Hey guys

I am doing some research on fuel cells powering a motor and i found a bit of info, I am just curios about the following:

In pic 1 i found the following:

1. DC/DC converter acts as a buffer between the fuel cell and energy storage.
2. The energy storage then acts as the source for the motor.

If a super capacitor is used. How is the DC motor going to run if the Voltage and current that is being supplied by the super capacitor will decrease with respect to time? Will there be a sensing circuit that will make sure the capacitor is always sitting at around about the level it needs to be to supply enough current to the load?

Or am I missing something here?

 

The motor controller will most probably use switched-mode techniques to provide a variable voltage transformation effect, so that (provided the capacitor voltage stays within certain limits) the motor is given appropriate drive.

 

The motor controller will most probably use switched-mode techniques to provide a variable voltage transformation effect, so that (provided the capacitor voltage stays within certain limits) the motor is given appropriate drive.

OK cool I see what you are saying, so for example the motor controller will be able to drive to motor if its "input voltage"(from the super cap) is between 4V and 6V?

 

What kind of fuel cell?

 

hydrogen fuel cell

 

Maybe the fuel cell has a low output current and the supercap is there to provide short periods of higher current.

 

Ok so its been a while so now I am on how to limit the output voltage and current of the fuel cell. Reason for that is firstly to protect againts short circuits since the fuel cell is very expensive and secondly I want to control the max output power of the fuel cell.

The protection circuitry is not that difficult to imement, the problem is designing a circuit that will only allow a maximum of 24V at 8 amps. Any tips?

 

I would suggest that the cap is storage for regen action, indicated by the bidirectional arrows.

 

I would suggest that the cap is storage for regen action, indicated by the bidirectional arrows.

I tend to agree with GetDeviceInfo. A motor controller is often configured for regenerative action. The fuel cell in the diagram appears to be able to either regenerate the battery source and perhaps also to augment the power to the motor. This would surely increase the longevity of the driving current to the motor. Maybe they can add some solar as well!