Analysis and implementation of feedback linearisation controller for fuel cell-fed boost converter

ABSTRACT

Fuel cell needs to be integrated with dc-dc boost converters to supply load at elevated voltages. Due to the presence of right half plane zero (RHPZ) in the output voltage to duty cycle transfer function of the boost converter and the nonlinear V-I characteristics of the fuel cell, it necessitates the usage of nonlinear controllers. This paper proposes an effective stabilising feedback linearisation (FDBKLN) controller for fuel cell-fed boost converter to provide improved dynamic performance and tight voltage regulation for wide load variation. Performance of the controller has been tested in simulation using the developed tunable minimal order fuel cell model and validated through experiments for fuel cell-fed 600W boost converter. Stability of the proposed controller is also verified using Lyapunov theorem.

KEYWORDS:

• DC-DC converters
• feedback linearization controller
• fuel cell
• nonlinear controller
• voltage regulation

Abbreviations

RHPZ Right Half Plane Zero	=
IC Internal Combustion	=
CSMC Conventional Sliding Mode Controller	=
MAC Multiply, Accumulate	=
PEMFC Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell	=
CCM Continuous Conduction Mode	=
STSMC Super Twisting Sliding Mode Controller	=
FDBKLN Feedback Linearisation	=

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. R. Gopalan, Regional Director, ARCI, Chennai, for his encouragement and support.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the RUSA 2.0 under the grant [6138/RUSA 2.0/PD3/2018/PO3-1].