Improved Dynamic Performance of the Fuel Cell-Fed Boost Converter Using Super Twisting Sliding Mode Control Strategy

Abstract

Nonlinear controllers are useful if the equations governing the system dynamics are nonlinear. The fuel cell (FC)-fed boost converter is a nonlinear system as the VI characteristics of the fuel cell and the output voltage to duty cycle transfer function of the boost converter are nonlinear. The choice of a nonlinear controller depends on the dynamic performance of the FC-fed boost converter for wide load variations. This paper compares the performance of the system using conventional sliding mode control (CSMC) and super twisting sliding mode control (STSMC) strategies for tight voltage regulation for the load disturbance and reference voltage tracking. Simulation and experimental results of the fuel cell-fed 600 W boost converter prove the supremacy of STSMC strategy over CSMC strategy in terms of overshoot, undershoot, settling time and chattering reduction.

KEYWORDS:

• Fuel cell
• DC-DC converters
• Sliding mode controllers
• Super twisting sliding mode controller
• Voltage regulation
• Chattering

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors would like to thank Dr R. Gopalan, Regional-Director, ARCI, Chennai, for his encouragement and support and also Anna University for funding to fabricate the hardware.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

F. Punnya Priya

Punnya Priya, F is currently pursuing PhD degree in electrical and electronics engineering at College of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, India. She has 11 years of teaching experience in engineering college. Her current research interests include control systems, power electronics, fuel cells and their applications.

K. Latha

Latha, K received the BE (Electrical and Electronics Engineering), ME (Power Electronic) and PhD degree in fuel cells and their applications from the College of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, India. Currently, she is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, at Anna University. Her current research interests include power converters, motor drives, electrical machine design and fuel cell systems. Email: [email protected]

K. Ramya

Ramya, K completed MTech from IIT Delhi and PhD from Anna University after completing her MSc in chemistry from IIT, Delhi. Currently, she is a senior scientist and head of the Centre for fuel cell technology, ARCI, IIT Madras research park, Taramani, Tamil Nadu, India. She has over 40 publications in peer-reviewed international journals and 9 patents to her credit. She also contributed a book chapter. Her current research interests include hydrogen technologies, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, direct methanol fuel cells, alkaline fuel cells and electrolyzers, membrane-based humidifiers and sensors, hydrogen generation, electrochemical carbon dioxide conversion, hydrogen purification and metal-air batteries. Email: [email protected]