«SET RI» branch of Krylov State
Research Centre
*Power plants based on
solid polymer fuel cells
Report by Michael Kasatkin,
Deputy Head of the Chief Designer’s Section
of Hydrogen Energy Department
Area of interests:
 Research and development activities in the field of
fuel cell technology;
Research and development activities in the field of
hydrogen production from hydrocarbon fuels;
 Development of the hydrogen production and
storage systems for marine and surface stationary
objects;
 Development of the fuel cell power plants for marine
and surface stationary objects, stand-alone (back-up)
power and heat supply for different applications.
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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HYDROGEN GENERATION AND STORAGE SYSTEMS
It is very important to provide safe, high-capacity and
inexpensive hydrogen storage or generation direct on a
mobile object for marine, railroad and automotive fuel
cell power plants
We have studied the following methods of hydrogen storage and
production using mockups and prototypes:
- Cryogenic storage,
- Storage in gas-cylinders under pressure of 40 MPa,
- Intermetallic storage,
-Storage via sodium borohydride,
-Hydrolysis using Fe,
-Hydrolysis using Mg,
-Hydrolysis using Al,
-Hydrogen production from hydrocarbon fuel.
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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HYDROGEN STORAGE IN THE INTERMETALLIC ACCUMULATORS
Disadvantages of the system:
- Large mass,
- Relatively high cost
Advantages of the system:
- High fire and explosion safety
- The smallest volume of all the hydrogen
storage systems
- Unlimited storage time
The system of hydrogen storage in the
intermetallic accumulators, designed for ship
systems, has been most fully investigated. It
has demonstrated excellent performance and
high reliability.
The intermetallic accumulator has been in
experimental operation for 15 years. 150
startups and shutdowns were made during
this period.
(The weight of intermetallides in the system is
1 ton)
The intermetallic storage system is the most
safest and compact (800 nl H2/dm3 LaNi5)
system for hydrogen storage of all known
types.
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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HIGH CAPACITY SYSTEMS OF HYDROGEN PRODUCTION BY HYDROLYSIS USING
Fe, Mg, Al
1. Iron-hydrolyzed reversible method of hydrogen production
2Fe + 3H2O  Fe2O3 + 3H2 + Q 23.1 kcal/mole.
Hydrogen weight content – 5.4%
2. Magnesium-hydrolyzed non-reversible method of hydrogen
production
Mg + H2O  MgO + H2 + Q 143.8 kcal/mole
Hydrogen weight content – 8.3%
3. Aluminum-hydrolyzed non-reversible method of hydrogen
production
2Al + 3H2O  Al2O3 + 3H2 + Q 471 kcal/mole
Hydrogen weight content – 11.0%
Advantages of the high capacity systems of hydrogen production:
- High weight content of hydrogen (up to 11%) allows to use it for automotive transport;
- Using of electrochemical generator reaction water in the hydrogen production reaction
enables to refuse of on board water storage and significantly reduce weight and volume of
the system;
-Flexibility of the system allows to generate as much hydrogen as needed for ECG operation
in a specified mode, providing continuous system operation;
-Waste (Al2O3) precipitated in the replaceable cartridge, rapid change of which simplifies the
system operation;
Waste (Al2O3) may be recycled to Al, reducing the cost of the system operation.
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Manufacturing of the fuel processor of natural gas conversion prototype
Double-loop circuit of natural gas steam conversion
is used in the fuel cell power plant
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Manufacturing of the fuel processor of natural gas conversion prototype
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Manufacturing of the fuel processor of natural gas conversion prototype
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Natural gas fuel processor
Production of the MEA
Automated complex Prism Ultra-Cost 300, installed in the «clean room»,
is designed for coating of catalyst nano-layers on the GDL and polymer
membrane. The complex allows to produce up to 3,0 m2 (about 7 kW) of
MEA active surface per working shift.
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Prototype model of the fiveelement FCS with MEA 330 cm2
Prototype model of the fiveelement FCS (non-pin) with MEA
330 cm2
Membrane-electrode assembly
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
Integrated MEA
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Fuel cell with 25 cm2 MEA on the automated
test station CompuCell
Resource models with 25 см2 MEA on the five-channel
automated station PS Altima
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Components for fabrication of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells
Bipolar cooling chamber plate
blanking die
Bipolar cooling chamber anodic and cathodic plates
After organizing of pilot production, the batch of 3000 bipolar cooling chamber
anodic and cathodic plates was produced.
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Components for fabrication of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells
MEA frames
Injection moulds
After organizing of pilot production the batch of 5000 MEA
anodic and cathodic frames was produced.
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Manufacturing of the БТЭ-84
Power up to 8 kW, working on
hydrogen and air
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Production capacity of «SET RI» allows to produce the fuel cell stacks with total
capacity of several hundred kW annually.
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Bipolar cooling chamber of the FC with solid polymer electrolyte
S = 1225 cm2
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FC components (S = 1225 cm2) produced on
experimental-industrial technologies
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Design documentation on the FCS
with MEA active surface of 1225 cm2
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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General view and structure of the FCS with MEA
active surface of 1225 cm2
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Prototype model of the 36-element battery БТЭ-50В
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Modular type power plant operating on hydrogen and
air with power up to 10 kW
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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20 kW automotive power plant АЭУ-20 operating on hydrogen and air
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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5 kW back-up power plant operating on hydrogen and air
Automated stack, energy
conversion and control
system
Power supply unit
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Electro-heat generator ЭТГ-10 operating on hydrogen and air with
electrical power of 10 kW and effective heat power up to 17 kW
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Stacks of the ship hybrid fuel cell power plant prototype
during assembly of МГЭУ-60
Electrical power of МГЭУ-60 is 60 kW. High efficiency is achieved by
inclusion of the gas turbine generator in addition to the SP FC ECG
in the power plant. Diesel fuel is used as initial fuel.
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Test stand and pilot production of the «SET RI» for manufacturing
of the solid polymer fuel cell power plants
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Test stand and pilot production of the «SET RI» for manufacturing
of the solid polymer fuel cell power plants
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Test stand and pilot production of the «SET RI» for manufacturing
of the solid polymer fuel cell power plants
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Test stand based on FuelCon’s Evaluator S100-LT allows to test
batteries with power up to 100 kW
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Testing of the fuel cell battery БТЭ-84 was carried out
after long-term storage without conservation
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Testing of the fuel cell battery БТЭ-84 after long-term storage without
conservation confirmed high technical performance
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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1,2
1
Напряжение, В
0,8
0,6
U43
0,4
Ошибки измерения
0,2
0
13:25:00
13:30:00
13:35:00
Время
Рис. 4 - 84 эл поэлементно
Performance of each cell of the FCS is monitoring during testing
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Test stand and pilot production of the «SET RI» for manufacturing
of the solid polymer fuel cell power plants
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Test stand and pilot production of the «SET RI» for manufacturing
of the solid polymer fuel cell power plants
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Test stand and pilot production of the «SET RI» for manufacturing
of the solid polymer fuel cell power plants
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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«Test stand and pilot production of the «SET RI» for manufacturing
of the solid polymer fuel cell power plants
"SET RI" branch of Krylov State Research Centre
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Test stand and pilot production of the «SET RI» for manufacturing
of the solid polymer fuel cell power plants
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"SET RI" branch of Krylov State
Research Centre
6 Blagodatnaya str., Saint-Petersburg, 196128, Russia
Telephone: +7-812-369-7603, Fax: +7-812-369-0137,
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected],
www.niiset.ru
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Thank you for your
attention
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