Research
Shared Reactant Stack
A novel PEMFC stack was designed, assembled and experimentally validated. The fuel cell architecture lead to the removal of the bipolar plate (BPP) and instead a series of chambers that supply a reactant gas to two cells simultaneously.
This concept can result in the reduction of overall stack cost and weight via; alternative material choices for the shared cathode/anode flow field and current collection plate, and reactant manifold supply design.
Characterisation has shown that the stack can yield outputs similar to current fuel cell stacks with a maximum power output of 234 W for 6 cells, equating to a power density of 0.390 W/cm2.
Working with the University of Hertfordshire, School of Engineering and Technology via a Knowledge Transfer partnership (KTP), EES designed and produced an automated demonstrator of fuel cell systems, with application to a range of products including micro-combined heat and power (m-CHP). An expert system design suite was developed, that can take various application specifications and transfer them to a suitable package of control system, which can then be transferred to the control board of a given system.
The project also allowed EES to acquire the new expertise needed in control and health monitoring techniques to move to the next stage of product development and commercialisation.
Balance of Plant & Health Monitoring KTP
