Abstract
The paper presents a brief analysis of the potential use of hydrogen-oxygen low-temperature fuel cells with proton-exchange membrane fuel-cell stacks as power sources for the construction of drive units powering unmanned aerial vehicles. Hydrogen storage methods are discussed. Characteristics of selected aspects of monitoring the electrical and non-electrical operating parameters of a drive unit with fuel cells were investigated, with respect to the fuel cell, fuel-cell cooling system, and gas reagent supplying the system with hydrogen and air. Hydrogen fuel consumption for the production of electricity and purification, or so-called purge, was analysed. Based on the results of laboratory tests of the parameters of a generator with fuel cells, an exemplary method of monitoring operating parameters and controlling power sources involving fuel cells is proposed.
Highlights
The main challenge for manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for civil and military applications is extension of flight time
Analysis of available technical data, including drone design, drone mission, lifting capacity, selection of a PEMFC stack, and methods of storing and using hydrogen for electric power generation, indicates variability in the energy efficiency of power units, which directly results in different operating times for fuel cells (FC) generators in unmanned aerial vehicles, resulting in turn in different flight times
It can be concluded that the demand for power drawn to supply the DC/DC converter adjusting the electrical parameters of auxiliary devices for the BCH 2000-W PEMFC stack amounts to at least 50 W without load and increases to 80 W during maximum load to approximately 2000 W
Summary
The main challenge for manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for civil and military applications is extension of flight time. Their high power densities (power generated relative to device weight) constitute an advantage [4‒6]. Analysis of available technical data, including drone design, drone mission, lifting capacity, selection of a PEMFC stack, and methods of storing and using hydrogen for electric power generation, indicates variability in the energy efficiency of power units, which directly results in different operating times for FC generators in unmanned aerial vehicles, resulting in turn in different flight times. The study focuses in particular on the monitoring and analysis of electrical and non-electrical parameters of fuel-cell power sources essential for their use in the design of power units for unmanned aerial vehicles
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