Improving Fuel Cell Reliability: A Case Study of Ballard Power Systems Inc.
Technology Category
- Sensors - Infrared Sensors
- Sensors - Thermal Conductivity Sensors
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Life Sciences
Use Cases
- Outdoor Environmental Monitoring
- Root Cause Analysis & Diagnosis
Services
- Hardware Design & Engineering Services
About The Customer
Ballard Power Systems Inc. is a Canadian company that operates in the power industry. The company designs, develops, and manufactures zero-emission PEM fuel cell stacks. Ballard Power Systems Inc. is working with leading automobile manufacturers to develop the next generation of engines that are more efficient and cleaner than internal combustion engines. Engines using Ballard fuel cells can help manufacturers reach new environmental performance levels demanded for automotive power. The company's Ballard MK9 series of cell voltage monitoring (CVM) systems are electronic devices used in automotive fuel cell stacks that monitor the voltages produced by cells during operation.
The Challenge
Ballard Power Systems Inc., a Canadian company that designs, develops, and manufactures zero-emission PEM fuel cell stacks, faced a significant challenge with their MK9 series of cell voltage monitoring (CVM) systems. These systems, used in automotive fuel cell stacks, monitor the voltages produced by cells during operation. However, the company was experiencing CVM chip solder joint failures, which could prompt a false failure signal to the vehicle control unit, potentially shutting down the operation of the fuel cell and even the entire fuel cell engine. This issue was directly impacting the reliability of the entire fuel cell stack. The thermal expansion of the PCB and potting material, which protects the CVM from the environment, was causing deflections that resulted in stress on the solder joints. The company needed to gain insight into the structural load on electronic components during thermal cycling, identify probable areas where excessive stress could cause early CVM chip failure, and identify a potting material that would not exert thermal expansion stress on the CVM components.
The Solution
To address the challenge, Ballard Power Systems Inc. used ANSYS Multiphysics software to conduct a thermal-structural coupled field analysis. This analysis helped to calculate the stress on the solder joints from board deflections. High-stress areas and components were identified on the assembly model. The software was also used to develop a finer mesh for the individual chip/solder joint detail analysis through a process called submodeling. This process was effective in helping to calculate more accurate results in a specific region of interest. After identifying the solder joint stress as the primary cause of CVM solder joint failure, the company selected a new potting material with a suitable coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). This new material eliminated stress components for the CVM chip and averted failures. The potting material was close to the PCB’s CTE and eliminated the “bulge” of other material tested.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
Case Study missing?
Start adding your own!
Register with your work email and create a new case study profile for your business.
Related Case Studies.
Case Study
Integral Plant Maintenance
Mercedes-Benz and his partner GAZ chose Siemens to be its maintenance partner at a new engine plant in Yaroslavl, Russia. The new plant offers a capacity to manufacture diesel engines for the Russian market, for locally produced Sprinter Classic. In addition to engines for the local market, the Yaroslavl plant will also produce spare parts. Mercedes-Benz Russia and his partner needed a service partner in order to ensure the operation of these lines in a maintenance partnership arrangement. The challenges included coordinating the entire maintenance management operation, in particular inspections, corrective and predictive maintenance activities, and the optimizing spare parts management. Siemens developed a customized maintenance solution that includes all electronic and mechanical maintenance activities (Integral Plant Maintenance).
Case Study
Monitoring of Pressure Pumps in Automotive Industry
A large German/American producer of auto parts uses high-pressure pumps to deburr machined parts as a part of its production and quality check process. They decided to monitor these pumps to make sure they work properly and that they can see any indications leading to a potential failure before it affects their process.
