StoneBridge & K-Syran - Starry Night

Dana Incorporated is applying its fuel cell expertise to designing and manufacturing composite and metallic bipolar plates for public transportation systems, such as eBus and hydrail applications. Developing and validating fuel-cell component solutions for emerging, environmentally friendly public transportation vehicles is another milestone in Dana’s efforts to enable the commercialization of fuel-cell applications.

Dana’s fuel-cell technologies and capabilities will be on display at Hannover Messe 2019, April 1-5 in Hannover, Germany.

Featuring integrated seals, Dana’s composite bipolar plate assemblies provide a reliable, high-performing, and cost-effective solution for efficient fuel-cell stacks.

The bipolar plate assemblies play an important role in a fuel-cell stack’s operation, working to evenly distribute hydrogen and air, conduct electrical current from cell to cell, and remove heat from the active area while preventing leakage of gases and water.

In addition, because there are hundreds to thousands of plates in large fuel-cell system—enough to power a train—they play an important role in system volume, weight, and cost. Through Dana’s flexible manufacturing process, the durable composite plates can be customized to meet the individual needs and requirements of each customer.

In addition to composite bipolar plates, Dana designs and manufactures metallic bipolar plates, another critical component for enhancing the performance of fuel-cell powered vehicles.

Manufactured with Dana’s patented integrated sealing technology and in-line conductive coating, the company’s ultra-thin metallic bipolar plates deliver superior power density, reliability, and durability, the company says.

Likewise, Dana’s plate manufacturing, which utilizes high-precision, high-speed stamping and sophisticated laser welding, aids in its ability to streamline production and offer customers a cost-effective product.

In addition to supplying its reliable bipolar plates to numerous customers, Dana has leveraged its fuel cell expertise to contribute to critical industry projects that are shaping the future of the fuel-cell market.

Dana is a member of the Autostack Industry (previously Autostack CORE) project, which is a joint initiative of the German automotive and supply industries and aims to provide the technical, economic, and technological basis for the commercial introduction of fuel cell vehicles in Germany and Europe by 2020. Dana is also a member of INSPIRE, a public-private partnership supporting research, technological development, and demonstration in fuel cell and hydrogen energy sectors in Europe.