ASI-CH – Autostack Industry Switzerland

• Research unit: SFOE
• Project number: SI/501635

Key words (German)

PEFC

Key words (English)

PEFC

Short description (German)

Das Paul Scherrer Institut beteiligt sich an der Weiterentwicklung der europäischen Technologie für PE Brennstoffzellenstapel für automobile Anwendung in einem Konsortium mit den deutschen Automobilherstellern mit Entwicklungsarbeiten im Bereich Gasdiffusionsschicht (u.a. basierend auf PSI Patent) und Stapel-Tests. Die Technologie wird dadurch auch für Schweizer Unternehmen verfügbar sein.

Short description (English)

PSI cooperate with a German consortium, including the automotive OEMs, to further develop European polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack technology. The Swiss partner contributes development work in the field of gas diffusion layers (based on PSI patent) and stack tests. The technology will therefore also become available for Swiss Industry.

Final report (English)

Increasing power density is the most important development route to reduce cost for automotive fuel cell stack hardware. In this project PSI contributes on two levels Sub-stack testing has been performed on a Generation 1, 11-cell sub-stack from the German Autostack partners.
For the GDL development, deterministic structures for gas diffusion layers are developed. Woven materials from SEFAR and BOPP have been investigated. Under high current density conditions,SEFAR materials show better performance in the fuel cell than the standard materials. In order to understand the performance effect in detail and direct the development, different characterization methods, including X-ray tomographic microscopy have been employed. Further state-of-the-art carbon fiber materials were laser modified to understand the effect of (added) deterministic structures. Improvement was shown to be through the guidance of liquid water in the added deterministic structures. Results will used to formulate design guidelines.

Related documents

• Final Report [PDF] 3'015 kB