Labs and instruments

JRC Fuel Cell and Electrolyser Testing Laboratory

EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE (JRC) FUEL CELL AND ELECTROLYSER TESTING LABORATORY IN PETTEN, THE NETHERLANDS

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) provides independent, evidence-based science and knowledge, supporting EU policies to positively impact society. The JRC has six sites in five European countries: Brussels and Geel in Belgium, Ispra in Italy, Karlsruhe in Germany, Petten in the Netherlands and Seville in Spain.

The Petten-based Fuel Cell and Electrolyser Testing Laboratory (FCTEST) was established to support developments in Regulation, Codes and Standards through the validation of testing procedures and measurement methodologies for the performance assessment of fuel cells.

It is also used in the Clean Hydrogen Partnership for Europe for pre-normative research and harmonisation of fuel cells and electrolyser test protocols and testing methodologies and their experimental validation.

The laboratory allows testing of low and high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell stacks, components and entire systems for up to 84 kW electrical power in stationary and transport applications. In addition, electrolyser cells and high temperature solid oxide cells and stacks can be tested in fuel cell and electrolyser mode.

The laboratory also has capabilities for testing under simulated environmental conditions including temperature, relative ambient humidity (up to 95 %), and vibrations (up to 250 Hz) and shocks.

Here below a comprehensive list of the test stations available at the JRC Fuel Cell and Electrolyser Testing.

a. 84 kW low-temperature fuel cell automated test station for stack and system testing;

b. 500 W high-temperature electrolysis & fuel cell automated test station including furnace and EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) instrumentation for single cell & short stack testing;

c. 5 kW high-temperature fuel cell test automated station including EIS equipment for short stack and small system testing;

d. 3 kW low-temperature fuel cell automated test station for short stack testing;

e. 500 W low-temperature fuel cell automated test station for single cell & short stack testing;

f. 1 kW low-temperature electrolysis & 500 W fuel cells automated test station for single cells and short stacks testing;

g. programmable modular 4x 24 kW direct current (DC) load (sink) / 4x 10 kW power supply (source) test bench for power device testing;

h. walk-in climate chamber with programmable control of temperature (-40 °C to +60 °C) and relative ambient air humidity (5 % to 95 %) for environmental testing and multi-axial vibration table (shaker table) with a 500 kg pay-load capability for frequencies up to 250 Hz housed in the climate chamber for mechanical shock and vibration testing.

Access to the Joint Research Centre (JRC) is subject to special conditions and requirements that are summarized in the document Information for CERIC users requesting access to the JRC. Please read the document before requesting access to the JRC Fuel Cell and Electrolyser Testing facility through CERIC open access Calls for Proposals.

Contact: Dr. Thomas Malkow
Tel.: +31 (0)224 56 5469
Email: thomas.malkow@ec.europa.eu

More information can be found in the laboratory’s webpage.