Industrial Hydrogen Technologies Thuringia WaTTh

Fraunhofer IKTS operates the hydrogen application center WaTTh in Thuringia. The project creates a nucleus for the production and application of sustainable and green hydrogen – for the region "Erfurter Kreuz", Thuringia, Germany and beyond. In the course of the worldwide expansion of hydrogen infrastructure for the sustainable design of the energy industry, scale-up is a key concept. Scale-up means not only increasing the active area of electrochemical reactors but also increasing the production volume of assembled units, such as electrochemical stacks (SOE or AEM-EL). Therefore, in addition to automated stack assembly and smart machine and product design, WaTTh also focuses on logistics and data acquisition in terms of industrial data concepts. State-of-the-art in-line and stand-alone analytics for quality control and data mining complement the research focus.

Another goal is the development of fuel cell and other hydrogen technology on a pilot-plant level up to 100 kW. To this end, for example, high-temperature electrolysis cells (SOEC) are being integrated into power-to-X plants. These produce sustainable, CO₂-neutral basic materials and fuels via a fully automated co-electrolysis process from CO₂ and water. An open-space test field offers the possibility to install application-oriented container solutions for industrial-scale electrolysers and PtX plants.

The WaTTH is also researching technological options for CO₂ avoidance in the ceramics and steel industries. In the future, a hydrogen-fueled furnace will be available to customers in order to conduct materials science and process engineering analysis or process optimization in a CO₂-neutral manner, for example in the ceramics industry.

 

Services offered

 

• Development of automated assembly concepts for electrolyzers and fuel cell stacks or redox flow batteries with active areas of up to 1 m²
• Development of logistics and IT systems for parts management
• Integration of in-line, sideline and stand-alone analytics
• Analytics for electrochemistry (e.g. impedance spectroscopy) on single cells and stacks
• Plant modification and integration into pilot lines and data structures
• Test field for electrolyzers and power-to-X, including process engineering support, application and industry-oriented setup in 20-foot containers (stand-alone)
• Data acquisition on all levels in the shopfloor (machine, machine network, factory)
• Establishment of ceramic sintering and firing processes in the hydrogen furnace (500 L), parameter studies, conceptual analyses and energy-economical evaluation

 

Equipment within the framework of the project

 

• Automated assembly line for electrochemical stack systems (approx. 1 m x 1 m) in different technology variants. Options for the future: SOFC, SOEC, AEL, AEM-EL, AFC, PEM-EL, PEM-FC as well as RFB.
  • Four 6-axis industrial robots up to 400 kg load capacity
  • Variable transport system
  • Wide range of in-line analytics and sensors
  • Tracking and tracing, as well as parts picking and traceability
  • Integrated PDM system
  • Industry 4.0-capable interfaces (OPC-UA)
• Electrochemical analytics
  • Impedance-capable potentiostats up to 500 A, over 130 channels
  • Electrochemical scanning microscopy (SECM)
  • Test cells and test stacks
• Co-electrolysis and power-to-X plant
• Electrolyzer test field (open space with infrastructure)
  • Electrical connection
  • Media: hydrogen, nitrogen, DI water
  • Product post-treatment
• Industrial x-ray CT
• Workstation for FEM simulation
• Hydrogen-fueled furnace with 500 L, exchangeable burner for natural gas comparison studies for ceramic processes