Efficiency Improvement of a Multi-Stack PEM Fuel Cell System with Optimised Oxygen Excess Ratio and Operating Temperature

This paper investigates the interaction between oxygen excess ratio (OER) and operating temperature, emphasizing their combined effects on system efficiency. The main objective is to explore and optimize both OER and stack temperature to maximize the efficiency of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) system. The study focuses on a practical application using a vehicle model based on the Hyundai XCVIENT fuel cell truck with a multi-stack configuration. The employed energy management strategy (EMS) is implemented using a moving average approach to determine the power distribution between the fuel cells and the battery system. Different combinations of OER and operating temperatures are assessed via simulations to understand their impact on PEMFC efficiency. The average improvement with the optimized combination of OER and temperature is roughly 16%. The results provide valuable information on the interaction between these parameters, contributing to the enhancement of the performance of PEMFC system in automotive applications.