Fuel Cell Systems Engineering

As fuel cell technology evolves from core research to commercial products, a diverse set of engineering disciplines is required to mature a wide range of sub-systems with complex system level interactions

Ricardo has developed a robust engineering design process that incorporates a wide range of disciplines necessary for moving an emerging technology into a successful commercial product

Ricardo's dedicated fuel cell systems team leverages Ricardo's diverse technology portfolio and proven systems engineering to deliver leading edge solutions.

Ricardo have developed a broad range of fuel cell system engineering capabilities with over a decade of experience in a variety of fuel cell technology and fuel cell application programs.

Some of Ricardo's key skill offerings include:

Stack/Reformer Development

Structural analysis/FEA (sealing analysis and clamping assembly design, component stresses)
Performance modeling (flow, current density and temperature distributions)
Project example - Clamping analysis for a planar SOFC

System Development

Market studies and system requirements definition
Concept design and development
Simulation and analysis (dynamic and steady state)
Detailed design, component selection, procurement, fabrication and assembly
Cost modeling and cost-down engineering
Safety analysis and failure mode effects analysis
Implementation of rigorous program management and design control processes
Control system design, testing and implementation
Application of codes and standards
Power electronics design and development
Validation and testing support
Project example - Detailed BOP design for a natural gas fueled SOFC remote power system

System Integration

Supplier selection and liaison
Simulation and analysis
Thermal integration and controls
Prototype builds and testing
Project example - Hydrogen source diesel reformer for NOx trap regeneration

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Fuel Cell Systems Engineering Tools

Fuel cell systems engineering is frequently based on analysis led systems engineering process. Ricardo has used a wide variety of engineering tools to virtually evaluate concept systems with complex system interactions that are too difficult to understand with pure "thought process" experiments. These tools include:

Multi-physics tools (CFD-ACE)
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) at both the cell-level or stack-level analysis
Thermal and structural finite element analysis (FEA), in conjunction with CFD results
System modeling using Ricardo fuel cell library for MSC.EASY5® library. Can be used in conjunction with other Ricardo or EASY5® libraries like Gas dynamics library, Ricardo powertrain library for broader systems
Optimization and design of experiments (DOE) using iSIGHT® in combination with MSC.EASY5®
Design failure mode and effects analysis (DFMEA)
Design for manufacturing (DFM), Design for assembly (DFA) and Total cost management (TCM)