Launch of our first plug-&-play SOFC test lab

When Project Manager Antonella Tetro looks out the window of her office at Bosch’s Wernau location, she sees the immediate fruits of her entire team’s labor: a container. Yes, a container. “It’s what’s inside that counts,” Tetro laughs. Originally from Italy, she’s worked at Bosch since 2005 and takes interested visitors on a high-tech tour. She carries the key to the future right on her key ring. When she opens the steel door of the approximately 13-meter-long, 2.4-meter-deep, and 2.9-meter-tall structure, you can’t begin to guess what all the systems inside have to offer. When you enter the narrow passage that runs alongside the sophisticated black high-tech devices, the labels on the units tell you that it has something to do with some form of electricity and energy. “And it happens to be one of the most innovative forms,” the Project Manager proudly declares: “Fuel-cell technology.” Ten units, each in the performance class up to 10 kW, stand side by side. “In the fuel cell, an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen produces electricity for the factory here in Wernau. At this time, the system is still powered by natural gas that’s converted to hydrogen in a reformer,” Tetro explains. “In addition to electricity, heat is generated along with water. With the help of a heat exchanger, the result is hot service water that can be transferred to the heating system.” What may sound simple is the result of months of work in Wernau, all in the service of the fundamental conversion of energy systems to innovation and low-emission technologies.

For factories like the one in Wernau, access to a reliable, economical, and efficient electricity and heat supply is becoming increasingly important. “That’s where our SOFC is particularly impressive, because it has the potential to reduce our location’s carbon footprint, making it an important component in the energy transition,” Tetro says. A lot of her motivation comes from a desire to advance the transformation of our energy systems. “It all makes so much sense here,” says the trained mechatronics expert. She’s worked for Bosch in numerous positions around the world, chiefly in the automotive sector, the birthplace of fuel cell technology at Bosch. But the SOFC team also knows that it takes a lot of system knowledge to successfully position the product on the market. That’s why the pilot system simultaneously serves as an SOFC test lab in continuous operation. This means that with the support of an edge controller, all the data between the SOFC system and the rest of the infrastructure can be bundled at the interface and made available to a digital twin, where it can be further processed and analyzed. All the relevant measurement results are then incorporated in the ongoing development of the product. “For example, the CO sensor head is evaluated to determine the effects of the ambient temperature,” Wild says. The team is assisted by the digital twin: The entire system is digitally simulated on the computer, making it possible to monitor and analyze it in real time. “This allows us to continuously improve the overall SOFC product,” Tetro explains.