NXCT fuel cell project: Four-dimensional in situ visualization of fuel cell degradation

氢燃料电池汽车为加拿大和全球的交通系统提供了清洁，安静和低排放的解决方案。根据氢的来源，这些车辆可以减少60-100%的二氧化碳排放量比现有的汽油和柴油内燃机技术，同时提供类似的驾驶性能，舒适性和范围。燃料电池车辆在使用点实现了真正的零排放，只生产清洁水作为最终产品，并在使用可再生燃料的情况下实现了从井到轮的近零排放。自20世纪90年代初以来，巴拉德燃料电池技术一直是燃料电池公交车和仓库升降卡车全球市场的先驱。第六代重型技术目前已部署在不列颠哥伦比亚省惠斯勒的20辆公交车上，数千台巴拉德燃料电池驱动的叉车发动机已部署在世界各地。为了推进下一阶段的部署，巴拉德的首要任务是降低燃料电池模块的资本成本，同时延长产品寿命，以达到或超过现有的内燃机。NXCT（阅读：“下一个”）燃料电池项目将开发下一代巴拉德燃料电池产品所需的基本理解和技术。在APC的支持下，将建造一个新的基于纳米X射线计算机断层扫描（NXCT）的燃料电池测试设施。这个设施将是世界上独一无二的，并使令人兴奋的研究进步，以前是不可能的。NXCT X射线仪器与定制的硬件相结合，将使研究人员能够在运行期间“原位”扫描燃料电池的内部结构。类似于对人体进行的X射线和CT扫描，本技术是非侵入性和非破坏性的，并且可以用于3D可视化而不损坏所研究的标本。然而，目前的研究将更进一步，在四个维度上可视化燃料电池，包括时域，以建立对汽车系统中燃料电池运行期间发生的退化现象的详细基本理解。该计划汇集了来自巴拉德动力系统和西蒙弗雷泽大学的互补，多学科专业知识的合作研究团队，学术界和工业界之间密切互动。NXCT燃料电池项目是及时的，因为它将提高下一代燃料电池产品的耐用性和价值主张，为现有市场提供增长，并为加拿大制造的清洁能源燃料电池解决方案创造新的新兴市场。

Hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles offer a clean, quiet, and low-emission solution for transportation systems in Canadaand worldwide. Depending on the source of hydrogen, these vehicles can reduce C02 emissions by 60-100% versusincumbent gasoline and diesel internal combustion engine technology, while offering similar driving performance,comfort, and range. Fuel cell vehicles enable a true zero-emission profile at the point of use, producing only clean wateras end product, and enable a near zero-emission profile on a well-to-wheel basis where a renewable fuel source isemployed. Ballard fuel cell technology has pioneered the global market for fuel cell transit buses and warehouse lifttrucks since the early 1990's. The 6th generation heavy duty technology is presently deployed for a 20-bus fleet inWhistler, B.C. and thousands of Ballard fuel cell powered lift truck engines have been deployed around the world. Inorder to proceed to the next level of deployment, the priority for Ballard is to drive down the capital cost of fuel cellmodules, while simultaneously extending product lifetime to meet or exceed that of incumbent combustion engines.The NXCT (read: "next") Fuel Cell project will develop fundamental understanding and technology required for nextgeneration Ballard fuel cell products. With APC support, a novel Nano X-ray Computed Tomography (NXCT) based fuelcell testing facility will be constructed. This facility will be unique in the world, and enable exciting research advancesthat were previously not possible. The NXCT x-ray instrument combined with customized hardware will allow theresearchers to scan the internal structure of the fuel cell 'in situ' during operation. Similar to x-ray and CT scansperformed on the human body, the present technique is non-intrusive and ·non-destructive, and can be utilized for 3-Dvisualization without damage to the specimen under study. The present research will however go one step further andvisualize the fuel cell in four dimensions, including the time domain, to establish a detailed fundamental understanding ofthe degradation phenomena that occur during fuel cell operation in automotive systems. The program brings together acohesive research team of complementary, multidisciplinary expertise from Ballard Power Systems and Simon FraserUniversity with close interaction between academia and industry. The NXCT Fuel Cell project is timely as it will advancethe durability and value proposition of next generation fuel cells products, providing growth of existing markets as well asenabling new emerging markets for Made-in-Canada clean energy fuel cell solutions.