Hydrogen is widely recognized as a promising energy vector to replace fossil fuels. However, to establish hydrogen as the backbone of our energy infrastructure, a significant ramp up in technological readiness and deployment of large-scale electrolysis systems is required.
The industrialization of water electrolysis systems however does pose significant challenges:
- Most of the research is based on cell & stack whereas the scaleup into large scale (i.e. multi-Megawatt) systems is often underestimated
- Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) and calibration of operation and control strategy is often done on site, which leads to significant development risks
- Independent validation and verification as well as long-term operational monitoring required to improve robustness and overall efficiency is not commonly established
Our containerized electrolysis system testbed denotes a holistic testing solution for complete electrolysis systems in the range of up to 5MW that seamlessly integrates into our proven toolchain for automation, calibration, simulation and data analytics. AVLs electrolysis system testbed is the ideal development platform to front-load engineering tasks and improve the electrolysis systems robustness and efficiency.
Testbed Automation
AVL's electrolysis system testing solution seamlessly integrates into our Automation and Data Analytics Toolchain. With such a high degree of automation, complete testing scenarios and the necessary data post-processing can run automatically, generating valuable insights and freeing up engineering hours for the job that matters: improving the unit-under-test.
Upfront Verification and Validation Platform
In future, the end-customer requires well proven and validated electrolysis systems, as the overall robustness, efficiency, guaranteed up-time and degradation rate are vital for an end-customers business case. AVL's electrolysis system testbed is the ideal solution and development platform to improve on the vital key-performance-indicators on the one hand, and on the other hand, to verify these relevant performance targets to an end-customer upfront.
Calibration and Optimization Toolchain
Even the most well-designed machinery is only allowed to perform what it’s operation strategy and control system allows it to. Although nowadays a lot of these development activities can be achieved using digital twins and simulation to parallelize the control system development, there is still the need for final calibration and optimization on the real unit under test to unlock its full potential. The AVL calibration toolchain is suitable to start calibration in the virtual world and can seamlessly be carried over to the actual unit under test on the testbed for final calibration.
Simulation Augmented Testing
A central part of fit-for-function testing is to verify that the electrolysis system is capable of performing under it’s intended application environment. As the electrolysis system is in many cases part of a bigger H2 network, consisting of multiple producers, consumers, compression stations, storage and purification systems, cross coupling effects and cross influences of different sub-systems are to be expected. To test for these coupling effects, the application environment – including the electric grid – can be simulated and the boundary conditions (i.e. O2 and H2 back-pressure, thermal conditions and grid conditions) can be actively controlled on the testbed to mimic the applicational environment.
Electrolyzer Testing Solution Sheet
Solution Sheet for ITS Electrolyzer System Testing Solutions
AVL is actively shaping decarbonization through manufacturing processes for hydrogen that is produced as sustainably as possible.
Fuel cells and electrolyzers are excellent solutions for efficiently achieving a CO2-neutral future. Especially since their application is multifaceted. It ranges from vehicles of all sizes to energy generation and storage to the starting point for synthetic fuels (e-fuels). Develop and optimize targeted fuel cell systems by using our simulation.
AVL PUMA 2™ Fuel Cell is our intuitive automation system for highly dynamic fuel cell system testing. It is the global industry standard for testbed automation.
The Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is an innovative stimulus response testing technology for checking the frequency-dependent internal resistance of electrochemical cells such as batteries or fuel cells.
New powertrain technologies require a higher data throughput rate in real time. AVL FEM 4™ enables you to measure all raw data relevant for the characterization of the unit-under-test.
AVL balance-of-plant (BoP) testing solutions are modular and tailored test beds to emulate the real load of a fuel cell system.
The AVL X-ion™ e-Power power analyzer is a modular data acquisition platform that is optimized for electric and hybrid applications.
The SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) system test bed (TB) is capable of testing units from 5 kWe (net power) up to 400 kWe (net power) under different operating scenarios.
AVL as preferred partner for fuel cell engineering, simulation and testing is providing beyond that integrated solutions for production testing of fuel cell stacks and complete fuel cell systems.
Successful fuel cell and electrolyzer developments are built upon the three pillars of engineering, simulation, and testing, all of which are equally important.
Aiming at a drastic CO₂ reduction in industry and mobility, the world is currently facing the challenge of producing green hydrogen at affordable prices and in sufficient quantities.
Hydrogen effectively stores surplus energy from renewable sources. PEM electrolyzers dominate here thanks to their efficiency and performance. Our 3D multiphysics simulation provides detailed insights for the optimization of electrolyzers and material selection and you can discover more in our webinar.
As the world seeks sustainable energy alternatives, fuel cells and electrolyzers emerge as a promising solution. These electrochemical devices play critical roles in the clean energy landscape.
New Technologies demand not just new testing methods and testing devices but also customized safety measures.