Phlair’s core Hydrolyzer technology is a modular electrochemical stack. Phlair has developed and tested the Hydrolyzer, reaching a commercially relevant cell-active area. The commercial-sized skid module under development in CAPTURE will host up to 20 stacks (Hydrolyzers). Phlair has already deployed one Hydrolyzer in the demo plant in Ismaning.
To achieve this, Phlair’s site in Ismaning was prepared for industrial-scale operations, as well as the construction of dedicated assembly and testing areas and the completion of a HAZOP analysis. In collaboration with Covestro experts, a comprehensive project plan was developed to guide the stack design and industrial scaling. Laboratory-scale testing of smaller-sized cells confirmed component compatibility using established PEM fuel-cell supply chains, leading to the successful construction and testing of the first A-sample prototype. Due to manufacturing constraints of catalyst-coated membranes, the initial active area design was revised to a smaller size, resulting in a stack with optimised manufacturability and mechanical stability. The team achieved successful leak and electrical testing, demonstrating uniform compression and scalable performance.
In parallel, two new patent applications were prepared, and a comprehensive Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) analysis conducted by Phlair’s legal partners confirmed no conflicting European patents. Developed under the CAPTURE project were the following two filings: (1) patent focuses on how fluids are introduced into and removed from each cell
compartment while ensuring robust sealing under compression, and (2) the second invention addresses the stability of the center compartment itself, preventing cavity collapse during operation and enabling the stacking of many cells without performance degradation. A robust supply chain for all stack components was established, with multiple qualified suppliers for critical parts.
Basic engineering activities for the demo plant were carried out as part of the next WP. Phlair delivered engineering documents including process flow diagrams and piping & instrumentation diagrams. Albeit the initial assumption to develop a 500 tCO2/year demo plant, challenges explicitly discussed in the progress meeting presentation led to deviations in plant capacity and location. Therefore, Phlair continued the project by successfully identifying critical long lead items and procurement for the plant and conducting a HAZOP analysis. These actions led to the engineering of a demo plant at Phlair’s HQ in Ismaning, de-risking the commercial-active area stacks, commercial-grade absorbers, and full end-to-end process operations. Phlair has successfully commissioned and operated the demonstration plant in Ismannig over multiple hours, already gathering critical data.
