Analytical Modeling and Adaptive Control of PV-to-Hydrogen Energy Conversion System with Carbon Emission Flow Analysis

Abstract

This paper presents an analytical model and control method for a solar-powered hydrogen production system integrated with a fuel cell (FC) stack, incorporating a detailed carbon emission flow (CEF) analysis. The study focuses on enhancing the efficiency and stability of photovoltaic (PV)-to-hydrogen conversion through advanced power electronics and adaptive control techniques. A quasi-switched boost converter (qSBC) is employed to improve voltage gain and dynamic response, while an adaptive proportional-integral (A-PI) control strategy is proposed to regulate the DC-link voltage under varying load and source conditions. The system's performance is evaluated using real-world irradiance and temperature data from Van, Turkey, demonstrating enhanced hydrogen production efficiency and noticeable reductions in carbon emissions compared to baseline configurations. Key contributions of this work include the development of a CEF model for solarhydrogen systems, the implementation of an adaptive PI-based cascaded control strategy for the qSBC, and detailed numerical and theoretical analysis of the dynamic behavior of PV-powered electrolysis and FC operations. Simulation results using realworld data, complemented by experiments on a small-scale prototype, validate the system's scalability and robustness, underscoring its potential for sustainable energy applications. © 1972-2012 IEEE.