New Design and Study of the Transient State and Maximum Power Point Tracking of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Using Fuzzy Control

Abstract

Humans have always been searching for new and efficient ways to convert fuels into usable energy. Solid oxide fuel cells, energy conversion devices capable of generating electrical energy, are widely used due to their high thermal energy production. In this research, fuzzy control was used to manage the voltage and current of solid oxide fuel cells. Simulations were conducted in two evaluation modes: checking the voltage, current, and power of the fuel cell, with and without the use of fuzzy control, and analyzing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) using fuzzy control. In the second mode, when connected to the load, the performance of the fuel cell was evaluated in the transient state, and the role of the controller was clearly visible According to the current–power characteristic of the fuel cell, which is a nonlinear curve and has a maximum point, and by using the fuzzy controller and the appropriate selection of input and output functions, this research aimed to make the system work at the maximum power point at all times. To this effect, a printer was used between the fuel cell and the load, and a fuzzy controller was used to set the cycle of activities, whose input was the slope of the current–power curve. The results show that this controller performs well and is faster when compared to the P&O control method. MATLAB software was used to design and analyze the system and, in order to validate the model, the transient behavior of the fuel cell was studied. The results were compared, and an acceptable match was observed.