PAC 8000

Objective

The PAC 8000 project consists in optimizing the design of Axane's unique modular technology platform. To this end the project revolves around 3 Modules MEA8000, AuxiPac and IndusPac, which aim to improve the life time of Fuel Cell systems by investigating more closely aspects related to the MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly), auxiliary components, interface management, and the impact of industrial production on design, performance and cost.

Problem

The life cycle, reliability, availability and cost of Fuel Cell technology are today the major barriers preventing development of the fuel cell.

The modules

MEA8000 Module

The current laboratory-based measurements show that life cycles in excess of 10 000 hours are possible for MEAs, but these results are not representative of the final life cycle built into an assembly operated in field conditions, which is currently around 2 000 hours. The goal of the  MEA8000 project is to establish the link between the responses obtained on single cells, on stacks, in pseudo-system conditions and on pre-series prototypes under actual operating conditions, so as to be able to establish correlations between them in order to anticipate performance drifting, and in the end to get predictive evaluation tools.

AuxiPAC Module

Efforts to develop fuel cell technology have essentially focused up to now on the cell, while the auxiliaries, which have just as decisive a contribution to make to the performance of a Fuel Cell system, also require substantial efforts to be made if they are to meet requirements, particularly with regard to dynamic response, yield and cost. These efforts will allow the optimization of system architectures, and component specifications, as a function of targeted applications, all with the intention of reducing costs and increasing life cycle and reliability.

IndusPAC Module

The IndusPac project aims to consider industrial production requirement during the product development stage so as to understand and control its effects on system design, performance and costs with a target of less than 8 000 euros / kW / 100 systems. A few critical components (for example, the external stack feeder headers, humidifier, etc.), which require the implementation of innovative manufacturing processes, will be sampled at an industrial level. Maintenance and reliability are taken into consideration with the intention, when on-site tests are complete, of quantifying the availability of the systems, identifying the critical components and proposing improvements. (today the MTBF of a System is about 2 000 hours with a target of 8 000 hours).

Contacts

Air Liquide
Cyrille Millet

AIRTECHNOLOGIES
G. GRASMUCK

INPG - LEG
J.P. FERRIEUX

INPG - LEPMI
M. CHATENET

INPG - GILCO
J.F. BOUJUT