SOFC stack development

The high-temperature fuel cell stack (SOFC stack) is a crucial component within the SOFC system. The practicality and economic viability of using the fuel cell system for a particular application depend to a large degree on the stack’s performance, robustness, production cost, as well as on the reproducibility of its characteristics. For 10 years, IKTS has been developing various stack designs, constructed them as prototypes and tested them for their suitability.  The current trend of SOFC development is toward realizing stacks for different applications and load profiles. Together with its partners, Fraunhofer IKTS develops stacks for use in decentralized energy supply systems – from micro-CHP units to systems with more than 20 kW power. For this purpose, IKTS selects and tests various components within the stack environment (e.g. long-term and cycle tests) and develops cost-efficient and automatable manufacturing processes for stack production.

 

Services offered

 

• Stack development up to prototype production
• Testing of different components in the SOFC stack
• Testing of SOFC stacks of different sizes 
• Analysis of the degradation processes in SOFC stacks and clarification of the degradation mechanisms