StackTest · Development of PEM Fuel Cell Stack Reference Test Procedures for Industry

In this project proposal, industry wide harmonized test procedures for PEFC stacks shall be developed and validated. The proposal builds on experiences gained in the FCTESTNET, FCSTEQA series of projects taking up the methodology developed there and expanding it to the test of PEFC stacks. Furthermore, experiences of individual consortium members have long time experience in international standardization. Performance / functional, durability and safety outputs for vehicle propulsion, stationary and portable applications shall be addressed.Generic test modules addressing the effects of outputs to the variation of a single test parameter shall be defined and experimentally validated on a stack level. From these building blocks, selected application oriented test programs shall be derived and validated as well. A two phase approach is pursued starting with an initial selection and definition phase followed by experimental validation. Subsequently, a review is carried out followed by a second validation phase.The consortium mainly consists of experienced research organizations, all working in close contact with and providing testing services to industry. The test modules and test programs are expected to be methodologically sound and independent. Contact to industrial practice will be established by the implementation of an industrial advisory group consisting of selected key stakeholders along the value chain of the fuel cell industry. The consortium will liaise with international standardization activities and contribute to the improvement of existing standards by pre-normative research and – if deemed necessary – initiate new work item proposals on performance and endurance testing of PEFC stacks.