Air Handling System Optimisation for Fuel Cell Applications

Hydrogen fuel cells are a vehicle power source with several advantages compared to the fossil-fuelled incumbents. Fuel cells emit no harmful emissions, producing only electricity and water from hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air. The electricity generated is used to power electric motors, similar to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), but the use of a consumable fuel instead of batteries alone negates the need for time-costly recharging.

Hydrogen fuel can also be produced in a 'green' manner, such as by solar-powered electrolysis, which is more environmentally sustainable than fossil fuel use. This combination of benefits make hydrogen fuel cells a pivotal technology for the reduction of carbon emissions in the transport sector.

To feed the chemical reaction in the cell, oxygen is provided to the cathode from the ambient air, but must be compressed and managed in various ways to maximise performance and efficiency. Components added to the system which handle inlet air and improve fuel cell efficiency also induce parasitic losses, reducing overall system efficiency by consuming electrical energy.

Air handling consumes 5% of the power provided by the stack in some examples, but could be much more, so is a key area for development to understand and improve system efficiency. There are existing methods to offset parasitic losses, such as using turbines to recover energy from the exhaust flow, as is common in turbocharged diesel engines. This appears to be less lucrative for fuel cells, as the exhaust flow is different in nature.

For example, it is comparatively low temperature and is more humid, so contains less energy, and is non-pulsating, presenting different requirements and considerations. These gains and losses from air handling components must be assessed at a system level to ensure optimal air management for fuel cells. There are also further restrictions to consider regarding the practicality of air management solutions, such as avoiding contact of the exhaust water with electrical components.

The aim of this PhD project is to optimise air handling systems for hydrogen fuel cells, particularly for heavy duty applications. Fuel cells are more suited to heavy duty applications than light duty due to the low volumetric density (energy per unit volume) of hydrogen. Heavy duty vehicles tend to have sufficient available space that is needed to store enough hydrogen for an appropriate range.

The expected project methodology is as follows:

1. Conduct research on the interaction between the air path and the fuel cell to understand the requirements and constraints of the fuel cell's air supply. This will help appreciate the role of air handling components later in the project. It is predicted this stage will consist of a literature review and numerical testing in GT Suite to supplement findings from secondary sources.

2. Match the air flow requirements to existing air management solutions. This will consist of further literature review to comprehensively assess a breadth of options, noting the roles, effects, pros, and cons of different components and configurations.

3. Devise an improvement to modelling techniques for fuel cell air management. This might be a humidity model which better represents real life conditions and provides data which is closer to that of physical experiments, for example.

4. Use knowledge gained to propose novel air handling systems and carry out system optimisation. This will provide an understanding of the pros and cons of different configurations and subsequently determine the best applications for each.