Home Surface Physics Laboratory – Hydrogen Technology Center Facilities Fuel cell testing laboratory

Fuel cell testing laboratory

Home Surface Physics Laboratory – Hydrogen Technology Center Facilities Fuel cell testing laboratory

The technique of testing catalysts in a full cell setup is valuable for assessing factors that significantly impact fuel cell operation but cannot be evaluated using the (R)RDE setup alone. Besides characterization of real-world catalyst performance, it provides information on water management, transport of reactants and products, catalyst utilization and durability, membrane properties, and other critical aspects of fuel cell performance. This technique is used for understanding the effects of uneven gas distribution, contact resistance, gas crossover, self-humidification performance, and electrode gas permeability, which are essential for developing durable fuel cells on a large scale.

When is this technique useful?

This technique can be found particularity useful when:

one needs to assess real-world performance of catalyst selected by (R)RDE method.
optimization of catalyst layer and membrane electrode assembly components for the best performance.
estimation of performance of various fuel cell components as membrane, gas diffusion layer, catalyst layer in real conditions.
accelerated stress tests of fuel cell components (catalyst layer, membrane)
identification of potential/existing problems in fuel cell is needed.

Offered cell setup

We offer fuel cell testing of HOR/ORR catalyst using single-cell, short-stack and full stack setups. Measurements can be performed on acidic or alkaline MEAs prepared by user or using facilities of HTC. Single cell setup can configured for different active areas in low-temperature (less than 80°C) and high-temperature (up to 200°C) configurations. Various components of MEA such as gas diffusion layers, catalyst coated and uncoated membranes, ionomers, etc., can be expensively tested in different gas humidities and cell temperature.

Available equipment

High temperature cell (up to 200°C):

HT fuel cell.png (419 KB)

Low temperature (less than 80°C) fuel cell short stack:

LT fuel cell.png (447 KB)

Low/High temperature single cell testing stations:

FC test stations.png (1.07 MB)

Fuel Cell Poisoning Module (LeanCat):

FC poisoning module.png (212 KB)

SP150 potentiostat with 10A booster (Biologic)
PTC0520e potentiostat (Kolibrik.net)
Electronic loads BK8500b, Maynuo M9711, M9713

Open access

Submit a proposal

Test stations specifications

Fuel cell test stations up to 100 W for single cells up to 5 cm²(4+2 units)

Technical details

Electronic loadbank up to 30 A
Potentiostat 5 V, 20 A with EIS
Station equipped with a Nafion tube bubbler type humidifier and dry bypass, available dew point up to 100% RH, max 95 °C.

MFCs

0 to 100 sccm anode MFC (hydrogen)
0 to 500 sccm cathode MFC (air)
0 to 100 sccm nitrogen, mixable into anode or cathode
0 to 100 sccm other gas, mixable into anode or cathode
Electronic back-pressure control (up to 3 Barg)
Station is fully computer controlled and allows for control by user scripts (integrated or custom external scripts written e.g. in Python).
Station allows polarization curve measurements, cell impedance measurements, study of cell impedance, catalyst active area estimation (Pt based catalyst), H₂ crossover measurements, programming of various testing protocols, etc.

Key capabilities

Simultaneous measurements of 4 independent samples (1 sample per 1 unit).
Fast performance estimation and catalyst screening.
Durability estimation by accelerated stress tests.
Precise parameter control for low loading/small amount catalyst systems.
Wide temperature range: RT to 95 ^oC (4 units) or RT to 200 ^oC (2 units).
Individual humidity control for cathode and anode feed lines (dew point setting or humidifier bypassing).
Fixed flow or fixed stoichiometry gas feed.

Samples requirements

Station can operate in acidic or alkaline, low- and high-temperature environments. Samples can be prepared using facilities of our equipment (ultrasonic spraying, Mayer rod, decal) or can be brought with user.

Multipurpose fuel cell test stations up to 100 W for single cells or small stacks with area from 5 cm² up to 50 cm² (2 units)

Technical details

Electronic loadbank up to 240 A
Station equipped with a Nafion tube bubbler type humidifier and dry bypass, available dew point up to 100% RH, max 95 °C.

MFCs

0 to 2 slpm anode MFC (hydrogen)
0 to 50 slpm cathode MFC (air)
0 to 100 sccm nitrogen, mixable into anode or cathode
0 to 100 sccm other gas, mixable into anode or cathode
Electronic back-pressure control (up to 3 Barg)
Station is fully computer controlled and allows for control by user scripts (integrated or custom external scripts written e.g. in Python).
Stations are optimized for measurements of larger cells, allowing to measurements of FC polarization curves, study of gas transport using limiting current approach. With aid of external potentiostat measurement of cell impedance and catalyst active area is possible.

Key capabilities

Large single single-cell or small-size stack testing.
Performance measurements.
Wide range of gas flow control (reactant feed optimization).
Wide temperature range (RT to 95 oC).
Estimation of stability of fuel cell operation.

Samples requirements

Station can operate in acidic or alkaline, low- and high-temperature environments. Samples of MEA can be prepared using facilities of our equipment (ultrasonic spraying, Mayer rod, decal) or can be brought with user.

Fuel cell test station for stacks and single cells up to 2.5 kW, for cells from 25 cm² to 150 cm² active area (1 unit)

Technical details

Electronic load up to 300 A, 120 V
Zero voltage operation possible for large single cells
Integrated EIS capability (1 channel, possible to characterize either selected individual cell or whole stack)
Liquid cooling system
Provision of control of 2x external electric heaters
Dead end operation possible
Station equipped with contact type bubbler humidifier, dew points up to 85 C
Humidity sensors on anode and cathode
Cell voltage monitoring
Cell temperature monitoring
Station is optimized for performance testing of large-scale cells and allows testing of user’s MEA of fully assembled stack