Additive manufacturing of graded flow structures for PEM fuel cells
The aim of the project is to increase the efficiency of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells by using newly developed flow-optimized gas diffusion layers (GDL).
A combined additive and subtractive laser process will be used to fabricate GDLs with gas-bearing channels that produce a homogeneous gas distribution at the catalyst layer. For this purpose, graphite-containing powder is additively built up layer by layer and flow guiding structures are introduced in a targeted manner by processing with ultrashort laser pulses (UKP).
The design of the flow geometry is carried out interactively between the universities through close interaction between simulation and experimental investigation, particularly with regard to manufacturability and function.
KIT: Institut für Produktionstechnik (wbk, Prof. Schulze)
KIT: Institut für Produktentwicklung (IPEK, Prof. Albers)
Universität Stuttgart: Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge (IFSW, Prof. Graf)