How fuzzy logic can improve PEM fuel cell MPPT performances?

This paper addresses the development of new variable step size fuzzy based MPPT controller. In this study, the fuzzy logic approach is firstly used to auto-scale the variable step size of the Incremental Conductance (IC) MPPT controller. Secondly, the proposed variable step size fuzzy based MPPT controller is used to track the output power of the PEM fuel cell system composed of 7 kW fuel cell supplying a 500 resistive load via a DC-DC boost converter controlled using the proposed MPPT. The proposed variable step size fuzzy-based MPPT controller is compared to the conventional fixed step size IC, the variable step size IC and the fuzzy scaled variable step size IC MPPTs using the implemented Matlab/Simulink PEM Fuel Cell power system model. Comparative simulation results between the four studied MPPTs show better performances for the proposed fuzzy based variable step size MPPT in term of: response time reduction between 3.6% and 82.35%; overshoot reduction between 34.55% and 100%; and ripple reduction between 70.93% and 100%, improving as consequence the fuel cell lifetime affected by high current ripple. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.