A prototype portable, rechargeable and silent power supply based on a reversible hydrogen fuel cell

R&D Focus Areas:
Electrolysis, Hydrides, Electricity

Lead Organisation:
RMIT University

Partners:
QinetiQ Australia. MTM Automotive

Status:
Active

Start date:
September 2020

Completion date
March 2023

Key contacts:
Lead investigator: Professor John Andrews:  john.andrews@rmit.edu.au
Deputy lead investigator: Associate Professor Bahman Shabani: bahman.shabani@rmit.edu.au

Funding:
Defence Innovation Hub (DIH)

Project total cost:
AUD$3 million cash plus AUD$600,000 in-kind contributions for a total of AUD$3.6 million cash plus in-kind contributions

Project summary description:
RMIT successfully demonstrated a Unitised Regenerative Fuel Cell (URFC) power supply via a Defence Capability Demonstrator project in 2017. This unit employs reversible fuel cells to produce hydrogen from electricity by water splitting and re-generates electricity from stored hydrogen. The present project aims to design and build a 2-kW prototype with Australian industry partners, QinetiQ and MTM.

Related publications and key links:
https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/engineering/research/research-groups/shel

Higher degree studies supported:
No PhD students are directly supported by this project, but a number of PhD projects are being aligned with the objectives of the project and contributing to the overall R&D effort while being funded from other RMIT sources

 

December 2021