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Preliminary Analysis on Fuel Cell Power Plant Design for Racing Vehicles

Conference Paper · October 2010

DOI: 10.13140/2.1.4328.8002

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Muhammad Rizuwan Mustaffa Rodziah Atan

Freescale Semiconductor, Malaysia Universiti Putra Malaysia
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Wan Ahmad Najmi Wan Mohamed

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Preliminary Analysis on Fuel Cell Power Plant Design
for Racing Vehicles

M.R.Mustaffa, R.Atan, and W.A.N.W. Mohamed

Alternative Energy Research Center (AERC)
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Malaysia
rizuwan.mustaffa@yahoo.com
wanjerm3@yahoo.com.my

Abstract— Growth of alternative energy research focused

on fuel cell is increasing in order to eliminate global
emission. Fuel cell vehicles are one of the main solutions to
counter this problem. This work is an initial part for the
development of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel
cell power plant for racing vehicles, focusing on the
development of the power plant system modeling. Modeling
development is limited to a single racing condition to
evaluate the performances of the system when at high speed
and long endurance application. Each component of fuel cell
system are discussed and studied to ensure its suitability for
racing application. A preliminary analysis on the power
requirement of the race vehicle at an average speed of 80
km/h and acceleration of 5.6 m/s is also presented. For the
vehicle specification of 320 kg maximum weight, an 8 kW
PEM fuel cell stack and 37 kW ultra capacitor is needed to
achieve the desired race capabilities.
I. INTRODUCTION
Air pollution is a serious concern especially in dense
populated cities with many highly pollutants with gasoline
based engine vehicles. So over the last decade, interests in
alternative automotive power trains increase steadily,
including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and fuel cell
vehicles (FCVs). Fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) include fuel
cell system which generates electricity by a chemical
reaction between hydrogen and oxygen with water and
heat as by-products. Honda CEO, T. Ito believed that fuel
cell vehicles will be the ultimate form for automobile in
the future as it has advantages of zero hazardous emission
with the capability to travel at considerable distances [1].
Competition between the different players is growing and
the fight for a share of a potentially huge market has
already started. Technological development is one of the
important weapons at this early stage.
In general, a fuel cell is a chemical device that
converts hydrogen as a fuel to produce protons, electrons,
heat and water. Fuel cell reaction is based on
(1)
Fuel cell has a high conversion efficiency compared to
other conventional power systems, normally around 40%
to 50%. The efficiency can increase until 80% if the fuel
cells are part of a Combined Heat Plant (CHP) [2]. Then,
fuel cells virtually produce no emission [3]. From Eq. (1),
fuel cells will produce water (H2O) as the final product,
providing a clean and environmentally friendly output.
The other advantage that gives merit to vehicle
application is its silent operation during the energy
conversion from chemical to mechanical power.
At the core of a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) is a fuel cell
stack that generates continuous electrical power. The
electricity rotates the electric motor, giving it the
propulsion power it requires. The major component of a
fuel cell vehicle includes (Fig. 1):
a) Hydrogen storage tank – stores hydrogen gas
compressed at extremely high pressure to
increase the driving range.
b) High output battery – stored energy generated
from regenerative braking (optional) and
provides supplement power to electric motor.
c) Fuel cell stack – main component to convert the
hydrogen and oxygen gas into electricity to
power electric motor.
d) Electric motor – to propel the vehicle at the
desired speed and acceleration.
The major challenges in fuel cell vehicle engineering and
commercial-scale application are [4]:
a) Lowering the cost of hydrogen where the current
hydrogen price is four times expensive than
gasoline.
 b) Developing an effective hydrogen storage where
the current hydrogen storage is not adequate for
use in a wide range of vehicles.
c) Creating an affordable hydrogen fuel cell stack.
Currently the fuel cell is ten times more
expensive than internal combustion engine.

Basically, fuel cell stacks is the heart of fuel cell

system; however, without the supporting equipment the
stack itself would not be very useful. The fuel cell power
plant system typically involves a few sub-systems such as
a humidification system required to prevent the fuel cell
from dehydrating during operation. An oxidant supply
system is needed to provide reactant and cooling air by
the use of fan and blowers. A cooling system must also be
added, either using air or water coolants, to maintain the
temperature at the optimum operating level. A fully
developed system would also consist of thermocouples,
Figure 2. Fuel cell power plant diagram [7]
pressure transducer, hydrogen sensor, and mass flow
controller, which will measure and control data using data II. DESIGN MODELS
acquisition program [5]. A schematic example of a
complete fuel cell system is shown in Fig. 2. The first part of the FCV development is the
identification of power system specifications and
prediction of vehicle performance, mainly by
mathematical modeling approach. First, the traction power
required for a specified vehicle performance (speed and
acceleration) is to be determined. Then, the traction power
is related to the drive train component selection, where the
major component is the drive motor, and the electrical
power needed is determined from the selected motor
power curve.
The mechanical (traction) power needed as provided
by B. Lin [8] is

Figure 1. Basic fuel cell vehicle component for land vehicles
The research and development work conducted by the
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi
MARA, Malaysia is aimed to develop a local and fully
capable fuel cell race vehicle within a two year period.
Formula Zero is the event that influences the development
of this particular fuel cell vehicle. This event promotes
and generates the interest of fuel cell powered vehicle
development with eventual maturity into a real sized and
fully powered car. Other events such as Michelin
Challenge Bibendum and FutureTruck also introduce the
concept of clean vehicle racing including fuel cells. Fuel
cell vehicles can fulfill many aspect of racing such as
side-by-side racing, endurance and reliability events or
record-breaking attempts [6]. This project will provide the
right platform for development of technical skills in the
field of fuel cell system engineering required by the
automotive companies.
(2)
where m is the total mass of vehicles, people and cargo; θ
is the angle of slope; v is the instantaneous acceleration of
vehicles; a is the instantaneous velocity of vehicles; Crr is
the coefficient of rolling resistance; ρ is the density of air
at racing circuit; Cd is the coefficient of drag, and AF is
the vehicle frontal area. All the values are based on a pre-
set racing requirement complying with Formula Zero
regulations. For the overall power that the fuel cell stack
needs to deliver,
(3)
Ref. [9] gave the equation to calculate the propulsion
force of a vehicle,
(4)
Fte is the total propulsion force needed to move the
vehicles. Then, the size of the wheels are selected to
determine the torque produced,
(5)
where r is the radius of the wheel. Conventional racing
vehicles of go kart size normally use 10 cm or 16 cm
radius tire. The stall torque, which is the initial torque
produce by the drive motor to move the vehicles can be
calculated. By determining the average speed and top
speed of the vehicles, motor RPM can be calculated by
[10],
(6)
where 2651.51 is the mechanical conversion factor, RPM
is revolutions per minute of the motor, r is rolling radius
of loaded driving tire in millimeters, R is overall gear
reduction including both axle and transmission, KPH
vehicle speed in kilometer per hour. By solving this
equation the motor specification can be determined.
III. POWER PLANT DESIGN
In the conventional diesel or gasoline-fuelled vehicle,
energy from the fuel is transmitted from the engine to the
wheels by a mechanical power train. In fuel cell vehicles
(FCV) the power train is electrical. A conventional vehicle
power train is illustrated in Fig. 3. A simple FCV parallel
power train is shown in Fig. 4. In this case the fuel cell
provides most of the power for the motor and keeps the
battery charged when needed. When the battery is fully
charged, it can provide the extra power for the motor when
required for acceleration. The battery in such power train
is relatively small when compared with a fuel cell output.
Buchi et al. [11] described a vehicle built along these lines,
with super capacitor electrical energy storage instead of a
battery. Parallel configuration is more suitable for racing
vehicles.
An alternative is the series power train as illustrated in
Fig. 5. In this arrangement all the power is supplied by the
battery and the fuel cell functions as a charger for the
battery. It only provides intermediate level and stable
vehicle power and mostly suitable for urban-based
vehicles.
Engine Gearbox
Figure 3. Conventional vehicles power train configuration
Battery/ ultra
capacitor
Fuel cell
Motor
stack
Figure 4. Fuel cell parallel power train configuration
Fuel cell
Battery Motor
stack
Figure 5. Fuel cell series power train configuration
A. Power system management
Power system management has to assure that the
power is delivered by the demand of electric motor at any
time. In racing condition the power management is quite
crucial where peak power is needed at any time especially
during acceleration. Capacitors will boost the power
during acceleration and subsequently the fuel cell will
have to immediately charge the ultra capacitor. During the
acceleration, fuel cell will not boost the total power as
ultra capacitor do; there is a storage power buffer available
to enable the vehicle to run at continuous speed while at
the same time charging the ultra capacitor. This power
management strategy is adopted by the current study. The
additional analysis of the present investigation is the
exploitation of two secondary devices which is ultra
capacitor and battery. However, the use of two secondary
energy devices requires a more complex control strategy
with respect to the previous investigation according to
Paladini et al. [12].
B. Motor selection process
The data needed to determine the suitable motor are
basically the required RPM which is calculated from pre-
determined race scenarios. Then it is compared with the
motor characteristic to decide the suitability of the motor.
Firstly, looking at the motor with high torque, in cases
needed to overcome total propulsive force when
accelerate. Without the high torque from the motor, it is
impossible for the vehicles to accelerate from 0-100 km/h
within 5 seconds, which is one of the main targets of the
FCV. The maximum motor rotational speed is also
important for consideration. Generally, high rpm allows
the motor to move the vehicle to the target speed. In this
study, the target FCV speed is 120 km/h. Calculated rpm
from the model is the minimum rpm needed to achieve
the top speed. Total mass of the FCV is the dominant
vehicle parameter in speed and power requirements. The
most interesting part in motor selection is regenerative
braking by reversing the direction of the field and varying
the reversed field’s current. This essentially turns the
motor into generator while the vehicle is braking or
coasting, and puts the generated power back into the
batteries or capacitor. Besides recharging the battery pack
and increasing range, other benefits of regenerative
braking is it makes steep hill descents easier to manage, as
well as saving on brake pads and parts.
C. System lay-out
The fuel cell power plant system starts from the
hydrogen tank. The tank is placed in front of the driver to
ensure the driver safety by placing it far from the heat
source such as the motor, fuel cell or ultra capacitor.
Apart from that, the driver can manually close or open the
hydrogen supply if any needs or emergencies occurs. The
hydrogen detection sensor is placed near the fuel delivery
line for detection of any leakage. The hydrogen flows into
the fuel cell stacks which are placed at the sides of the go-
kart. Another design option is to place it the rear of the
FCV so that the height of the fuel cell does not affect the
driver. However, a fuel cell needs enough air flow to
maintain its power output and control the temperature so
that it can perform at high efficiency. The fuel cells will
be cooled faster because natural air is supplied while
moving and there is no barrier that blocks the air flow.
For safety, the heat from the fuel cell will not be exposed
to the driver as a fan or flow passage will direct the heat
flow away from the driver.
The fuel cell controller unit is positioned behind the
driver so that it is near to the motor and less energy loss
due to electrical resistivity can occur. The fuel cell
controller can also be connected to the ultra capacitor
without any blockage. The ultra capacitor is the heaviest
component in a fuel cell power plant system. Therefore,
mass balancing of the FCV would require the use of two
units of similar ultra capacitors, placed at the sides of the
FCV. The go-kart low center gravity plus the system
weight balance gives better handling when driving.
The FCV is suitable for a rear-wheel-drive
configuration. The electrical motor is positioned in series
with the rear wheels, reducing the loss of power
transmission regardless of direct connection or gear
connected. There are options on the number of suitable
motor to power the vehicles; some design applied two
motors to power each rear wheels while some designs
uses only one fuel cell stack, but coupled with a high
powered motor. Figure 6 shows the example of fuel cell
system lay-out by using EUPLATECH racing team
vehicle as a model.
Electric motor Ultra
capacitor
Fuel cell stack
Hydrogen
tank
Figure 6. Example fuel cell system lay-out for racing vehicles [13]
D. Hydrogen system storage
Hydrogen tank should come equipped with a pressure
regulator that reduces the high pressure hydrogen to the
required operating pressure (normally less than 2 bar gage
pressure). This pressure regulator must be set within the
limit required by fuel cell stack to ensure no damage on
the fuel cell components, especially the membrane, due to
overpressure. Erosion of the catalyst at high reactant
pressures is another phenomenon that needs to be
avoided.
To ensure adequate safety to the driver and vehicle,
hydrogen sensors needs to be installed along the hydrogen
tubing line. Hydrogen is highly flammable and will burn
in air at a very wide range of concentration between 4%
and 75% by volume [14]. The hydrogen sensor must be
connected to the controller unit, where detection of any
hydrogen leakage would automatically shut off hydrogen
supply from the tank.
E. System performance testing
The performance of the fuel cell vehicle is highly
dependant on the drag and stability of the vehicle and on
the performance of the fuel cell power plant. The fuel cell
power output from the modeling will be compared with the
trial run results to see the differences of both results. The
differences allow the identification of any apparent
weakness in the developed fuel cell system. In real-time
racing, high speeds, fast accelerations, vehicle orientation
changes and environmental influence are factors that may
cause unexpected problems and should be adequately
addressed in the design process with the aid of detail
design modeling.
Race test in an important part of the research project
because it allows the observation of the power plant
performance under real conditions, enabling a detail
characterization of the FCV as a whole. Performance test
procedure and analysis by Bradley [8] will be one of the
references for FCV testing. Power curves for the stack,
capacitors and motor is to be simultaneously monitored
for different driving conditions such as start-up,
acceleration, constant speed, braking, climbing and
descent. The test methodology would also analyze the
consumption of hydrogen at different driving conditions.

IV. FCV SPECIFICATION & POWER ANALYSIS

In this section, a preliminary analysis on the power
requirements during constant speed and acceleration of the
FCV is discussed. Table 1 lists the vehicle specifications
mainly based on the Formula Zero guidelines.
By referring on Eq. 2 and 3, the overall power needed Figure 9. Power demand based on vehicle speed
for the vehicles was calculated. Fig. 9 presents the power
requirement for the FCV running at a constant speed
while Fig. 10 is based on acceleration. The initial
maximum speed for the FCV was set at 120 km/h, but the
average race speed target is 80 km/h. In the calculations,
it was assumed that parasitic load to drive the auxiliary
components are nearly 10% of the fuel cell maximum
power output and the ultra capacitor maximum capacity is
4 kW. Fig. 9 shows that the mechanical power and
electrical power needed to drive the FCV is proportional
with speed. The mechanical and electrical power
requirements are almost identical up till the average speed
of 65 km/h (4 kW power each). The mechanical power
increases exponentially while the electrical power Figure 10. Total power demand based on vehicle acceleration
requirement remains linear. The fuel cell electrical power
Fig. 10 plots the total power demand based on the vehicle
output shows a directly proportional behavior to the
acceleration. The demand on electrical power increases
vehicle speed. At the race speed cruising target of 80
exponentially with the acceleration. In this case, the fuel
km/h, mechanical power requirement is 9.1 kW and the
cell stack is not able to supply the power demand of 37
electrical power requirement is only 6.6 kW.
kW at 5.6 m/s2 acceleration. To supplement the power
At the maximum fuel cell power output of 8 kW, it is
needs, high capacity ultra capacitors is needed to release
expected that the FCV would be running at a maximum
the additional power to support the fuel cell stack. With a
constant speed of 100 km/h. However, an additional 2 kW
full discharge of 4 kW electrical power, the total available
power boost from the ultra capacitor would allow the
power is 12 kW, which is not still enough for 5.6 m/s2 of
FCV to reach the 120 km/h maximum speed target.
acceleration. Therefore, to achieve the target, the storage
TABLE I. FCV PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS
capacity of the ultra capacitors has to be at a minimum of
37 kW. In actual race condition, the power management
Item Initial control is essential to balance the needs of the vehicle.
Power management strategy for both fuel cell stack and
Total FCV weight 320 kg
ultra capacitor would be an important part in this design
Fuel cell stack output project as a tool to optimize the vehicles’ race
8 kW
(max)
performance.
Top speed 120 km/h

Target acceleration
0 -100 km/h in 5 sec V. CONCLUSION
@ 5.6 m/s2
Fuel cell racing vehicles are mainly promotional
Motor type Agni 95R DC electric motor
applications for fuel cell technology development.
Max. motor input 8 – 12 kW Currently, automakers are starting to develop and produce
Ultra capacitor storage
4 kW
their own fuel cell vehicles. The success of this research
capacity will be the starting point on fuel cell power plant
Wheel radius 16 cm development for racing. At the preliminary stage of the
project, system and component identification were carried
out. Using mathematical models on vehicle dynamics and
power transmission, initial specifications for the
 appropriate fuel cell, ultra capacitor and motor ratings
were identified to reach the design specifications of 120
km/h top speed, 80 km/h cruising speed, and 5.6 m/s2
maximum acceleration, at a fixed vehicle weight of 320
kg. The next phase would further investigate in detail the
power requirements of each auxiliary component for an
improved power analysis, plus sourcing the available
commercial models of each component that meets the
criteria set for the race vehicle.
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View publication stats
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