EBZ has nearly one decade of experience in engineering, design and construction of test stands and components for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) systems. On this basis special know-how has been collected in gas processing including catalytic fuel conversions, heat transfer, handling of hot gases, phase changes and burner technologies. The EBZ control and safety systems are easy to use, flexible and allow a highly automated unattended operation.

EBZ knowledge

• Processes with very low up to medium powers
• Handling of hot process gases
• Special materials for high temperatures (>1000°C)
• High flexibility in geometry adjustments on customer demand (in-house developed and manufactured components)
• Sensors and actors for high-temperature environments
  Automation of processes
• Unattended long-term operation up to several 1000 h

 The business division EBZ Fuel Cells provides standard and customized SOFC stack and cell test stands for performance and long-term tests. The test stands can be equipped with air and gas preheaters, different kinds of humidification, reforming units, gas coolers or afterburners. The following fuels can be handled and processed:

• Hydrogen
• Methane
• Natural gas, LPG
• Synthetic reformate mixtures
• Biogas
• Gases with impurities.

Stack tests will be performed in furnaces or thermally insulated in hotboxes. EBZ Demonstration Units are applicable to test stacks in a real-world system environment.

EBZ has integrated and operated SOFC stacks from different manufacturers like Fraunhofer IKTS, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Staxera, and HTceramix. Based on this experiences, EBZ can provide substantial support in the design of the test stand, stack integration and operation planning.

EBZ test stands are certified according to the European Machinery Directive. They meet highest safety standards with independent control and safety PLCs. All threats for life and limb are hardwired. Up to five safety levels can be used to protect operators and test equipment.

The test rig software and database handling together with the programmable control software EBZ ProControl allows a flexible and automatic operation of EBZ’s test benches.