Amirkabir University of Technology Amirkabir Journal of Mechanical Engineering 2008-6032 55 3 2023 05 22 Numerical investigation of the influence of operating conditions on the performance of PEMFC powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV): a statistical approach Numerical investigation of the influence of operating conditions on the performance of PEMFC powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV): a statistical approach 407 430 5125 10.22060/mej.2023.21358.7437 FA Amirhamzeh Farajollahi Department of Engineering, Imam Ali University, Tehran, Iran 0000-0001-9201-1871 Mohsen Rostami Imam Ali University Mohammareza Hasheminasab department of mechanical engieering Amirkabir university of technology Mojtaba Lak Imam Ali university Afshin Shojaian Imam Ali University Journal Article 2022 05 02 In this research, the effect of various operating conditions on the performance of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with a PEMFC propulsion system is surveyed using a statistical approach, namely the Design of Experiment technique (DOE). Results indicate that increasing operating pressure improves the efficiency parameter for both the PEMFC and the system 3.5% and 14.5% respectively. Although increasing cathode stoichiometry augments the PEMFC efficiency, it plummets the system efficiency up to 30.6%. In addition, the influence of operating altitude on the PEMFC efficiency is negligible, while it causes a substantial decline in the system efficiency (more than 30%). As proved, at any desired operating altitude, maximum efficiency for the system obtains when the operating pressure and cathode stoichiometry are set at their maximum and minimum bound, respectively. In this research, the effect of various operating conditions on the performance of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with a PEMFC propulsion system is surveyed using a statistical approach, namely the Design of Experiment technique (DOE). Results indicate that increasing operating pressure improves the efficiency parameter for both the PEMFC and the system 3.5% and 14.5% respectively. Although increasing cathode stoichiometry augments the PEMFC efficiency, it plummets the system efficiency up to 30.6%. In addition, the influence of operating altitude on the PEMFC efficiency is negligible, while it causes a substantial decline in the system efficiency (more than 30%). As proved, at any desired operating altitude, maximum efficiency for the system obtains when the operating pressure and cathode stoichiometry are set at their maximum and minimum bound, respectively. https://mej.aut.ac.ir/article_5125_37f65c068b7723cd7809ee2d31d7861c.pdf