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Recent advances in fuel cells based propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles

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  • Pan, Z.F.
  • An, L.
  • Wen, C.Y.

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles are an emerging technology that can provide a superior option in obtaining remote data with less time, lower cost as well as higher safety compared to piloted aerial vehicles. Although promising, the performance of propulsion systems in unmanned aerial vehicles still needs to be significantly improved to meet the requirement for executing increasingly difficult missions. Due to the higher efficiency and better reliability comparing to conventional combustion engines, electrical systems with no greenhouse gas emission and low noise and vibration attract much more attention. Among them, fuel cells, as an advanced power generation technology, are regarded as alternative power sources in electrical systems because they offer higher energy density to extend the duration of flight. For the same energy capacity, the weight of fuel cells is 3.5 times lower than that of lithium-ion batteries, resulting in much preferable specific energy. This review article provides a general description of the working principle of fuel cells and the category of unmanned aerial vehicles, introduces two types of propulsion systems that involve fuel cells, i.e., pure fuel cell system and hybrid system, describes the design methods and simulation cases, as well as summarizes the practical flight tests.

Suggested Citation

  • Pan, Z.F. & An, L. & Wen, C.Y., 2019. "Recent advances in fuel cells based propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 473-485.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:240:y:2019:i:c:p:473-485
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.02.079
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mahmoodi, S.R. & Mayer, M. & Besser, R.S., 2021. "Rapid and simple assembly of a thin microfluidic fuel cell stack by gas-assisted thermal bonding," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    2. Zenan Shen & Shaoquan Liu & Wei Zhu & Daoyuan Ren & Qiang Xu & Yu Feng, 2024. "A Review on Key Technologies and Developments of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Multi-Rotor Drones," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-36, August.
    3. Santos, Diogo F.M. & Ferreira, Rui B. & Falcão, D.S. & Pinto, A.M.F.R., 2022. "Evaluation of a fuel cell system designed for unmanned aerial vehicles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    4. Meng, Huanru & Yu, Xianxian & Luo, Xiaobing & Tu, Zhengkai, 2024. "Modelling and operation characteristics of air-cooled PEMFC with metallic bipolar plate used in unmanned aerial vehicle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    5. Stančin, H. & Mikulčić, H. & Wang, X. & Duić, N., 2020. "A review on alternative fuels in future energy system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    6. Ilić, Damir & Milošević, Isidora & Ilić-Kosanović, Tatjana, 2022. "Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems for smart city transformation: Case study Belgrade," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    7. Su, Guoqing & Yang, Daijun & Xiao, Qiangfeng & Dai, Haiqin & Zhang, Cunman, 2021. "Effects of vortexes in feed header on air flow distribution of PEMFC stack: CFD simulation and optimization for better uniformity," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 498-506.
    8. Nicu Bizon & Mircea Raceanu & Emmanouel Koudoumas & Adriana Marinoiu & Emmanuel Karapidakis & Elena Carcadea, 2020. "Renewable/Fuel Cell Hybrid Power System Operation Using Two Search Controllers of the Optimal Power Needed on the DC Bus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-26, November.
    9. Lin, Chen & Yan, Xiaohui & Wei, Guanghua & Ke, Changchun & Shen, Shuiyun & Zhang, Junliang, 2019. "Optimization of configurations and cathode operating parameters on liquid-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks by orthogonal method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    10. Pan, Zhefei & Bi, Yanding & An, Liang, 2019. "Performance characteristics of a passive direct ethylene glycol fuel cell with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 846-854.
    11. Wang, Yujie & Sun, Zhendong & Chen, Zonghai, 2019. "Energy management strategy for battery/supercapacitor/fuel cell hybrid source vehicles based on finite state machine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    12. Mariana Pimenta Alves & Waseem Gul & Carlos Alberto Cimini Junior & Sung Kyu Ha, 2022. "A Review on Industrial Perspectives and Challenges on Material, Manufacturing, Design and Development of Compressed Hydrogen Storage Tanks for the Transportation Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-32, July.
    13. Yu, Xiao & Sandhu, Navjot S. & Yang, Zhenyi & Zheng, Ming, 2020. "Suitability of energy sources for automotive application – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    14. Maria H. de Sá & Alexandra M. F. R. Pinto & Vânia B. Oliveira, 2022. "Passive Small Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells for Low-Power Portable Applications: Assessment Based on Innovative Increments since 2018," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-48, May.
    15. Bizon, Nicu, 2019. "Fuel saving strategy using real-time switching of the fueling regulators in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 1-1.
    16. Pavel Shuhayeu & Aliaksandr Martsinchyk & Katsiaryna Martsinchyk & Jaroslaw Milewski, 2024. "Investigating PEM Fuel Cells as an Alternative Power Source for Electric UAVs: Modeling, Optimization, and Performance Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-15, September.
    17. Cheng, Ming & Luo, Liuxuan & Feng, Yong & Feng, Qilong & Yan, Xiaohui & Shen, Shuiyun & Guo, Yangge & Zhang, Junliang, 2024. "Numerical studies on porous water transport plates applied in PEMFCs under pure oxygen condition," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 362(C).
    18. Meng, Kai & Zhou, Haoran & Chen, Ben & Tu, Zhengkai, 2021. "Dynamic current cycles effect on the degradation characteristic of a H2/O2 proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    19. Ho Jun Yoo & Gu Young Cho, 2023. "Influences of Flow Channel on Electrochemical Characteristics of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells Humidified with NaCl Contained H 2 O," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-9, January.
    20. Kwon, Soon-mo & Kim, Myoung Jin & Kang, Shinuang & Kim, Taegyu, 2019. "Development of a high-storage-density hydrogen generator using solid-state NaBH4 as a hydrogen source for unmanned aerial vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    21. Ho Jun Yoo & Gu Young Cho, 2022. "Effects of Humidification with NaCl Solution Mist on Electrochemical Characteristics of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-9, December.
    22. Gupta, Sowmya & Rajhans, Chinmay & Duttagupta, Siddhartha P. & Mitra, Mira, 2021. "Hybrid energy design for lighter than air systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 781-794.
    23. Nicu Bizon & Phatiphat Thounthong, 2021. "A Simple and Safe Strategy for Improving the Fuel Economy of a Fuel Cell Vehicle," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-29, March.
    24. Yuqi Han & Weilin Zhuge & Jie Peng & Yuping Qian & Yangjun Zhang, 2023. "Numerical Investigation on Internal Structures of Ultra-Thin Heat Pipes for PEM Fuel Cells Cooling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-22, January.
    25. Pan, Zhefei & Bi, Yanding & An, Liang, 2020. "A cost-effective and chemically stable electrode binder for alkaline-acid direct ethylene glycol fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).

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