Hydrogen fuel cells offer a sustainable way to power a wide range of systems and are found in everything from large commercial vehicles to material handling equipment. They use a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen atoms to produce electricity while only emitting water and heat byproducts.
- Hydrogen fuel cells run similarly to batteries but offer advantages over batteries and conventional combustion-based technologies:
- Hydrogen fuel cells can operate at a much higher efficiency, converting chemical energy in the fuel into electricity with efficiencies exceeding 60%. Internal combustion engines may only reach 25% efficiency.
- Hydrogen fuel cells do not need to be recharged like batteries. They just need the fuel source (hydrogen), which can be refilled much faster than recharging a battery.
- Hydrogen fuel cells only emit heat and water as byproducts from the energy conversion process, making it a 100% zero-emission energy source.
Hydrogen fuel cells offer clean, efficient, and reliable energy and are versatile enough to support many different power-generating applications. Yet, this technology is still in its infancy, and cost and infrastructure challenges must be addressed. Also, depending on the application and requirements, some operational challenges will impact the longevity and performance of the system.
We will explain how noise, vibration, and thermal issues can impact hydrogen fuel cells and provide information on how our advanced custom-molded foam solutions can mitigate these challenges.
Noise Reduction
While hydrogen fuel cells are quieter than combustion technologies, the systems can produce noise during operation, especially in hydrogen-powered vehicles with other mechanical components in the interior, like pumps, compressors, and fans. These components may generate a lot of noise that could impact passenger comfort and safety in certain situations.
Custom molded foam can help absorb, block, and dampen unwanted sound waves from fuel cell and system components. By applying acoustic foam, like our POLYFORM® molded foam, POLYDAMP® melamine foam and other custom noise reduction solutions, around these specific areas, fuel cell manufacturers can reduce noise transmission to the cabin and surrounding environment, enabling quieter operation for operators and passengers.
Vibration Control
Similarly, vibrations from the fuel cell and engine components can affect the system’s durability, performance, and longevity. Vibrations can create mechanical wear and damage over time and cause component misalignment. They will also increase noise, again affecting the operator and passengers as the noise is transmitted to the cabin and surrounding areas.
We offer a variety of vibration control solutions to mitigate vibration and subsequent noise issues that affect operability and system stability. Our vibration-damping products incorporate our custom-molded foam and other materials specially designed to work with fuel cells and engine components. By placing vibration-damping foam around the fuel cell and relevant components, our engineers can minimize the transmission of vibrations to offset these issues, improving reliability and longevity.
Thermal Management
As the electrochemical reactions in hydrogen fuel cells generate heat as a byproduct, thermal management is essential to maintain fuel cell performance and efficiency. Depending on the application and operating conditions, the fuel stack and other system components could generate too much heat, causing the system to overheat or transmit heat into areas where it might cause further inefficiencies or damage.
Our thermal control solutions are designed to provide the thermal insulation required to mitigate overheating and protect sensitive components from unstable operating conditions. We use high-temperature foam insulation and reflective barriers to manage heat flow and ensure system performance.
We also offer top-of-the-line silicon hoses tailored specifically for high-temperature resistance in cooling systems, exhaust lines, and other components. Heat shields are another option that can be added to our thermal insulation foam for an extra layer of protection against thermal instability for particular vehicles and other applications using a hydrogen fuel cell system. Our engineers will work with you to identify your application’s best thermal management solution.
Choose Polymer for Your Most Challenging Hydrogen Fuel Cell Applications
Depending on the application and operating conditions, we offer molded foam solutions and products designed to address noise, vibration, and thermal challenges. We offer the highest level of quality control to ensure the performance and safety of your hydrogen fuel cell system, and we rigorously test our products to provide reliable hydrogen fuel cell solutions you can trust to keep noise, vibration, and thermal problems at bay.
We have years of experience designing and implementing innovative solutions that address our customers’ core operational needs. Our engineers are committed to providing the most advanced and practical solutions tailored to your requirements. If you need a custom size, shape, or material, we will accommodate it.
Polymer’s molded foam solutions eliminate the need for flat foam, which may not be suitable for all hydrogen fuel cell applications. Our molded product division (PMP) uses 3D molded polyurethane foam products, like POLYFORM®, to create the perfect unique shape to protect your components. These solutions can serve as battery cushions, cover insulation shields, gap closeouts, and other barriers against noise, vibrations, and heat impacting your system.
Our molded foam solutions offer unmatched performance, reliability, and flexibility to address the noise, vibration, and thermal issues associated with hydrogen fuel cells. As these zero-emission systems become more widely available for various power-generation applications, we will continue to shape and reshape molded foam solutions that ensure these systems operate at their best. Contact us today to learn more about the right solution to fit your needs.