Abstract:
This thesis aimed at the development of a hybrid fuel cell propulsion system for scooter where a modular 1.2 kW PEM fuel cell system was employed as a primary energy source and the battery was employed as a secondary energy source. Supercapacitor was also studied as an alternative secondary energy source. Mathematical model of hybrid fuel cell propulsion system was used for the design and the assessment of the feasibility of the prototype. The simulation result indicates the need for hybrid configuration. The subsystems were tested in order to study the characteristic of each part and also to develop empirical models of subsystem. The models were shown to provide accurate prediction of the subsystem performance. The models are then employed to improve the design of the system. This study explored the optimal configuration of two types of hybrid fuel cell propulsion system including 1) fuel cell-battery hybrid propulsion system and 2) fuel cell-supercapacitor hybrid propulsion system. This work attempted to identify the most suitable secondary energy source for a hybrid fuel cell propulsion system for scooters. The testing was implemented by a programmable electronic load which simulated the traction load following a set of selected driving cycles. The propulsion systems developed are shown to work satisfactorily over the prescribed driving cycles. There is no discernable difference between the fuel consumption of both systems. In term of cost, although supercapacitor has obviously higher initial cost but in the long term, supercapacitor has lower total cost. Supercapacitor also has added benefits in being maintenance free. This paper concludes that, compared to the battery, supercapacitor is a better choice of secondary energy storage for the hybrid fuel cell propulsion system in scooters.