Objective
Objectives:
Fuel cell systems are highly complex power systems consisting of different sub-systems and a multiplicity of components. These components interact closely together and influence each other and the whole system. To develop and optimise a single component it is necessary to control the influence of modifications and improvements on the total system. The purpose of the Fuel Cell Component Performance Prediction Tool is to aid suppliers in the development of components for fuel cell systems by providing a numerical simulation tool capable of evaluating and optimising their products in a fuel cell system. The tool is also expected to help suppliers to demonstrate the potential of their components in a virtual fuel cell application.
Description of the work:
In the first year of the actual project, standard interfaces and I/O data characteristics have been identified for all relevant components of current as well as future fuel cell systems. Requirements of latter systems were taken into consideration by in-depth technology monitoring of all partners involved. Thus, expert know-how for each important component and subsystem has been concentrated, which allows a unique parallel strategy for the sub model development started already: on the one hand, all components from the fuel tank to the system controller are modelled individually - on the other hand, the partners responsible for the model generation can contribute their dedicated expertise as being one of the leading companies in the related technology field. Moreover, the concept for the simulation toolkit has been defined such that a later extension with confidential, encrypted models will be possible. This unique approach should lead to a future simulation platform where software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations can be applied to improve the results of development processes for fuel cell systems.
Expected results and exploitation plans:
The expected result of this project is a modular and versatile software tool that enables numerical prediction on essential fuel cell system characteristics for optimisation of system efficiency, CO2 and pollutant emission, control strategies for the fuel cell system and its components and others. With the use of a predictive simulation tool particularly SME can develop and modify their products in a more cost effective way. Because the fuel cell market is a new one, so far no established trade chains exist. Thus, to be the first supplier on the market offer a great benefit for the company for the future. New developed or modified components for fuel cell systems will have a positive effect on employment and will safe and increase the market share of the supply industry on the European mark as well as the world market.
In view of the exploitation of the software after termination of the NFCCPP project, 5 levels of usage are foreseen, which are:
1. Application for non-commercial purposes
2. Application for commercial component & system development
3. Application for commercial consultancy & engineering
4. Commercial sale of portions of NFCCPP code
5. Commercial sale of code based on code of other NFCCPP partners since the consortium consists of partners from industry, engineering companies, research laboratories and universities, intensive exploitations in all categories are currently planned.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
8020 GRAZ
Austria