Design of a Fuel Cell/Battery Hybrid Power System for a Micro Vehicle: Sizing Design and Hydrogen Storage Evaluation

Abstract

This work focuses on the design of a hybrid proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) solution for any micro vehicle such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A hydrogen fuel cell can provide extended operation, low emissions, and a highly efficient form of energy storage compared with alternative methods, while a battery can be used as an additional energy storage system to support the transient and higher loads required by the UAV, which are not suitable for normal fuel cell operation. The choice of hydrogen storage is one of the main challenges in using hydrogen as an energy carrier. The current study discusses a range of hydrogen storage technologies and provides a methodology for selection for a given application. A sizing design methodology for a hybrid fuel cell system is proposed. Then, it is applied to a case study to demonstrate its implementation.