COmmercial BReakthrough of Advanced Fuel Cells - COBRA

Thus there has been achieved a higher efficiency, improved quality and the opportunity for an upscale production.

Aalborg University and The Technical University of Denmark has contributed considerably to the components and system conception through important knowledge, reach through a large amount of component and system tests together with analyzes and optimization.

The main results are:

• Optimized MEA-design and production methods, so that a long life period is possible, together with a thickness variation at less than 5% and a flaw rate under 5%.
• A more homogenous distribution of catalysis on the electrodes. This will make it possible to get a lower platinum use/ longer life period/ higher performance.
• The packing is improved by making a collection of stakes with 1200 cells possible.
• MEA performance:

1. >700mV/cell@0,2A/cm^2
2. >500mV/cell@0,8A/cm^2
3. >5000hours with a degrading rate under 10uV/h,

• There has been made a new stake design with the purpose of getting a lower compression lost within both gas and cooling liquid, and an optimized distribution channel and thinner bipolar plaque - all to get a higher power density.
• Power density:
• Stake performance: 5 kW electrical power, electricity efficiency at more than 45 %.

1. System: 70W/L
2.  RMFC: 185W/L
3. Stake: 430W/L

• The starting time has been reduced to less than 15 min.
• The life time period for the stakes is more than 4000 hours.
• A complete system model, describing the degrading phenomena which can be used in relations to diagnostics and maintenance of the ongoing system, and furthermore identification of changes in the production and product variation.