Modelling for high-speed FOrming of BIpolar plates, FO-BI

Purpose and goal:

Unite product and production development for recyclable fuel cell plates to manage rapid adaptation to new designs to give Swedish competitiveness and reduced environmental impact. This will reduce time required for tool development through the ability to evaluate design alternatives at an early stage.

Increased resistance to disturbances and measures and less delay with the right surface condition should lead to sustainable, cost-effective production to accelerates the decommissioning of fossil-based energy, especially for heavy vehicles where the effects are greatest. Expected results and effects:

The project will contribute to conversion to electric operation of vehicles, by reducing production costs, improving and quality assuring the production of metallic bipolar plates (BP) for fuel cells in stainless steel.

Ability to adapt to changing conditions by using digital tools to quickly produce newly developed patterns for BP without long lead times and high costs will be the major industrial impact.

Sustainable and high-quality manufacturing of BPs will support the local fuel cell and hydrogen economy development in Sweden creating an internationally leading supply chain. Approach and implementation:

The focus is on numerical modelling for the manufacture of complex geometries to create integrated product and process development. The work takes place with the partners and at designated test beds. It includes tribology experiments and develop modelling strategy for numerical analysis with verification methodology with experiments.

The choice of, and experimentation with coatings to provide robust conditions as well as wear in high-speed forming are investigated. Method development begins at start-up while manufacturing and validating trials take place later in the project.