Company Information

Company Interest:
The Institute of Technical Thermodynamic is one of 31 Institutes and Organisations of the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Center). Its topics are:

• Solar thermal energy technology
• Systems analysis and technology assessment
• Electrochemical energy technology, including:
  - Polymer electrolyte membrane and solid oxide fuel cells
    (PEFC; DMFC, SOFC)
  - Electrolyzer and fuel cell system technology
  - Modeling of fuel cells
  - High power electrolysis
  - Vacuum plasma spraying
  

R + D Activities of the Institute in the Last Year
Low temperature fuel cells (PEFC, DMFC):

• Considerable progress concerning performance and cost reduction could be achieved with the own developed and now to a great extent automatically working combined dry-spray and roll process producing membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs).

Fuel cell systems:

• With the development of the so-called "Replacer" with PEM fuel cells and hydride cartridges an attractive light-weight alternative to heavy batteries is available for a lot of applications.

High temperature fuel cells (SOFC):

• The activity and the progress with planar SOFCs - entirely made by plasma deposition methods - found great industrial interest particularly as power generators for mobile applications.

News at HANNOVER FAIR 2002:
The DLR Institute for Technical Thermodynamics presents for the first time at the Hanover Fair 2002 a High Temperature Fuel Cell Short Stack of SOFC-type in operation. At an operating temperature around 800 °C the electrochemical characterisation by means of current density/voltage measurements is displayed. A quartz window in the wall of the test equipment allows a view on the hot stack.

Video clips show activities of the institute in the field of Low Temperature Fuel Cells (PEFC, DMFC):

• Analysis tools supporting an efficient development of components
• Development of measuring methods to qualify fuel cells
• Own developed production methods for fuel cell components

Concerning production techniques a new device is shown on the booth allowing a dry spray coating of both membrane sides with electrode material simultaneously.

The institute demonstrates also its own developed portable and light-weight fuel cell system - named REPLACER 21 - to substitute batteries. It represents an autonomous PEFC-system with integrated H2-storage on the base of easily exchangeable hydride containers. The replacer shown has a power of 200 We at 230 V AC, but also a parallel 12 V output is possible. Its standard capacity of 0.75 kWh can easily be increased up to about 4.5 kWh with larger H2-containers.

Werner Hoyer (right) and Dr. Erich Guelzow (left) are demonstrating the REPLACER 21.
The REPLACER 21 is a portable and lightweight Fuel Cell system to substitute common batteries.

At HANNOVER FAIR 2002 the DLR Institute for
Technical Thermodynamic presents a High Temperature
Fuel Cell Short Stack of SOFC-type in operation.

(from left to right) Dr. Rudolf Henne (DLR), Joachim Schneider (BMW), Patric Szabo (DLR) and visitors.