High-power hydrogen fuel cell system balance of plant component up-scale and optimization

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells are considered as one of the solutions enabling long-term sustainable transport, however, incumbent systems provide electric power outputs below 200 kW.

To cater to the need of the heavy-duty transport sectors, the development of next generation of Fuel Cell systems aims at durable PEMFC stacks offering power output between 250 and 500 kW.

To support this development, the H2UpScale project aims to design, build, test and validate key BoP components for PEMFC systems generating more than 250 kW electric power suitable for heavy-duty transport applications (aviation, maritime, on-road long-haul).H2UpScale brings together 3 research organisations, 2 academic and 11 industrial partners, including BoP manufacturers and OEMs.

The project will identify application-specific requirements, that will then drive the requirements, development and optimization of 3 standards for modular and scalable PEMFC architectures ≥250kW (electrical power supply architectures & waste heat management system designs).The BoP components in focus include the hydrogen ejector, H2 recirculation pump, H2 leakage sensor, air compressor, cathode air filter and air humidifier, water separator, exhaust resonator, coolant heat exchanger and coolant medium.

The targeted advancements for BoP components include efficiency and durability improvements, weight and volume reduction, and architecture simplification.

The components will be designed to be compatible with both single- and multi-stack platforms, with scalability and modularity in mind, facilitating their integration into multi-MW scale systems.

Selected full-scale BoP components will be validated on a Hardware-in-the-Loop test bench and a techno-economic analysis of the potential impact of the developed BoP components on the HD markets will be performed.

With these main targets, the aim for H2UpScale is to provide critical technological bricks enabling the creation of a TRL7 demonstrator from 2027 onwards.