Modeling a PEM fuel cell for use in a hybrid electric vehicle

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells have the possibility of becoming the primary power source of hybrid electric vehicles. However, a fuel cell system is large, complex and expensive. Designing and building new prototypes is difficult and expensive. The alternative is to examine different systems through simulations. This paper describes a mathematical model of the fuel cell and its use to develop the auxiliary systems necessary to apply the fuel cell in an HEV. The popular simulation program Matlab and Simulink are used the model development.