Periodic Reporting for period 1 - H2MARINE (Hydrogen PEM fuel cell stack for marine applications)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-01-01 bis 2025-06-30
PEM fuel cell technology holds significant promise for increasing power in marine applications, contributing to global maritime decarbonisation efforts. The overarching objective of the H2Marine project is to design, build, test and validate two PEM stacks generating 250 - 300 kW electric power formatted for marine applications in a modular up-scalable design. H2MARINE aims to advance PEM fuel cell technology and contribute to the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable maritime transportation.
The H2MARINE project takes a top-down approach, building on a proof of concept of two PEM stacks that are developed in the EU and Switzerland. The H2MARINE project will:
• Identify the requirements for the tests and conditions that the stacks will have to be tested against.
• Enhance the state of the art of PEMFC stacks, advance and scale up the system to reach ambitious targets.
• Test the proposed solutions in relevant environment/ecosystem, which are designed to fully represent the actual implementation conditions.
• Design both stack modules in an optimum manner for upscaling up to 10MW power train systems.
• Test several diagnostics for the stack and overall system integrity as well as for the health status prognosis of critical components.
Assess the technology and economic feasibility of the solution, in order to know its valuable end-use, which will allow the partners to research the potential market/s and identify the best opportunities.
The H2MARINE project takes a top-down approach, building on a proof of concept of two PEM stacks that are developed in the EU and Switzerland. The H2MARINE project will:
• Identify the requirements for the tests and conditions that the stacks will have to be tested against.
• Enhance the state of the art of PEMFC stacks, advance and scale up the system to reach ambitious targets.
• Test the proposed solutions in relevant environment/ecosystem, which are designed to fully represent the actual implementation conditions.
• Design both stack modules in an optimum manner for upscaling up to 10MW power train systems.
• Test several diagnostics for the stack and overall system integrity as well as for the health status prognosis of critical components.
Assess the technology and economic feasibility of the solution, in order to know its valuable end-use, which will allow the partners to research the potential market/s and identify the best opportunities.
During the first 18 months of the project the following achievements can be reported:
• Definition of the marine environment and the operational requirements of representative marine vessels
• Selection of the three accelerated stress test (AST) procedures and proof-of-concept measurements for one of the selected AST procedures.
• Market review and acquisition of suitable humidity and hydrogen sensors and CVM for improving on-line diagnostic and prognostics of PEMFC stack
• Development of air-filter and diagnostics solution for maritime PEMFC systems
• Literature review related to the stressors, the degradation mechanisms and the post-mortem analysis methods of PEMFCs.
• Selection of methods, appropriate methodology and conditions for post-mortem analysis of H2Marine components
• Post-mortem analysis of fresh and degraded MEAs
• Selection of a promising MEA design based on sub-scale evaluation and manufacturing of several MEAs in the relevant full footprint design
• Definition of a set of relevant marine operation conditions for performance and durability testing for use in both sub-scale and FC stacks evaluation test.
• Definition and reporting of the stacks integration concept
• Design of enclosure for PEM FC stacks
• Establishment of the evaluation criteria for marine multi-stack systems architectures.
• Preliminary sketch of the fuel cell system Balance of Plant.
• Description of the 1st case study of an LH2 vessel.
• Identification of hazardous incidents for later implementation in the hazard analysis
• Methodology and requirements of hazard analysis on the impact of different multi-stack architectures.
• Definition of the marine environment and the operational requirements of representative marine vessels
• Selection of the three accelerated stress test (AST) procedures and proof-of-concept measurements for one of the selected AST procedures.
• Market review and acquisition of suitable humidity and hydrogen sensors and CVM for improving on-line diagnostic and prognostics of PEMFC stack
• Development of air-filter and diagnostics solution for maritime PEMFC systems
• Literature review related to the stressors, the degradation mechanisms and the post-mortem analysis methods of PEMFCs.
• Selection of methods, appropriate methodology and conditions for post-mortem analysis of H2Marine components
• Post-mortem analysis of fresh and degraded MEAs
• Selection of a promising MEA design based on sub-scale evaluation and manufacturing of several MEAs in the relevant full footprint design
• Definition of a set of relevant marine operation conditions for performance and durability testing for use in both sub-scale and FC stacks evaluation test.
• Definition and reporting of the stacks integration concept
• Design of enclosure for PEM FC stacks
• Establishment of the evaluation criteria for marine multi-stack systems architectures.
• Preliminary sketch of the fuel cell system Balance of Plant.
• Description of the 1st case study of an LH2 vessel.
• Identification of hazardous incidents for later implementation in the hazard analysis
• Methodology and requirements of hazard analysis on the impact of different multi-stack architectures.
H2Marine aims to overcome the existing technological challenges and to pave the way and eventually lead to the development of marine-ready and reliable FC stacks and systems.
Challenge #1: Stack performance and stack durability
H2Marine focuses on the development of PEMFC stacks with:
- Power output: ≥ 250 kW
- Potential stack durability: ≥ 40,000 hours (demonstrated by specific accelerated stress tests for maritime conditions)
Challenge #2: Improvements of testing protocols:
Testing of the FC stack under relevant atmospheric conditions, vibration, and tilting
Challenge#3: Diagnostics and monitoring procedures of FC stacks
Development of innovative advanced diagnostics and air filter solutions and implementation of CVM and additional diagnostic units
Challenge #4: Overall system cost competitiveness
Scaling up MEA production processes for the target MEA concept to achieve higher volumes and realize cost advantages
Challenge #5: Upscaling to large 1-10 MW Stacks
A multi-modular stack concept will be designed allowing interconnection of 250 kW cell blocks into a
“superstack” were up to four 250 kW cell blocks can be interconnected allowing the system integrator to treat the resulting 1 MW superstack as a single stack.
Challenge #6: Meet the needs of naval and maritime end users
Achievement of a power density of 5.5 kW/dm3 including major parts of the housing
Challenge #7: Decrease environmental impact of the fuel cell stack and its components
The H2MARINE project, with its forward-looking approach, aims to minimize the quantity of PFSA materials used in stack components.
Challenge #1: Stack performance and stack durability
H2Marine focuses on the development of PEMFC stacks with:
- Power output: ≥ 250 kW
- Potential stack durability: ≥ 40,000 hours (demonstrated by specific accelerated stress tests for maritime conditions)
Challenge #2: Improvements of testing protocols:
Testing of the FC stack under relevant atmospheric conditions, vibration, and tilting
Challenge#3: Diagnostics and monitoring procedures of FC stacks
Development of innovative advanced diagnostics and air filter solutions and implementation of CVM and additional diagnostic units
Challenge #4: Overall system cost competitiveness
Scaling up MEA production processes for the target MEA concept to achieve higher volumes and realize cost advantages
Challenge #5: Upscaling to large 1-10 MW Stacks
A multi-modular stack concept will be designed allowing interconnection of 250 kW cell blocks into a
“superstack” were up to four 250 kW cell blocks can be interconnected allowing the system integrator to treat the resulting 1 MW superstack as a single stack.
Challenge #6: Meet the needs of naval and maritime end users
Achievement of a power density of 5.5 kW/dm3 including major parts of the housing
Challenge #7: Decrease environmental impact of the fuel cell stack and its components
The H2MARINE project, with its forward-looking approach, aims to minimize the quantity of PFSA materials used in stack components.