On 25 June, the Karl Titze Prize was also awarded as part of the graduation ceremony at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. This went to Benjamin Fuchs for his thesis: “Nonlinear non-isothermal distributed-parameter observer for PEM fuel cell systems”.

Benjamin Fuchs is currently working and researching as a project assistant at the Institute of Mechanics and Mechatronics in the research area “Control Methods - Energy Systems”.

Three questions for Benjamin Fuchs:

The content of your thesis summarised in a few sentences

The reliable use of fuel cells in vehicle applications places high demands on their monitoring in dynamic operation. The aim of my thesis was to develop a model-based condition monitor that estimates unmeasurable, spatially distributed processes in fuel cells - such as local humidity or temperature differences - that are relevant for cell ageing. The methodology is based on mathematical models of varying complexity and is therefore both precise and computationally efficient. The efficient estimation of local cell effects is important for preventing damage in dynamic operation and demonstrates the potential of model-based approaches for robust condition monitoring in vehicle applications.

What are you currently researching as part of your dissertation?

The current research work as part of my dissertation is largely a seamless continuation of the findings from my diploma thesis. The methodology of efficiently describing computationally intensive models with spatially distributed effects was transferred to an advanced control concept based on the further developed state observer from the diploma thesis. The aim is not only to recognise harmful operating states in dynamic operation, such as the membrane drying out, but also to effectively avoid them through predictive control while providing the required dynamic cell performance.

What do you find most exciting about your area of research?

For me, one of the most exciting aspects of working in my research area is the versatility and relevance for many areas of life. We work on a wide variety of topics in our research area. From the monitoring and control of fuel cells and batteries in vehicle applications to intelligent energy management systems, autonomous driving and the automation of modern energy systems. Control technology is the connecting element here - usually invisible, it ensures that technology functions efficiently, safely and intelligently in a wide variety of applications. It is precisely this range of applications, coupled with the direct link to future topics such as sustainable mobility and energy supply, that makes the work so exciting for me.

About the prize

In the spirit of the founder, the prize is intended to encourage students to achieve application-orientated scientific excellence in the field of mechanical engineering, preferably in the automotive industry. Benjamin Fuchs impressed this year's jury, consisting of Vice-Rector Jasmin Gründling-Riener, Vice-Rector Wolfgang Kastner, successor to the founder Raimund Hofbauer, Dean Christian Bauer and Professor Uwe Grebe, with his work focussing on automotive engineering. The prize was first awarded in 2000, at that time by the founder himself, and is endowed with €5,000.

Contact

Dipl.-Ing. Benjamin Fuchs, BSc
benjamin.fuchs@tuwien.ac.at