PEM Fuel Cell Controls for Stationary Applications

Direct material cost (DMC) and system reliability have been the two most critical limiting factors in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell commercialization for portable, stationary, and mobile applications. One way to reduce DMC, increase reliability, and improve manufacturability and serviceability for faster commercial adaptation, is to have a highly integrated system with minimum number of parts (e.g. actuators and sensors) while still being able to maintain high system performance, stability, reliability, and durability. Although this design philosophy is very effective in reducing cost, it creates significant challenges in controls and system integration in order not to compromise system performance. This paper reviews the current controls and system challenges, progresses, and outlook of Plug Power PEM fuel cell systems for stationary applications.