Flatness control strategy for the air subsystem of a hydrogen fuel cell system

In this paper, a non linear control strategy is applied to the air supply subsystem of a polymer electrode membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Based on a simplified control model and using the differential flatness control theory, a controller is designed in order to regulate the most important variables in the air supply subsystem: the oxygen stoechiometry and the cathode pressure. The non linear control approach is validated using a real fuel cell system, presenting a good response compared with a PID classical approach.