IEC TC 105 WG#3 - Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plants Activity
by Karen Hall
Vice President, Technical Operations of the
National Hydrogen Association

The International Electrotechnical Commission TC105 Fuel Cell Technologies WG#3 - Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plants plans to meet in Miami, Florida in early February 2003. A revised draft, which stresses the elimination of hazards identified by analyses, will be expanded with detailed requirements from the construction portion of the new proposed US Stationary Fuel Cell Power System standard.

The scope of the document, taken from the revised draft, is as follows:

1. Scope

1.1 This document is a product safety and performance standard suitable for conformity assessment as stated in IEC Guide 104:1997, ISO/IEC Guide 51:1999 and ISO/IEC Guide 7:1994.

1.2 This standard applies to packaged, self-contained fuel cell power systems or fuel cell power systems comprised of factory matched packages of integrated systems which generate electricity through electrochemical reactions.

1.3 This standard applies to:

• Systems intended for electrical connection to mains directly or with a transfer switch, or to a stand-alone power distribution system.



• Systems intended to provide AC or DC power.



• Systems with or without the ability to recover useful heat.



• Systems intended for operation on:
  
  
  • Hydrocarbon fuels
  
  
  • Hydrogen
  
  
  • Mixtures containing hydrogen gas
  
  
  • Carbon monoxide in the gaseous or liquid state.

• Portable fuel cell power systems
  
• Propulsion fuel cell power systems

• Fuel Processing System - Catalytic or chemical processing equipment plus associated heat exchanges and controls required to convert input fuel to a hydrogen rich stream for the fuel cell stacks.
  
  
• Oxidant Processing System - The system that meters, conditions, processes and may pressurize the incoming supply for use within the Fuel Cell Power System.
  
  
• Thermal Management System - Provides cooling and heat rejection to maintain thermal equilibrium within the Fuel Cell Power System, and may provide for the recovery of excess heat and assist in heating the power train during startup.
  
  
• Water Treatment System – Provides the treatment and purification of recovered or added water for use within the Fuel Cell Power Systems.
  
  
• Power Conditioning System – Equipment which is used to change voltage level or waveform or otherwise alter or regulate the output of the power source.
  
  
• Automatic Control System – The assembly of sensors, actuators, valves, switches and logic components that maintains the Fuel Cell Power System parameters within the manufacturer’s specified limits without manual intervention.
• Ventilation System – Provides, by mechanical means, air to a Fuel Cell Power System’s cabinet.
  
  
• Fuel Cell Module – The assembly of one or more fuel cell stacks, electrical connections for the power delivered by the stacks, and means for monitoring and/or control.
  
  
• Fuel Cell Stack – An assembly of cells, separators, cooling plates, manifolds and a supporting structure that electrochemically coverts, typically, hydrogen rich gas and air reactants to dc power, heat, water and other byproducts.