Course: Fuel cells in motor vehicles

As a cleaner alternative to electric/petrol hybrids with their own internal combustion engine, fuel cells may be in a position to supply electrical energy on the basis of two inexpensive and readily available substances. Fuel cells represent a new and hitherto untried technology, for which maintenance and diagnostics will need to be learned. This course provides the necessary knowledge and understanding of the way that such fuel cells work and how they are put together. In addition, numerous experiments and measurements on an authentic fuel cell enable trainees to gain the practical experience and diagnostic skills required for dealing with this technology.

Includes

• PEM double fuel cell
• PEM electrolyzer with scaled gas storage device
• Power supply 2V/ 2.5A
• Consumers
• Hoses, hose clamps
• Variable load for characteristic recording
• LabSoft browser and course software

Course content

• Functional and operating principle of fuel cells
• Recording the characteristics of a fuel cell
• Learn to explain the electrochemical processes of electrolysis (Faraday’s first and second law)
• Faraday’s laws and determining the energy efficiency of a fuel cell and of an electrolyzer
• Series and parallel configuration of fuel cells
• Considerations regarding the power of fuel cells
• Functional and operating principles of electrolyzers
• Recording the VI characteristic of the electrolyzer
• Faraday’s laws and determining the energy efficiency
• Course duration approx. 4.5 h