The Laboratory of Research in Fluid Dynamics and Combustion Technologies (LIFTEC by its Spanish acronym) is a joint center between the Spanish Scientific Research Council (CSIC) and University of Zaragoza.
The research activities at LIFTEC are dedicated to the study of various phenomena related to Fluid Dynamics, with special attention to environmental problems, including experimental, computational and theoretical techniques.
The main lines of research are:
The test bench for PEM fuel cells has been designed and manufactured by group members to study and characterise stacks with an electrical power of 3 kW. The distinctive and unique design feature of this installation is that it has two independent lines (dual system) for each of the reagent gases (H2 and O2) since the dynamic range of the current mass controllers cannot cover all the necessary flow values with just one controller. Consequently, a flow rate from 0.024 lN/min to 100 lN/min can be obtained.
It also has a bubble humidification system responsible for providing the required temperature and moisture conditions for the reagent gas currents, especially for low-temperature PEM fuel cells, and a water intake system that uses a countercurrent exchanger to quantify the amount of water generated by chemical reaction in the fuel cell. It also has two other systems: the measurement and control system to ensure the reagents reach the fuel cell with appropriate flow, pressure, temperature and relative humidity parameters; and the safety system to prevent accidents or minimise damages if they occur. Specific software was developed in LabVIEW by group members for the automatic control system.
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A furnace has been added to the test bench to heat up to temperatures of 200° to perform tests in single cells or small high-temperature fuel cells. In this case, it is a Fagor built-in furnace model FAR FC 801 X, with dimensions of (60x60x58) cm. This equipment has an internal fan that manages to maintain a suitable atmosphere at a homogenous temperature.
Front image of the dual test bench
Back view of the dual test bench
The installations the group has manufactured include a wind tunnel capable of characterising several flow geometries of open-cathode fuel-cell plates or a variety of ventilation systems by analysing the load loss and flow rate. This is a very useful tool for dimensioning the operating conditions of cooling systems in the open-cathode fuel cells. The wind tunnel is made of PVC with a well-known geometry and it has outlets for placing pitot tubes to measure flow and load loss or other measurement systems, such as column gauges or sensors.
Wind tunnel during the load loss test through the cathode channels of an open-cathode fuel cell
Positioning of a pitot tube inside the PVC tube to measure the flow pumped by a ventilation system
The press is used mainly to form membrane-electrode assemblies. This is a hydraulic column press with vertical sealing movement for compression moulding of small parts (120x120 mm compression plates). This equipment is manufactured by the company Gibitre Instruments with pressure control up to 400 bar and temperatures ranging between 20 and 250°C.
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Gibitre Instruments laboratory press used to form the five-layer MEAs |
The robot for spraying catalyst inks is the model J4000-LF manufactured by the company I&J Fisnar Inc. It has a mechanical arm that controls the movement in the Y axis of the spray nozzle, a platform that controls movement in the X axis, a spray nozzle, model SV1000-SS, and a valve flow and opening time controller, model SVC 100.
The operating principle of the robot’s spray head is similar to that of an airbrush. The SV1000-SS valve has been designed to operate with compressed air as co-flow to spray liquids with a low or medium viscosity. It is controlled by the SVC100 controller, which can be used to set the operating pressure.
Robot for spraying catalyst inks
There are two air input channels, one for spraying and another for operating. Both have the SVC100 controller. The operating air pressure activates the piston that opens and closes the valve to let the fluid through. The spray air flows through an individual circuit in the head and it sprays the ink. The aerosol dispensing can be adjusted by turning a graduated button in the top part of the valve. The quantity and homogeneity of the deposited material are controlled by the liquid atomising pressure, the valve opening time and the distance from the surface to be applied. The ink is deposited in a syringe and supplied by a plunger operated by a compressed-air system to which a pressure controller is attached.
This is a programmable robot with movement control in three axes. It can deposit beads of sealing material whose dimensions depend on the size of the needle used, the displacement speed of the head and the liquid atomising pressure. The equipment is model 2500N-CE220SET made by the company I&J Fisnar and it has the model SL101 pressure and time controller for dispensing liquids, which can be operated manually or by programming the robot.
| Especificaciones Técnicas |
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Rango de operación (X,Y,Z)
Carga máxima
Velocidades
Repetitividad
Resolución
Datos de memoria
Sistema de operacion
Método de control
Señales E/S
Interface externo
Carga del programa
Alimentación eléctrica 220V
Temperatura de trabajo
Humedad relativa
Dimensiones (ancho x prof x alto)
Peso
510, 510, 150 mm
11 kg
0.1-800 mm/sec
±0.01 mm per axis
0.01 mm
255 programs 30000 points
Punto a punto y camino continuo
Remoto y manual
16 entradas y 16 salidas
RS232C
Vía memory card
AC 180 - 250 V
0 - 40º C
20% - 95% sin condensación
676 x 728 x 799 mm
43 kg
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Robot dispenser of the sealing material used as joints
Example of application of the seal bead on a bipolar plate
