High-Altitude Operation of a Commercial 100 kW PEM Fuel Cell System

Caroline Willich (), Daniel Frank, Tobias Graf, Stefan Wazlawik, Samara Brandao and Christiane Bauer
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Caroline Willich: Institute for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, 89081 Ulm, Germany
Daniel Frank: Institute for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, 89081 Ulm, Germany
Tobias Graf: Institute for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, 89081 Ulm, Germany
Stefan Wazlawik: Institute for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, 89081 Ulm, Germany
Samara Brandao: Institute for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, 89081 Ulm, Germany
Christiane Bauer: Institute for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, 89081 Ulm, Germany

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: A commercially available 100 kW PEM fuel cell system designed for efficient operation on ground-level was tested at low ambient pressures between 750 mbar and 940 mbar in a low-pressure chamber. The current–voltage characteristics at 940 mbar and 900 mbar showed only small differences, while the system performed worse at lower ambient pressures. To enable operation at these low pressures, an additional current-limiting strategy had to be implemented, as it was found that the compressor could not deliver sufficient mass flow at ambient pressures below 867 mbar to reach the maximum current allowed by the system (420 A). The results show that the fuel cell system, which was designed for ground-level applications, can be operated at lower pressures if the proposed current-limiting strategy is implemented, although at the cost of a lower maximum current output at low ambient pressures. Based on the results, suggestions for further hardware measures to optimise the system for flight conditions are made.

Keywords: PEM fuel cell system; aviation; low pressure; altitude; mass flow limitation; stoichiometry control; ground-to-aviation adaption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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