PEM Fuel Cell Power Control with Single Phase Inverter Connected To Distribution Grid Using Hysteresis Current Control Method

In the application of a distributed generation system, fuel cells require a Power Conditioning System (PCS) to change their low voltage output characteristics. The PCS required consists of an inverter to convert DC voltage to AC so that it can be connected to a voltage step-up transformer to be further connected to the electric power system network. In this study, the fuel cell is modelled using an equivalent circuit, adjusted to the V-I characteristic curve. The PCS used is a full bridge inverter type voltage source inverter (VSI) which is equipped with an inductor as a current filter. Furthermore, the outputs of the inverter and inductor are connected to a single phase step-up transformer. The output current from the current filter will be used as a control input for the hysteresis current control method. Hysteresis current controller functions to create a band (boundary) to inject current into the grid. This algorithm is very suitable for grid connections because it has a fast response to changes in the inverter output current and the controller is very easy to apply. The simulation results show that the inverter is able to supply 36.6 W of power to the distribution network.