C6.4 - Robust and High-Density Fuel-Cell Systems

Introduction

Hydrogen fuel cells with high energy and power densities offer significant potential for future zero-emission aircraft. However, current fuel cells do not yet achieve the energy-density levels needed in aircraft. Against this background, we aim to obtain designs of robust and highly performant fuel cell systems. The project focuses on the characterization of fuel-cell applications in aircraft, modeling and simulations of fuel-cell components for better water management, as well as system designs regarding specific aircraft relevant operating conditions.

Objectives

System design of a liquid-cooled low temperature PEMFC and optimization for long-range aircraft for maximum system power density:

• PEMFC stack: Operating parameters analysis
• PEMFC system: System performance optimization

Components design for enhanced water management of fuel cells:

• Modification of the gas diffusion layer micro-structure to reduce the risk of water flooding
• Flow channel design for high efficiency of water removal
• Water dynamics in fuel-cell stack headers

Methods

Component-design methods:

Stochastic reconstruction and modification of gas diffusion layer

• Calculating the transport properties using PSM and LBM
• Macroscopic modelling of fuel cell with modified GDL properties

Fuel cell system design methods:

• FC stack performance under different operating conditions to find out the optimum system operating points
• FC system design by comparing different system configuration towards higher system performance

Contact

Project Lead

Institute of Turbomachinery and Fluid Dynamics (TFD)
Leibniz University Hannover

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Seume