American manufacturer of heavy-duty, zero-emission engines Nuvera Fuel Cells is now using BASF’s polyphthalamide (PPA) Ultramid Advanced N to manufacture components in its latest generation of 45kW fuel cell engines.
BASF
Ultramid Advanced for today’s fuel cell technologies
Nuvera Fuel Cells uses BASF polyphthalamide (PPA) Ultramid® Advanced in several components of its new 45kW fuel cell engine, e.g. manifold and thermostat housing. Photo: BASF 2020
These will be integrated into transit buses and delivery vehicles in China over the next three years.
The components require stable material properties across varying temperatures. Ultramid Advanced N3HG6 shows excellent thermal and chemical resistance, outstanding mechanical properties, high impact strength, good dimensional stability and a stable long-term performance. As some of the components are exposed to a variety of media through the cooling water, air and hydrogen channels, the PPA compound based on PA9T combines excellent chemical resistance with meeting purity requirements.
Nuvera’s challenge for the E-45 fuel cell engine was to find a lightweight solution to convert various parts from die-cast aluminum and high-temperature hoses into high-performance plastics. For this, Ultramid Advanced N3HG6 provided the safety and quality of the engine parts.
Gus Block, Director of Marketing and Government Affairs at Nuvera, said: “In order to retain market share while meeting expanding regulatory requirements, vehicle manufacturers need to offer customers zero-emission options that are also practical to own, operate and maintain, while delivering the power needed to get the job done. Fuel cells are the best answer to meet these demands … With BASF’s PPA, its application knowhow and tailored technical services, we managed to lower the cost per unit compared to metal solutions.”
Jim Peet, Business Development Manager for PPA at BASF, added: “Especially the conditioned continuous use temperature demands were higher than typical plastics could deliver. With our expertise for plastic automotive components, along with our CAE support using Ultrasim and our extensive polyphthalamide portfolio, we were able to provide the appropriate material for the different fuel cell parts.”