Cheaper fuel cells achieved with Dyson technology

Increased power density opens the door for fuel cells to replace internal combustion engine “well within” this decade says Intelligent Energy

Fuel cell developer Intelligent Energy has demonstrated a fuel cell with a 30% increase in power density over existing systems and reliable cold-starts down to -20°C, paving the way for a fuel cell engine that costs the same as internal combustion engines in cars within the next 5 years.

The fuel cell, which has an output of 40kW and is coupled with a battery system, was developed as part of a three year research project to enhance the reliability, durability and performance of fuel cells in light commercial and passenger vehicles.

Partners in the £2.8 million project, half of which was funded by the Technology Strategy Board, included Dyson Technology, automotive engineering consultancy Ricardo and testing services provider TRW Conekt.

Dennis Hayter, vice president of business development for Intelligent Energy, said that the project’s output meant its automotive fuel cells would be “well on the way to the equivalent cost of internal combustion engines within the next 5 years”.

“There’s a lot more to do, but every quarter of a year we improve a little bit more in terms of performance and cost,” Hayter added.

Intelligent Energy aims to supply fuel cells within a power range of 30kW and 200kW to car makers to replace engines in vehicles from 1.1 to 3 litres in size. Barriers to this include the high cost and reliability of fuel cells in an automotive application.

Hayter said: “The research focused on making the fuel cell smaller, lighter and easier to package whilst being competitive on power - by increasing the power density you are effectively getting 30% more for the same price.

“You’ve also got to be able to meet the consistent and reliable performance required and withstand the shocks and bumps a vehicle experiences. We have to make sure you don’t suffer any cracking or damage to any critical components. The other consideration is electromagnetic interference.”

Power output from the fuel cell was increased from 30kW to 40kW without increasing its size by changing some of the materials and components used in the fuel cell and controlling its operation specifically for the application.

A new coolant was developed to address the issue of cold start performance and was shown to perform consistently at temperatures down to -20°C. One of the challenges of any fuel cell is that it’s by product is water or water vapour, which freezes and causes problems with start-up and during operation.

Dyson also supplied a high efficiency, low cost compressor for the fuel cell based on the “digital motor technology” developed for its range of hand dryers. The compressor is a relatively expensive component in the fuel cell and is used to deliver air to the fuel cell. Air contains the oxygen used as the oxidant in the fuel cell’s electrochemical process.

Ricardo provided the automotive performance and duty cycle specification the fuel cell needed to match. TRW Conekt provided the vibration and environmental testing to validate the integrity of the fuel cell.

Car companies including Toyota and Honda are introducing fuel cell vehicles to their ranges from 2015 onwards and predict that the vehicles will be competitive on full cost of ownership compared to conventional vehicles from between 2020 - 2022.