Comprehensive Analytical Design of a Grid‐Connected Fuel Cell Power Conversion System: From the PEMFC Stack to the Converter, Inverter, LCL Filter, and Control Parameters

Grid‐connected proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) systems require the coordinated design of various power conversion and control stages. However, in most studies reported in the literature, either only a specific stage of the power conversion chain is addressed, or circuit and control parameters are provided directly without explaining how they are derived. This study introduces an integrated analytical design procedure in which all parameters of the power conversion chain are determined starting from the nominal power and operating voltage of the PEMFC stack. Based on a PEMFC stack with a nominal power of 50 kW, the parameters of the boost converter, DC‐link, the inverter‐side and grid‐side inductors of the LCL filter, phase‐locked loop (PLL), and associated controller parameters are specified. The DC‐link voltage is rated at 1000 V, taking into account the inverter's modulation requirements. Accordingly, the inductor and capacitor values of the boost converter, the LCL filter components, the damping resistance, the control gains for the boost converter's cascade control loops, the inner grid current controller gains, and the PLL gains are derived in that order. The designed system is validated in the MATLAB/Simulink environment using a grid‐following inverter connected to a 380 V, 50 Hz grid. Simulation results demonstrate that the DC‐link voltage is sustained at the desired value, the active and reactive powers transferred to the grid track different reference values, and the inverter operates in synchronization with the grid. When switching frequency components are taken into account, the total harmonic distortion values for current and voltage are measured at 3.30% and 0.32%, respectively. Overall, the findings indicate that the proposed procedure provides a repeatable approach for determining appropriate power ratings and control parameters for grid‐connected PEMFC systems.