Design and Simulation of an Automated and Safe Hydrogen Fuel Cell Refueling System

Hydrogen fuel cells (HFCs) are an efficient clean energy solution that performs well in backup or remote application but requires an uninterrupted supply of hydrogen. Current manual refueling procedures are laborintensive, pose safety risks due to hydrogen’s explosive nature, and can lead to power interruption if neglected. An automated system that manages the refueling procedure safely using computer simulations has been designed and demonstrated. The system employs a pressure sensor to monitor hydrogen levels and the microcontroller scans the safety of the environment by sensing leaks and ensuring there is no risk of over-pressure activates an electric solenoid valve when the pressure falls to or below a specified low threshold of 20 bar (P_low). The valve automatically closes when the tank reaches a high-pressure value of 280 bar(P_high), or immediately upon detection of anomalies such as a sensed leak, excessive pressure exceeding 320 bar(Pmax_safe), or a prolonged refilling duration beyond 400 seconds. The whole system has been simulated using MATLAB/Simulink, executing five distinct test scenarios including normal operation, leaks, over-pressure, and time-out conditions. Simulation results indicate the design is robust, with all safety features performing as intended. Furthermore, a roadmap for the physical prototyping and testing of the system, beginning with inert gases, is presented. The automated system has the potential to enhance the ease and safety of operating stationary HFCs.