Feasibility study of ultrasonic guided wave inspection of fuel cell plate welds

Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell is a division of Mercedes-Benz Canada and is responsible for Daimler’s global production of fuel cell stacks. Fuel cell stacks are currently seen as a prominent alternative to internal combustion engine in road cars. In the current design the fuel cell stack is assembled using a few hundred individual fuel cell plates. An individual fuel cell plate is made of two thin steel plates laser welded together. The laser welding process is used to hold the two steel plates together and more importantly to seal the network of water, air and hydrogen travelling inside the fuel cell plate. It is paramount that the water does not leak in the channels where air or hydrogen is travelling. Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell is currently unable to inspect the welds in a nondestructive manner.

Faculty Supervisor:

Pierre Bélanger

Student:

Partner:

Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing; Retail trade

University:

École de technologie supérieure

Program: