PEM Fuel Cells with Bio-Ethanol Processor Systems

An apparently appropriate control scheme for PEM fuel cells may actually lead to an inoperable plant when it is connected to other unit operations in a process with recycle streams and energy integration. PEM Fuel Cells with Bio-Ethanol Processor Systems presents a control system design that provides basic regulation of the hydrogen production process with PEM fuel cells. It then goes on to construct a fault diagnosis system to improve plant safety above this control structure.

PEM Fuel Cells with Bio-Ethanol Processor Systems is divided into two parts: the first covers fuel cells and the second discusses plants for hydrogen production from bio-ethanol to feed PEM fuel cells. Both parts give detailed analyses of modeling, simulation, advanced control, and fault diagnosis. They give an extensive, in-depth discussion of the problems that can occur in fuel cell systems and propose a way to control these systems through advanced control algorithms. A significant part of the book is also given over to computer-aided engineering software tools that can be used to evaluate the dynamic performance of the overall plant.

PEM Fuel Cells with Bio-Ethanol Processor Systems is intended for use by researchers and advanced students on chemical, electrical-electronic and mechanical engineering courses in which dynamics and control are incorporated with the traditional steady-state coverage of flowsheet synthesis, engineering economics and optimization.

Marta S. Basualdo is a researcher for CIFASIS-(CONICET-UNR-UPCAM), Rosario, Argentina. She is also a professor for the Chemical and Electric Engineering Departments of FRRo-UTN and she leads the Computer Aided Process Engineering Group (CAPEG).

Diego Feroldi is a researcher for CIFASIS-(CONICET-UNR-UPCAM), Rosario, Argentina. He is also a professor in the Computer Science Department at FCEIA-UNR.

Rachid Outbib works in the Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Information et des Systèmes at the Domaine Universitaire de Saint Jérôme, Marseille, France.