Mounting technology for fuel cells

What requirements does an optimum clamping band solution for fuel cells need to meet?

In mobile solutions where large amounts of energy and high levels of power are required over a prolonged period, for example in heavy goods vehicles, buses, trains and ships, batteries used on their own quickly reach their limits, both economically and technically. In such cases, a fuel cell used in conjunction with high-pressure tank systems for hydrogen is an alternative way to drive and work with zero emissions.
HYDAC supplies innovative mounting technology solutions for fuel cell applications and hydrogen tank systems. Alongside mounting high-pressure tanks, we also use our clamping band solutions in the immediate surroundings of the fuel cell.

Fuel cell manufacturers sometimes use threaded rods to clamp their fuel cell stacks. It is not, however, possible to achieve an optimum distribution of forces on the stack with this solution as the contact pressure is distributed unevenly. This can result in leakage between individual bipolar plates, leading to energy losses and worsening the system efficiency of the fuel cells. When clamping fuel cell stacks, the technical advantage of using clamping bands rather than conventional threaded rods is that the contact forces are applied to the seals of the fuel cells much more evenly. The clamping band solution also reduces the weight of the fuel cell stack, optimises installation dimensions and simplifies the mounting and maintenance processes.