Multi-Objective Model Predictive Energy Management for Fuel Cell/Supercapacitor Hybrid Systems with DC Bus Stability Enhancement
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: A Multi-Objective MPC is presented in this paper as an energy management technique for a combined energy storage system featuring a fuel cell (FC) and a supercapacitor (SC) - The primary objective is to provide proper power allocation between both energy sources while ensuring the stability of the DC bus voltage, minimizing the use of hydrogen, and safeguarding the system. The FC, characterized by slow dynamics, is primarily dedicated to supplying average power, while the supercapacitor, thanks to its high-power density, is used to manage rapid load variations. To effectively coordinate these two sources, an MPC controller is developed to synthesize the reference current for the supercapacitor in real time, considering several simultaneous objectives, including regulating the DC bus voltage, limiting variations in the fuel cell current, and ensuring the supercapacitor state of charge is kept within an appropriate operating range. The proposed energy management strategy is implemented in a MATLAB/Simulink simulation environment. In fact, an internal current control loop based on a proportional-integral (PI) controller ensures precise tracking of the MPC-generated reference, while a switching logic enables bidirectional buck-boost converter operation. The results from simulations performed at various load dynamics have shown that the proposed approach is effective in stabilizing the DC bus voltage, reducing stress on the fuel cell, and keeping the supercapacitor's state of charge within an acceptable operating range. From this, it is evident that the importance of adopting the MPC approach in energy management for hybrid systems, particularly in electric traction systems.
Institution: Université Ibn-Tofail
Language: English
Subfield: Automotive Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7204129684