The　aim　of　this　study　is　to　design　a　thermal　management　system　to　address　the　temperature　regulation　and　fluctuation　of　an　open-cathode　proton　exchange　membrane　(PEM)　fuel　cell.　A　model　predictive　control　(MPC)　approach　is　newly　proposed　to　command　of　blowers　in　the　fuel　cell.　First,　a　thermal　management-oriented　model　of　the　fuel　cell　is　set　up,　and　linearized　by　using　Taylor　formula.　Then,　the　closed-loop　feedback　MPC　according　to　the　linearized　state-space　model　is　developed.　An　experimental　test　rig　via　LabVIEW-based　thermal　control　system　prototype　is　configured.　Finally,　different　load　current　tests　were　applied　to　verify　the　effectiveness,　and　the　performance　of　the　MPC　controller　was　compared　with　a　traditional　PI　controller.　The　results　of　this　study　demonstrate　that　the　proposed　MPC　can　effectively　manipulate　the　stack　temperature　to　track　the　reference　trajectory　under　the　constant　current　as　well　as　dynamic　load　schedules.　In　particular,　in　a　combined　driving　cycle　equivalent　test　condition,　the　fuel　cell　temperature　reached　to　the　target　after　a　settling　time　of　146.6　s,　and　temperature　fluctuations　were　less　than　±0.5　°C　with　the　MAE　value　of　0.223　and　the　RMSE　value　of　0.346.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd