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HYBRID FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES

ABSTRACT:
Power sources hybridization for fuel cell vehicles can overcome
short comings such as slow cold start-up, slow dynamic response to load
change, and no regenerative energy capture. The hybridization can also
reduce the vehicle weight and power source's cost as well as increase the
vehicle fuel efficiency.
The system analysis in this report shows hybrid control is necessary
to make sure the fuel cell and the energy storage device working properly and
safely
Batteries are favored as the energy storage device in
hybridization with a fuel cell system from the consideration of energy
density, technology maturity, and cost. The Panasonic D-size battery under
study has high internal impedance, and wide variation with temperature.
It would be difficult to control the hybrid system to achieve consistent
performance. It is recommended to look at the alternative battery
options that could offer high power and low impedance.
The conclusions are highly dependent on the fuel system and
energy storagesystem. The use of hybrid batteries with significant power
density and the use of fuel cells with much quicker load response might result
in a different hybridization strategy and different fuel efficiency.

1. INTRODUCTION:
Fuel cell powered vehicles are well known for their extremely high cost, less
efficiency at lower power operation. They are not compatible with the regenerative braking
system (regenerative fuel cell might fix this problem). A FC system with a reformer takes at least
minutes to start from cold, and has sluggish dynamic response to load change.
A "hybrid" vehicle usually refers to one that incorporates a minimum of two
separate power sources in its powertrain system. In the application of fuel cell vehicles, this
means a fuel cell system coupled with one or more power sources or energy storage devices such
as batteries or supercapacitors. One of the primary advantages of this dual power supply system
is the flexibility in power distribution between sources. This versatility yields greater potential to
optimize the vehicle powertrain to meet vehicle performance, fuel economy and cost
requirements. In order to take the advantage of this system flexibility, the sizes of the fuel cell
system and supplemental power system have to be properly matched. It is equally critical to
integrate the system with an intelligent control strategy that uses each component to optimize the
overall system performance.
This paper reviews the general concept of hybrid fuel cell EV with the emphasis on
the fuel cell and battery combination. The issues related to the hybrid system design are
discussed. The system trade-off study was performed to show how to meet the requirements of
FCV performance targets, and the improvements achieved in vehicle acceleration and cold start
time with the hybrid over the existing reformer fuel cell technology. This paper also explains
why the appropriate control is necessary in such a hybrid system and how it affects the system
efficiency.Finally, the cost and life issues are briefly discussed.

2. HYBRID CONCEPT
2.1 WHY HYBRID?
A fuel cell system can use either direct hydrogen fuel or reformed fuel from
methanol, gasoline, etc. The fuel cell with a fuel processor consists of a series of complex
chemical reactors that have a limited dynamic range.The processor has a relatively slow dynamic
response as compared to the fuel cell stack. The power system acts as an integrated unit with a
response time given by that of its slowest component. Under a transient load, the thermal inertia
of the heat transfer surfaces and catalyst beds in a thermally integrated fuel processor will
typically result in a mismatch between the heat available and that needed by the reactants. This
can lead to temporary, localized temperatures that differ from the optimal steady-state values.
The reformer is designed so that the catalysts remain at optimal temperatures
irrespective of variations in load/reactant mass flow, by means of circulating heat transfer
medium (such as oil) in close thermal contact with catalyst via high surface area. The DBBs
PEM fuel cell engine with the reformer takes atleast three minutes to start from cold. The
dynamic response time of the Franger 50kW methanol PEMFC engine is about 10kW/second
with little loss in transient efficiency. These performances are not acceptable to the customers
who have been used to the conventional internal combustion engine.

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The hybridization of a fuel cell system with an energy storage device, such as a
battery, can solve the long cold start and slow dynamic response problems. The battery can be
used to start the fuel cell and to provide energy to heat the fuel reformer to reduce star-up time.
Battery energy storage also has the advantages in cost, size, weight and technology maturity in
the near future.
The efficiency of a fuel cell varies with its load. A hybrid system has the potential
to control the power outputs from the dual sources to achieve better total system efficiency, and
therefore, to reduce the cooling requirement.

2.2 ARCHITECTURE
Unlike the hybrid vehicles that combine a conventional IC engine with an electric
powertrain, hybrid FCEV have two power sources coupled electrically to the electric drive
system, which converts the electrical power into mechanical power to drive the vehicle.
Since both fuel cell and battery provide DC electric power, theoretically, they can
be connected either in series or in parallel. However, the series architecture is not practical.
Therefore, the hybrid FCEV to be considered will have a fuel cell and an energy storage device
connected in parallel, as shown in Fig. 1. The output voltages from the two systems either are the
same when directly connected or have a fixed relation when a converter or an equivalent device
is applied.

2.3 OPERATING MODES

A hybrid FCEV works in a mixed charging/powering mode. Charging the energy
storage device can be either from the FC or kinetic energy regeneration. However, fuel cell
stacks have to be kept from charging to avoid the damage of the membrane. The two energy

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sources can power the vehicle individually or together. One typical working scenario is the FC
charges the energy storage unit, and later the charged energy is relayed to the load or electric
drive system. In this case the energy flows through a series of two power sources. Similarly, the
power can be provided in parallel. The parallel mode refers to the situation where the two power
sources deliver at the same time in parallel, a higher power than any single source would be able
to produce or to allow the hybrid system to operate at the most efficient state. Therefore, from
the point of energy flow, one can say a hybrid FCV works in mixed series and parallel modes.
The cycle of charge and discharge in the series mode generates losses. These losses
can be compensated for through regenerative braking. The overall fuel cell system efficiency can
be raised by controlling the FC system to operate at a highly efficient range. For example, at low
power operation, the fuel cell system can still work at medium power level with higher efficiency
to provide load power and charge the energy storage device at the same time. In this case, the
energy storage device acts as a load leveling device (LLD) or energy buffer. Batteries, flywheels,
super-capacitors are potential candidates for the LLD.

2.4 SYSTEM PARTITIONING/SIZING

Assume a battery is used as an energy storage device. The combination of the FC
and the battery in a hybrid FCEV ranges from a FCEV to a battery EV, as shown in the Fig. 2.
Two representative examples are power assist hybrid and range extender hybrid.

Fig. 2 Combination of fuel cell and battery in a hybrid FCEV

A power assist hybrid usually consists of a large FC and a small battery. The battery
is applied to compensate the power output from fuel cells to maximizing the whole hybrid
system efficiency. A range extender hybrid use a small fuel cell system with a substantial battery
pack such that the vehicle will perform like a pure battery powered electric vehicle, with the fuel
cell power source simply extending the range. With the latter configuration, the hybrid control is
relatively simple. The technology of the main power source, battery, is more mature. In addition,
batteries are cheaper than fuel cells. The disadvantages include shorter drive range and the
requirement of off-board charging system, and extra FC energy losses from charging battery.
Additional issues related to the safety, technical feasibility, system complexity, and
vehicle performance requirement might also weigh in the direction of hybridization. The
hybridization strategy should also depend on the application and overall vehicle strategy.

3. HYBRID FUEL CELL AND BATTERY SYSTEM

3.1 WHY BATTERY?
Supplemental power is needed to solve the start-up problem and the fuel processor
slow response problem for fuel cell vehicles. The supplemental power can also be used to boost
the compressor without drawing energy from the fuel cell. A supercapacitor, flywheel, batteries,
and hydrogen (liquid hydrogen, compressed gas, orhydrogen storage as metal hydride) are
considered to be the potential supplemental power sources. A supercapacitor or flywheel have
relatively small energy density as compared to batteries and they are also more expensive and
less matured commercial products. Liquid hydrogen has a reputation of inevitable boil-off losses
associated with long periods of the vehicle at rest as well as high cost because of the need for
high-performance insulation, heat exchangers, and safety measures. Compressed hydrogen has a
gas tank volume problem. Storage of hydrogen as a gas compressed to 5000 psi requires a 10fold larger volume than gasoline for the same amount of energy. Metal hydride is heavy and the
specific cost of presently available alloys is too high for automotive applications.
A battery, however, considered to be suitable for hybrid fuel cell applications
because of its high power density, high energy density, battery modest cost and long service life.

3.2 BATTERY SELECTION

Battery selection is based upon the cost, packaging, and performance
characteristics. Table 1 lists the properties of various batteries that are interested. From this table,
NiMH D cells (for hybrid EV applications) from Panasonic are selected to be one of the suitable
batteries for hybrid fuel cell vehicle applications.

Specific
Battery type energy
(KWh/Kg)
Primary
0.15
alkaline
Lead-acid
0.04
Ni/MH
0.08
Lithium ion 0.12
Lithium
0.14-0.22
polymer
DBB
methanol
fuel cell

Energy
density
(KWh/L)
0.375

Specific
power
(KW/Kg)
0.014

Power
density
(KW/L)
0.035

Life
(Year)

0.07
0.25
0.3
0.3-042

0.2
0.2
0.25

0.4
0.5
0.5

2-3
8
5-10
10

0.149

0.159

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3.3 POWER REQUIREMENT OF FUEL CELL AND BATTERY

For a hybrid FCEV, the main power source should be able to handle the maximum
requirement for vehicle steady state run on level as well as graded road. In the case of the power

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assist hybrid, the battery has to be sized to produce the additional power to what the FC is
capable of to meet the peak power requirement. Besides, the battery should be able to provide
power to the motor for at least the first three minutes for cold start-up and also be able to provide
power in order to response to the load due to fuel cell slow response in time. For range extender
hybrid, the battery pack should be big enough to response to load change and a small fuel cell is
only used to charge the battery.

3.4 VEHICLE PERFORMANCE

For a power-assist hybrid configuration, the size of the fuel cell should meet the
steady state run condition. Table 2 illustrates the power requirement vs. the variations of vehicle
weight and gear ratio at 60mph at 6% grade and maximum speed.
Assume a vehicle with 65 kW fuel cell engine has a weight of 1550kg (C264 small
vehicle) and fuel cell system had 435kg and 409 liter, then the corresponding total battery and
fuel cell power sources weight and volume is as shown in Table 3. Table 3 indicates that the
hybrid fuel cell and battery system has lower weight and occupies smaller space as compared
with pure fuel cell system. However this conclusion will change as FC techniques advances. The
hybrid system has the packaging advantage in addition to the benefit of quick dynamic response
to the load change.
A big battery and small fuel cell system design gives another alternative and can
give reasonable driving range as well as the advantage of low cost as compared to big fuel cell
and small battery design. For example, the simulation indicates that a vehicle equipped with
20kW fuel cell (50 lb methanol in gas tank) and a 90Ah Panasonic Ni/MH battery pack can have
about 300 miles traction range when simulated at J1634. However, the big battery and small fuel
cell design has a long charging time problem whenever the driver makes a long distance
traveling while the battery SOC drops to its lower limit.

Battery
0
Power(kW)
Fuel cell 80
Power(kW)
Power
503.4
sources
volume

20

20

40

40

60

80

47

47

50

50

20

85

380.7

465.7

484.6

554.6

445.8

3.5 FUEL EFFICIENCY

Fuel efficiency is one of the key issues in the vehicle design. Control strategy and
the size of battery and fuel cells will affect vehicle efficiency greatly. The hybridization of the
power sources in the fuel cell vehicle should benefit the fuel economy because of the flexibility
of power distribution between battery and fuel cells. So battery and fuel cells can be set to work
at higher efficient regions regardless the road conditions. Table 6 lists the fuel economy of
hybrid fuel cell and pure fuel cell vehicles (fuel efficiency is based upon the gasoline
correspondence).

Battery
0
Power(kW)
Fuel cell Power 80
(kW)
Fuel effy
37.1
With improved
control
37.1
Improvement(%) 0

20

20

40

40

60

60

80

47

50

47

50

47

50

20

39.66

39

38.3

37.96

37.69

38.56

36.88

43.2
8.9

42.9
10

42.4
10.7

41.94
10.5

41.37
9.8

41.98
8.9

37.08
0.5s

4. HYBRID CONTROL
IS CONTROL NECESSARY?
No matter what kind of hybrid system, power assist or range extender is to be
designed, system performance, efficiency, complexity, cost, thermal management and life are
always the key elements to be considered. Some of these aspects have been discussed in the
earlier sections, and some will be in the later sections. However, they all depend on how the
hybrid system works. From the point of system complexity, the hybrid system can be greatly
simplified if the two electric power sources are directly coupled without a controller. Is the
hybrid control necessary? Before any recommendations being made, lets first take a look at the
following example.
At -15oC and the same 60%SOC, also considering open circuit voltage varies
between charge and discharge, the capability for the battery to produce power to assist the FC is
greatly degraded.
With the decrease of the battery temperature, its internal resistance rises. The power
that battery is able to provide, Pb_max, is reduced. The maximum current the FC can charge the
battery, Ib_max_charge , is further limited, increasing the number of the battery cells will help
the power, but hurt the charge current.temperature.

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Since the behavior of the battery varies with its SOC and operating temperature in
the automotive application, it is very difficult to meet the vehicle requirements and consistent
performance without proper hybrid control. The control also protects the FC system from
charging, and the battery from over-charging and overdischarging. Without the control, the
battery can get over-charged on a downhill drive, the battery charging limit (36kW for 10
seconds) can be violated on the undesirable battery deep discharge could happen. The above
figures have shown that in order to make a fuel cell system and a battery work together without a
converter, their operating voltages have to match well. For a battery to generate the required
power, and to be charged properly, the choices of the size of a battery are very limited. The
panasonic D-size cells can hardly work without proper control due to their high impedance or
resistance (higher than fuel cells). The resistance is doubled at 0oC, and is four times as high at 15oC as at normal ambient. In addition, the best system efficiency can only be achieved by
precisely controlling the operating state of each power source.
The hybrid control ensures delivery of the power the load needs or the driver
demands. It should also protect the fuel cell stack from charging, and keeps the battery from
over-charging or deep-discharging. The control strategy should be designed to achieve the best
system efficiency with the available components, including the regenerative sub-system. The
control also has direct impact on the life of the system key components. A properly charged and
discharged battery enjoys a longer life.
.

5. SYSTEM INTEGRATION
Critical integration issues including:
(1) Integrated operation of fuel cell stack and fuel processors;
(2) Reduced fuel processor weight and volume, and
(3)Integrated operation of the entire fuel cell system including all of its
thermal and water management functions. These will not be detailed since they appear to be
beyond our scope.

6. COST OF POWER SOURCES (FUEL CELL AND BATTERIES)

Both the fuel cells and the batteries cost are high for electric vehicle applications. The
fuel cell cost is extremely high as compared to combustion engine at this time. However, it is
considered that the fuel cell and battery cost can be reduced greatly as volumes increase.
.
It can be seen that the power sources hybridization can reduce the power cost as
well as reduce the power sources weight and volume.

7. POWER SOURCES SERVICE LIFE

Fuel cell reliability, durability, and service life may be reduced due to the high
thermo-mechanical stress if the fuel cell system is the sole power source. Although there is no
service life testing has been reported on the fuel cell system, its life is generally considered long,
it is believed that fuel cells working at different power levels frequently will reduce its service
life. Having fuel cell system working at optimized regime will not only benefit its working
efficiency but also benefit its durability and reliability. Battery service life can be increased too
by the optimized charging and discharging techniques.

8 CONCLUSIONS
1) Power source hybridization for fuel cell vehicles can overcome the shortcomings
such as slow cold startup,slow dynamic response to load change, and no regenerative energy
capture. The hybridization can also reduce the vehicle weight and power sources cost as well as
increase the vehicle fuel efficiency.
2) System analysis shows that hybrid control is necessary to make sure the fuel cell
and the energy storage device working properly and safely.
3) Batteries are favored as the energy storage device in the hybridization with a fuel
cell system from the consideration of energy density, technology maturity, and cost. The
Panasonic D-size battery under study has high internal impedance, and wide variation with
temperature. It would be difficult to control the hybrid system to achieve consistent performance.
It is recommended to look for the alternative battery options that could offer high power and low
impedance.
4) It is recommended to investigate the system architecture and control strategy for
the FCV. The system efficiency of different options should be further studied.
5) These conclusions are highly dependent on the fuel system and energy storage
system. The use of hybrid batteries with significant power density and the use of fuel cell with
much quicker load response might result in different hybridization strategy and different fuel
efficiency. Furthermore, if fuel cell systems can be developed with flatter efficiency curve, the
efficiency loss associated with operation at higher fractions of the system peak power could be
reduced.

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REFERENCES:

FUEL CELLS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

--- Kordesch K Simader G
SCIENCE &TECHNOLOGY OF CERAMIC FUEL CELLS
---Minh,Nguyen Quang,Takahashi,Takehiko
FUEL CELL ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION SYSTEM
--Buswell, Clause, Khohen, Louie, Watkins
NON CONVENTIONAL ENERGY SYSTEMS
--K M Mital
PRINCIPLES OF ENERGY CONVERSION
--Archie W Culp, Jr
THERMAL ENGINEERING
--K.Rajputh
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
--V.Ganeshan