5. Electrical management

Regardless of the type of fuel cell considered, the production of electrical energy is often its primary objective. In fact, conversion efficiency is often expressed (wrongly, as it omits the possible – or even probable – valorization of the heat released by the system) as the ratio between electrical production and input hydrogen consumption. The quantity and quality of this electrical energy production are therefore two key factors in assessing the benefits of using a fuel cell in a given application context.

The electrical energy generated by the stack is processed by a static converter, which acts as a power electronics interface between the stack and the end-use of the electrical energy. In the case of an on-board application, this will often be an electric powertrain or propulsion system, or an auxiliary power unit (APU) to power other functions on board the...