A hybrid power source for pulse power applications

Portable 12 V power supplies are used extensively for communications and power tool applications. These devices demand fast response times of the power supply. Fuel cells are generally best suited to continuous power applications and require an initial warm-up period, although they offer the prospect of increased operational duration over a battery for a given weight of portable system. This paper investigates the combination of specific energy performance from the fuel cell system with the specific power and response time of the battery. Two separate hybrid systems have been developed and tested; a planar, 20-cell, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack together with either a lead–acid or nickel/cadmium battery; and a conventional 20-cell, bipolar, PEMFC stack. Both systems have been tested under pulse-load conditions at temperatures between −20°C and +40°C, and for comparison, the individual components have undergone similar tests. The hybrid systems have successfully operated continuously for several weeks under load profiles that the fuel cell alone could not sustain.