All the research institutes have built or updated their fuel cell test benches to be more automotive-alike by adding a recirculation loop of anode gases. A unique round-robin testing for automotive-type short stacks in SoA test systems has been conducted among six European research institutes. For the first time, CO oxidation rate has been measured with CO2 present and H2S poisoning and recovery has been studied at the stack level using anode gas recirculation.
The HYDRAITE project has conducted three sampling campaigns, with total of 30 samples collected. In the 1st sampling campaign, 10 gas samples and 4 particulate samples were collected from HRSs in Norway, Sweden and Germany. The last two sampling campaigns were conducted in Germany, due to covid19 induced travel restrictions. No hydrogen quality violations were seen in the 1st sampling campaign, only elevated N2 levels were seen in two samples. No particulates were found in gravimetric analysis, but SEM analysis of filters indicate that particulates penetrate the filter, which needs further investigations. For the second campaign, there were no violations in fuel quality recorded. For the third campaign, however, there were significant violations for water but also violations for carbon monoxide and nitrogen.
Three European hydrogen quality laboratories have been established in HYDRAITE project, at NPL, ZSW and ZBT, capable of performing the required measurements in ISO 14687 and EN 17124. However, more discussion and clear model how to treat the ‘totals’ in the standard is still needed. The total sulphur, total hydrocarbons and total halogenated compounds are subject to interpretation and, therefore, different laboratories treat them differently. The next step beyond the project is to continue working for agreement with future standard ISO/DIS 21087 and continue to organise comparisons between H2 quality laboratories to ensure equivalence and compliance of the European laboratories.
A literature survey, detailed questionnaire and interviews with HRS component suppliers, HRS manufacturers and operator have been arranged to gather information of (possibly) harmful components of hydrogen fuel that could derive from HRS. As a result of the questionnaire and direct discussions, a list of impurities possibly introduced from components and from maintenance events have been gathered. HyCoRA risk model has been updated.
Three stakeholder workshops have been successfully held. An active participation to ISO technical committee 197 (hydrogen technologies) working groups.
