In order to establish new fuel cells and systems and the corresponding suppliers in the market, high-performance fuel cells must fulfill a range of important criteria, from the highest power density and good cold-start properties right through to a long service life even with highly dynamic operation.
For this purpose, cost-effective components must be matched with one another and optimised in terms of their functioning. For example, it is necessary to pre-qualify and test both fuel cell components and fuel cell stacks in a reliable environment. For successful stack development, for example, optimal operating conditions for components must be found, optimal channel geometries developed, and gas diffusion systems with optimal mechanical and material transport properties must be identified.
Developing and evaluating marketable products involves manufacturer-independent tests with automotive performance characteristics in order to verify the quality of the components or speed up development cycles. Also necessary are independent performance and service life tests using real designs and under real conditions for standardised, anonymous production comparisons.
