Numerical prediction on an automotive fuel cell driving system

Mathematical models were applied to predict the results of different strategies to improve automotive fuel cell driving systems. First, a fuel cell system was optimized on the base of a fuel cell stack model. Then calculations about the utilization of recovered energy from air exhaust steam were carried out. Two methods to combine the turbocharger with an electric compressor, namely in series and in parallel, were evaluated for a fuel cell system. Finally, research on the effect of removing the big power DC/DC converter, which is located between the fuel cell system and the driving motor, was conducted for a fuel cell driving system. The main results show that it is highly advantageous to connect the turbocharger with an electric compressor in series than in parallel; and that the fuel cell driving system without DC/DC converter before its motor could reach much higher performance characteristics, and even be so in lower power range while the cell voltage was designated to be lower.