A MATLAB/Simulink model of a parallel hybrid PEMFC/battery powertrain for passenger cars

The transition towards sustainable transportation solutions needs the development of efficient and environmentally friendly propulsion systems. Among these, Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) seem to be a promising solution for sustainable powertrain design. This study presents the development of a MATLAB/Simulink model for a parallel hybrid FC/battery system representative of a passenger car, including all the auxiliary components and subsystems. The model incorporates electrochemical, heat transfer, and fluid dynamic processes to accurately simulate the dynamic PEMFC stack and system behaviour. By implementing user-defined initial and boundary conditions, the model offers flexibility in simulating real-world scenarios, allowing the investigation of system performance under different environmental and dynamic driving conditions, as prescribed by the latest homologation protocols. Additionally, it accounts for the membrane degradation, which is a critical aspect affecting long-term durability, performance, and efficiency. Furthermore, a Graphic User Interface (GUI) has been developed to simplify the input of the main parameters, embedding the model in a user-friendly yet comprehensive tool designed for students, researchers, and engineers to evaluate the realizability of these efficient technologies. The intrinsic adaptability to model any FC/battery power system under a generic time-varying load constitutes an additional valuable point of the presented study to enable engineering progress, advancing the energy transition via sustainable powertrain solutions.