Energy Management for Fuel Minimization in Hybrid Fuel Cell All-Electric Aircraft: Modeling, Estimation, and Control of Nonlinear Systems
Translated title
Energy Management for Fuel Minimization in Hybrid Fuel Cell All-Electric Aircraft
Author
Vacaru, Diana-Valeria
Term
4. semester
Education
Publication year
2025
Submitted on
2025-09-05
Pages
45
Abstract
This work develops and integrates an Energy Management System (EMS) with a propulsion controller for an all-electric aircraft powered by a fuel cell, a lithium-ion battery, and a supercapacitor. The EMS is the real-time software that decides how to share power among sources, while the propulsion controller keeps the aircraft at the target speed. Offline optimization (calculations performed in advance) is used to set targets for the optimal fuel cell current and optimal cruise speed, which then guide real-time control. The EMS is implemented as a proportional–integral (PI) controller, a common feedback method that adjusts based on the current error and the accumulated error over time. Its goal is to minimize hydrogen consumption and ensure that the battery and supercapacitor state of charge (SoC—how much energy is left) are fully used exactly at the end of the planned mission distance. The propulsion PI controller maintains the desired cruise speed and requests the required propulsion power from the EMS. A simplified Matlab model combining EMS and propulsion dynamics demonstrates the approach. Simulations show that the propulsion controller tracks speed with small errors, but the EMS does not yet distribute current efficiently among the fuel cell, battery, and supercapacitor.
Dette arbejde udvikler og forbinder et energistyringssystem (EMS) med en fremdriftscontroller til et fuldelektrisk fly, der drives af en brændselscelle, et lithium-ion-batteri og en superkondensator. EMS’et er den software, der i realtid fordeler, hvor strømmen skal komme fra, mens fremdriftscontrolleren holder flyets fart. Først bruges offline optimering (beregninger udført på forhånd) til at fastlægge et mål for optimal brændselscelle-strøm og optimal marchhastighed. Disse mål bruges derefter i realtidsstyringen. EMS’et er implementeret som en proportional–integral (PI) controller, en almindelig feedbackmetode, der justerer ud fra fejl og ophobet fejl over tid. Målet er at minimere brintforbruget og samtidig sikre, at batteriets og superkondensatorens ladetilstand (SoC, hvor meget energi der er tilbage) er brugt præcist, når den planlagte flyvedistance er gennemført. Fremdrifts-PI-controlleren holder den ønskede marchhastighed og beder EMS’et om den nødvendige fremdriftseffekt. For at demonstrere tilgangen er der udviklet en forenklet Matlab-model, som kobler EMS- og fremdriftsdynamik. Simulationer viser, at fremdriftscontrolleren følger hastigheden med små fejl, men at EMS’et endnu ikke fordeler strømmen effektivt mellem brændselscellen, batteriet og superkondensatoren.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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