Communiqué de presse

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies is part of a funded project to increase stack lifetime in heavy-duty applications

EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies (EKPO) is part of the "Gallia" funding project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport as part of the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Program with a total of 4,201,939 euros. The aim of the project is to develop a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and optimize operating strategies to enable stack lifetimes of 20,000 hours for use in the heavy-duty segment. EKPO brings extensive expertise in cell and stack development and stack construction to the project.

EKPO is one of four project partners alongside Freudenberg Performance Materials SE & Co. KG, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH and the Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Wuerttemberg. The funding directive is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).

The aim of the project is to develop a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and optimize operating strategies to enable stack lifetimes of more than 20,000 hours for use in the heavy-duty segment. For this purpose, an analysis of the aging mechanisms is performed with a focus on the influences of operational management and the critical interactions of the GDL with other cell components. Important tools are the combination of simulation and imaging techniques, especially regarding water management.

"Alternative drive solutions in the truck segment must necessarily be suitable for long distances. In this industry, high payload, long range and fast refueling are among the most important criteria. This is where the hydrogen-based fuel cell drive system can bring its advantages to bear. Our NM12 stack platform is ideally suited for heavy-duty applications with high power requirements (>150 kW). With our expertise in stack construction and operation, as well as many years of experience in the development and analysis of cells and cell components, both in terms of performance and degradation, we can contribute important competencies to the project," says Dr. Stefan G. Resch, R&D Engineer at EKPO.

The "Gallia" funding project started on January 1, 2022, and will run for a total of three years. In addition to a better understanding of fuel cell aging phenomena related to GDL, the project partners and sponsors hope to develop optimized GDLs as well as tailored operating conditions for heavy-duty applications to achieve a long service life.