Accurate　thermal　control　is　challenging　for　a　compact　(like　open-cathode　type)　proton　exchange　membrane　fuel　cell　(PEMFC)　due　to　the　increased　coupling　degree　between　air　supply　and　cooling.　Considering　a　large　range　of　temperature　variation　occurring　in　the　compact　PEMFC　under　varied　current　disturbances,　a　time　delay　control　(TDC)　is　developed　to　implement　the　thermal　management　in　this　article.　The　TDC　is　capable　of　eliminating　unexpected　disturbances　by　combining　the　time-delay　information　of　input　airflow　and　varied　stack　current,　as　well　as　the　output　temperature　with　the　slow-dynamic　characteristics　of　PEMFC　thermal　behavior.　The　liquid　water　saturation　is　introduced　to　interact　the　activation　overpotential　with　heat　and　internal　water　changes.　In　particular,　the　observer　of　temperature　and　its　derivative　interfaced　with　TDC　can　co-enhance　the　noise　variances　rejection　based　on　the　thermal　model　with　liquid　water　estimation.　Simulation　and　experiment　results　demonstrate　that　the　proposed　TDC　with　observer　(TDCO)　is　superior　compared　with　the　active　disturbance　rejection　control　(ADRC)　in　terms　of　temperature　tracking　accuracy　and　robustness　to　noise.　In　the　equivalent　driving　cycle　test,　the　RMSE　of　TDCO　can　be　reduced　by　20.16%　and　44.32%　compared　with　normal　TDC　using　numerical　differentiations　and　ADRC　under　the　white　Gaussian　noise.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd