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Title: Assessment of the Current Level of Automation in the Manufacture of Fuel Cell Systems for Combined Heat and Power Applications

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is interested in supporting manufacturing research and development (R&D) for fuel cell systems in the 10-1,000 kilowatt (kW) power range relevant to stationary and distributed combined heat and power applications, with the intent to reduce manufacturing costs and increase production throughput. To assist in future decision-making, DOE requested that theNational Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provide a baseline understanding of the current levels of adoption of automation in manufacturing processes and flow, as well as of continuous processes. NREL identified and visited or interviewed key manufacturers, universities, and laboratories relevant to the study using a standard questionnaire. The questionnaire covered the current level ofvertical integration, the importance of quality control developments for automation, the current level of automation and source of automation design, critical balance of plant issues, potential for continuous cell manufacturing, key manufacturing steps or processes that would benefit from DOE support for manufacturing R&D, the potential for cell or stack design changes to support automation, andthe relationship between production volume and decisions on automation.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office
OSTI Identifier:
1023099
Report Number(s):
NREL/TP-5600-52125
TRN: US201118%%869
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; AUTOMATION; DECISION MAKING; DESIGN; FUEL CELLS; MANUFACTURERS; MANUFACTURING; NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY; POWER RANGE; PRODUCTION; QUALITY CONTROL; VERTICAL INTEGRATION; fuel cells; combined heat and power; CHP; automation; continuous cell manufacturing

Citation Formats

Ulsh, M, Wheeler, D, and Protopappas, P. Assessment of the Current Level of Automation in the Manufacture of Fuel Cell Systems for Combined Heat and Power Applications. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.2172/1023099.
Ulsh, M, Wheeler, D, & Protopappas, P. Assessment of the Current Level of Automation in the Manufacture of Fuel Cell Systems for Combined Heat and Power Applications. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1023099
Ulsh, M, Wheeler, D, and Protopappas, P. 2011. "Assessment of the Current Level of Automation in the Manufacture of Fuel Cell Systems for Combined Heat and Power Applications". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1023099. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1023099.
@article{osti_1023099,
title = {Assessment of the Current Level of Automation in the Manufacture of Fuel Cell Systems for Combined Heat and Power Applications},
author = {Ulsh, M and Wheeler, D and Protopappas, P},
abstractNote = {The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is interested in supporting manufacturing research and development (R&D) for fuel cell systems in the 10-1,000 kilowatt (kW) power range relevant to stationary and distributed combined heat and power applications, with the intent to reduce manufacturing costs and increase production throughput. To assist in future decision-making, DOE requested that theNational Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provide a baseline understanding of the current levels of adoption of automation in manufacturing processes and flow, as well as of continuous processes. NREL identified and visited or interviewed key manufacturers, universities, and laboratories relevant to the study using a standard questionnaire. The questionnaire covered the current level ofvertical integration, the importance of quality control developments for automation, the current level of automation and source of automation design, critical balance of plant issues, potential for continuous cell manufacturing, key manufacturing steps or processes that would benefit from DOE support for manufacturing R&D, the potential for cell or stack design changes to support automation, andthe relationship between production volume and decisions on automation.},
doi = {10.2172/1023099},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1023099}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011},
month = {Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011}
}