GreenH2CM. Fuel Cell-Based Hybrid Powertrain Research and Testing Laboratory for Marine and Aeronautical Environments

Abstract

Power trains based on fuel cells hybridized with any secondary power sources provide similar effectiveness levels than current powertrains based on internal combustion engines but achieve better efficiency values and have the potential to be free of harmful emissions. However, the development of these powertrains is still in its childhood and research efforts must be reinforced, especially in marine and aeronautical applications. One part of the project GreenH2CM will provide a valuate tool that will support the research in this area. In the frame of the GreenH2CM Activity Line "Uses of hydrogen in heavy transport, aviation and maritime sectors", the research group PiCoHiMA from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain) is developing a Laboratory for testing fuel cell integrations for marine and aeronautical applications. The resulting installation will allow to test fuel cell stacks with powers up to 300 kW and the simulation of hybridized secondary power sources as batteries or capacitors. The laboratory will not only allow to monitor and control the critical parameters of the stack under study to simulate adequate environmental conditions, besides, a 6-freedom degrees hexapod will allow to simulate the movements of the platform to study its impact.