Efficiency evaluation of fuel cell vehicle power conversion systems based on average switching modeling

Aim of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of energy static conversion systems in road electric traction vehicles that use fuel cells and energy storage devices. To obtain meaningful results, all the operating points should be considered and the related efficiencies should be weighted with their time duration. For this purpose, it appears useful considering electric vehicle driving standard cycles. Unfortunately, the precise simulation of a power electronic system transient that lasts a few seconds generally requires a much greater computing time, while driving cycles may last several thousand seconds. This would require too much high overall simulation times, if conventional computing systems are considered. To solve this problem, the Average Switching Modeling (AVS) approach has been used for speeding up simulation. Accurate AVS models of dc/dc converters are shown and their behaviours are compared with those related to more detailed converter models.