Dana is applying its fuel cell experience to designing and manufacturing composite and metallic bipolar plates for public transportation systems, such as eBus and hydrail applications.
“Dana has a long history of developing alternative-energy solutions, including fuel-cell technologies, that support the launch of long-range, zero-emission transportation solutions across many different industries,” said Dana Power Technologies president, Dwayne Matthews.
The bipolar plate assemblies play an important role in a fuel-cell stack’s operation, working to evenly distribute hydrogen and air, conduct electrical current from cell to cell and remove heat from the active area while preventing leakage of gases and water.
In addition, because there are hundreds to thousands of plates in large fuel-cell systems – enough to power a train – they play an important role in system volume, weight, and cost.
In addition to composite bipolar plates, Dana designs and manufactures metallic bipolar plates, another critical component for enhancing the performance of fuel-cell powered vehicles. Manufactured with Dana’s integrated sealing technology and in-line conductive coating, the company’s ultra-thin metallic bipolar plates deliver power density and durability.
Dana’s plate manufacturing, which uses high-speed stamping and laser welding, aids in its ability to streamline production.
The supplier is a member of the Autostack Industry (previously Autostack Core) project, which is a joint initiative of the German automotive and supply industries and aims to provide the technical, economic, and technological basis for the commercial introduction of fuel cell vehicles in Germany and Europe by 2020.
Dana is also a member of Inspire, a public-private partnership supporting research, technological development, and demonstration in fuel cell and hydrogen energy sectors in Europe.
