor size and cells number are investigated for dynamic responses and system efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]