A Lyapunov-based adaptive control strategy with fault-tolerant objectives for proton exchange membrane fuel cell air supply systems

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are being extensively studied for large-scale applications. The need for reliable and safe system integration processes emphasizes the importance of health-conscious control research. Considering their high-frequency operation and load variations, the reliability of PEMFCs can be compromised by mechanical failures within air supply systems. Therefore, this paper proposes an adaptive control strategy with fault-tolerant objectives for regulating the oxygen excess ratio (OER). Specifically, it addresses two common faults within air compressors, namely compressor overheating and increased mechanical friction. While these faults have been studied in fault diagnosis research, their treatment within the context of fault-tolerant control is relatively uncommon. To ensure reliable OER regulation under multiple fault occurrences, estimator-based parameter adaptation laws are firstly derived using Lyapunov theory during the stability demonstration process. Then, the baseline controller is designed using an extended state observer and feedback linearization, with a clear presentation of the existence and stability of the state transformation. Furthermore, extensive numerical tests are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. The proposed adaptive control strategy ensures consistent regulation outcomes without compromising performance under healthy conditions, highlighting its potential for large-scale application as a standard control approach in practical applications.