The intention of BRAVA is to develop breakthrough technologies for a Fuel Cell based Power Generation System (PGS) for aviation. The overall target is a high-performance PGS with a power range of over 2 MW. The foreseen future MW system will be a multi-stack aircraft PGS. Airbus intends to use several of such multi-MW FC-based PGSs to propel an aircraft capable of carrying up to 100 passengers on distances of up to 1,000 nautical miles.
The Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell technology emerging from the automotive industry is a baseline for the aeronautic industry. But while automotive industry fuel cell (FC) systems are usually limited to 100 kW, aircrafts require a significantly greater amount of power (multi-MW) and must operate at both different temperatures and pressures, keeping the system’s safety and reliability levels to aeronautical standards at the same time.
Advances in the FC stack and balance of plant components, the thermal management system, heat exchanger design and technology, and air supply system architecture, are key building blocks for this multi-MW FC based PGS. Therefore the project focuses on:
• New catalysts and membranes with higher performance, durability and higher operating temperature capability to enable integration into new Membrane Electrode Assemblies to reach high efficiency, low weight, compactness and long lifetime;
• 2-Phase cooling based thermal management system (including a newly designed fuel cell stack) for compactness, weight reduction and hence improved fuel consumption;
• Additive manufactured heat exchangers for increased heat rejection, compactness, lightweight and low drag;
• A new air supply architecture and components designed and optimized to provide low parasitic power and weight reduction and thus enabling lower fuel consumption and equipment cost;
• Assessment of all new BRAVA technologies in a complete power generation system.
Each of the breakthrough technologies for these FC system subsystems will be advanced to a high technology readiness level and be validated in its relevant environments. The new BRAVA technologies will enable the design of smaller, lighter and more efficient fuel cell system architectures.
