Online Detection of Fuel Cell Degradation Mechanisms

Authors

Dipl.-Ing. (FH) T. Dehne, T. Bruhn BSc, AVL List GmbH, Graz; G. Chu BSc Eng, AVL Fuel Cell Canada, Vancouver, Canada:

Year

2021

Print Info

Production/Publication ÖVK

Summary

The challenges faced today for Fuel Cell research & development are many. However, for fuel cells to reach a level where they are a viable contender as a mainstream technology, one of the remaining main challenges is lifetime. Drawing on our extensive and comprehensive fuel cell knowledge at AVL, a diagnostic toolchain with open interfaces is in development to assist the development process in a holistic manner, as never seen before. An example shows the methods of degradation detection combined in a way that allows passive monitoring without control unit programming, possible on all integration levels for fuel cell research & development. The diagnostic toolchain allows to translate the abstract, multidimensional challenge lifetime into concrete parameters that can be measured and used for research & development (e.g. FCCU calibration). In a final example it describes how this unprecedented universal approach can support the FCEV development & validation process (DVP) in a very effective way. To protect AVL’s IP, but also give a comprehensive impression about the powerful fuel cell diagnostic toolchain in its early stages, this paper will stay at a relatively high-level perspective.

Number of pages

13 Order