Fuel Cell Inverter:

Circuit Design and Control

M. J. Khan, M. Ordonez, M. T. Iqbal, and J. E. Quaicoe

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, A1B 3X5

First AIF Research Forum

"Beyond Kyoto – Atlantic Sustainable Power R & D Initiatives"

May 19, 2006

University of New Brunswick, NB

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 Outline

 Fuel Cell Systems

 Power Converters
 Design & Control Challenges
 State of the Technology
 MUN-FC Inverter Project
 Design & Development
 Summary

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 Fuel Cell Systems
 Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells are mostly
considered
 Electricity produced directly from electrochemical reaction
 Stationary applications (residential/DG) are being widely studied
 Performance is of non-linear nature

Ballard NexaTM Characteristics 3

 Fuel Cell Power Converter

 Variable DC output needs to be adjusted for grid/load conditions

 Suitable power converter is required for effective interfacing

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 Design & Control Challenges
 Fuel Cell - Power Stage Interface
 Low frequency ripple and backward current injection
 Storage - Power Stage Interface
 Auxiliary energy storage device (Battery, Ultracapacitor)
 The Power Stage
 Robustness, efficiency, cost, size and weight
 Power Stage-Grid/Load Interface
 Performance, safety and power quality issues

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 State of the Technology

 Commercial Systems
 DRS Pivotal Power (www.pivotalpower.com)
 Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd. (www.sustainableenergy.com/)
 Magnetek Power Electronics Group (www.magnetekpower.com/)
 TDI Power System Solutions (www.tdipower.com/)
 Ballard Power Systems Inc. (www.ballard.com)

 Exploratory Systems
 Texas A&M University, College Station,(http://enjeti.tamu.edu)
 Colorado School of Mines, (http://egweb.mines.edu/faculty/msimoes/)
 University of Central Florida, (http://floridapec.engr.ucf.edu/index.asp)
 Michigan State University (http://www.egr.msu.edu/pelab/)

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 MUN-FC Inverter Project
 Targets

 Approach
 Capacity building
 Initial prototype
 Intermediate prototype
 Final prototype

 Timing
 2004-2006
 2006-2007
 2007-2008

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 MUN-FC Inverter Project
 Brief topology review

DC-DC boost + Inverter + LF-Transformer DC-AC inverter + LF Transformer

High Frequency Resonant Converter-PWM Inverter

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 Design & Development

 Selected topology

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 Design & Development (Cont’d)

 Challenges
Prototype # 1:
ZVS Phase-Shifted DC/DC converter ( ~200 kHz, Off-the-shelf magnetics)
Hard-switched DC/AC inverter (Isolated load)
……………………….. Work temporarily withheld

Prototype # 2:
Hard switched DC/DC converter ( ~25 kHz, Custom magnetics)
Hard-switched DC/AC inverter (Isolated/Grid-connected load)
.. ……………………….. Work in-progress

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 Design & Development (Cont’d)

 Power stages

Prototype # 1 Prototype # 2
 Rudimentary design  Optimal spacing & comp. sizing
 Limited performance  Expected quality performance

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 Design & Development (Cont’d)
 Driver Circuits

Phase Shift driver HCPL 316J based driver HCPL 3120 based driver
(Galvanic Isolation) (Opto-isolation) (IGBT-Opto-isolation)

HCPL 3120 based driver HCPL 3120 based driver HCPL 3120 based driver
(MOSFET-Opto-isolation) (with current buffer) (compact design)
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 Design & Development (Cont’d)

 Auxiliary power

Miniature DC-DC Miniature DC-DC

converter based converter (expaned)

Switching power supply with TI’s

DC-DC on-board converter
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 Design & Development (Cont’d)

 Other peripherals

TI’s DSP controller Payton’s magnetics Custom magnetics

Voltage sensor Current sensor Thermal management

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 Summary

General
 Commercial inverters: Performance vs. Cost issue
 Research oriented designs: Minute improvement vs. Overall goal
 Blend of two domains need to be achieved

MUN FC-Inverter project

 Significant achievement in capacity building
 Valuable lessons learned
 Development in full-swing
ASPRI involvement
 Clearer goals need to be outlined
 Greater collaboration needed
 Technical know-how need to be exchanged
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 Further information

 M. J. Khan, M. T. Iqbal, J. E. Quaicoe, ‘Design and Development of a MOSFET

Driver Circuit for Phase-Shifted Zero-Voltage-Switching Full-Bridge DC-DC
Converter’, NECEC 05, November 2005, St. John’s, Newfoundland.

 M. J. Khan, M. T. Iqbal, J. E. Quaicoe, ‘Utility interactive fuel cell inverter for

distributed generation: design consideration and experimental results’,
CCECE05, May 1-4, 2005, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

 M. J. Khan, M. T. Iqbal, ‘Design Considerations of a Utility Interactive Fuel

Cell Inverter’ presented at IEEE 13th, NECEC conference, St. John’s NL, 2004

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 Acknowledgement

 Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science, MUN, NL

 AIF/ACOA
 Blue Line Innovations Inc.

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Thank you

 Q/A

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