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Nuvera has developed an advanced fuel cell architecture called Andromeda™ in order to simplify today's complex fuel cell power systems. In contrast to standard fuel cell system architectures, the Andromeda design, which operates without humidification of the hydrogen or air stream, allows simplification of the balance of plant hardware, resulting in lower parasitic losses and fewer control parameters. A further benefit of non-humidified operation is the ability to provide fast start-up under freezing conditions. Today, the Andromeda technology is capable of starting from temperatures as low as
-20°C, reaching 50% power in less than 20 seconds.
These freeze start capabilities exceed 2010 Department of Energy targets for fuel cell cars.
Keeping with our strong innovative heritage, Nuvera is the original and only metal stack manufacturer that is capable of using uncoated metal plates, which is a feature of our patented approach that will offer cost advantages during manufacturing.
In addition, a further focus of the new stack design involves the optimization of the aspect ratio and cell thickness, as well as a focus on increasing the durability and reliability in the stressful operating conditions imposed by transportation applications. Andromeda is designed specifically for the stringent performance, volume and weight requirements of the transportation market.
At the present time, Andromeda is available to customers with transportation fuel cell stack integration capabilities for prototype testing, product development, and fleet-testing initiatives. For customers who are looking for a more complete system, our integrated HDL-82 module combines the Andromeda stack with a balance of plant and high-efficiency air compressor.
To see how the Andromeda architecture can simplify your fuel cell power system design, contact Nuvera today and experience The Future of Energy®.
| Andromeda Features and Benefits |
| Compact size and scaleable configurations (24 to 384 cell configurations) available |
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Modular and scaleable configurations can be customized to fit an application more efficiently, often lowering total system cost |
| Metallic bipolar plates - Metallic stacks are best suited for transportation applications because of their resistance to shock and vibration. |
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Significantly lower in manufacturing cost than graphite stacks. |
| High current density, up to 1.5 amps/square centimeter |
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Less cells for equivalent power is a cost effective use of material |
| Low-pressure operation - The Nuvera stack has the ability to operate with very low pressure drop, resulting in a maximum pressure. requirement for the air system of 1.6 bar |
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Allows the use of a lower-cost air blower rather than a more expensive compressor.
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| No external humidification - Nuvera has pioneered the use of a fuel cell stack technology that uses dry air and hydrogen as inputs. |
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Reduces the heat exchange loops from three to one.
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