Developing Accelerated Stress Test Protocols for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and Electrolysers: the European project AD ASTRA

In order to finally and systematically address the growing need for accelerated stress tests, given the longer lifetimes of solid oxide cells – both in fuel cell and electrolysis operation – the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking has launched an international initiative to overcome this epic challenge. The overall objective of the project that was awarded the task is the development of protocols that allow quantitative identification and prediction of critical degradation mechanisms, correlating them with overall performance variables in selected stack components (fuel electrode, oxygen electrode and interconnect). These will build firstly on the analysis of numerous field-tested samples of SOC stacks provided by the industrial partners, followed by applying existing and developing improved testing and modelling methods based on ex-situ component ageing and aggravated stack testing.