Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) modeling in PSCAD/EMTDC

A hybrid diesel generator/fuel cell power system is proposed for generating power for propulsion and for test equipment on a research vessel. This presents several drawbacks for testing. Since the diesel generator produces significant acoustic and air pollution it has potential to interfere with some of the types of testing carried out using the ship. This problem can be overcome by adding a fuel cell to the system to present an overall acoustically and environmentally cleaner option. The type of fuel-cell chosen is the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). This paper describes modeling of a PEMFC in PSCAD/EMTDC, and results from simulation using this model and a model of the rest of the system are provided to prove the feasibility of using this type of fuel cell for the vessel's power system.