Control and integration of a fuel-cell powered wheelchair

This paper proposes a fuel-cell powered wheelchair. As an alternative energy source, fuel-cell has drawn much attention and research. To improve mobility for people with walking disability, we combine a fuel cell module with two battery sets to provide long-lasting power for an electrical wheelchair. The study is carried out in three steps: the fuel-cell control, power management, and system integration. First, we apply multivariable robust control strategies to regulate the hydrogen and air flow rates of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell module, which provides steady electrical power for the system. Second, we design a serial power-train, where the fuel-cell charges two Lithium Iron battery sets which in turns drive the wheelchair´s motors. Lastly, the aforementioned subsystems are integrated for experimental verification. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system.