An Energy Management Strategy for a Fuel Cell-Battery Power System Targeting the Fuel Cell Anode Flooding

Health-conscious energy management strategies (EMS) are designed to enhance fuel cell longevity by reducing start-stop cycles and the avoidance of high-load transients. However, existing EMS do not specifically target scenarios detrimental to fuel cell lifespan. Such targeted strategies are necessary when anode flooding occurs in a fuel cell. To bridge the gap, this work proposed an EMS targeting the fuel cell anode flooding. According to the fuel cell system (FCS) power requirements under the anode flooding, the EMS includes two modes: 1) FCS in drainage mode without power reduction and 2) FCS in drainage mode with power reduction. In Mode 1, the EMS maintains the constant output power of the FCS if the lithium battery's output power is sufficient, or the FCS power is incrementally increased while constraining the ramp rate. In Mode 2, the FCS power is reduced to the derived threshold. This EMS was tested in a test bench. The results show that the EMS can meet the power requirements of the FCS under the anode flooding, assisting in alleviating the flooding and preventing further damage.