Adaptive temperature regulation method for PEM electrolyzer based on electro-thermal-mass parameter prediction of electrolysis system

Abstract Improving operational safety under fluctuating wind-solar power input constitutes a critical challenge for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) technology, and developing an efficient and fast operating condition regulation method is an important approach to address this challenge. Nevertheless, the widely adopted proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control method relies heavily on manual tuning experience, which renders it incapable of precisely regulating the strongly nonlinear and tightly coupled electrolysis process and brings risks of temperature overshoot and response lag. Therefore, an online adaptive temperature regulation method for electrolyzer integrating an electro-thermal-mass performance prediction model with an adaptive model predictive control (AMPC) algorithm is proposed. The electro-thermal-mass performance prediction model comprehensively accounts for electric conduction, heat transfer, and multi-phase mass transport. Meanwhile, the control algorithm supports real-time updating of electrolyzer operating states. The performance prediction model is validated through experimental tests on a 100 kW PEM electrolyzer. Results show that the proposed model achieves a temperature prediction accuracy of 5.3%. It is also found that circulating cooling water temperature varies more mildly than water flow rate, so it is more applicable to temperature regulation under dynamic operating conditions. A comparison of control performance is conducted between the proposed AMPC method and the PID control method to verify the effectiveness of the adaptive regulation strategy. Results indicate that the AMPC method shortens the temperature rise response time by 0.55 h. Under simulated fluctuating wind-solar power input conditions, the AMPC method can adjust the electrolyzer temperature to the target value within 10.7 min, with the temperature overshoot 4.2 °C lower than that of PID control. This research is expected to provide theoretical references and technical tools for the safe and reliable application of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis technology in future large-scale direct wind-solar coupled hydrogen production systems.