Air Cooled PEM Fuel Cell Stacks in India

Products

HPFC-10 — Air Cooled PEM

Compact air cooled PEM fuel cell stack. 10W rated output. Lightweight, low hydrogen consumption — suited for portable and UAV applications.

Lead time: 4–8 weeks

Specifications

Rated Power10 W

No. of Cells10

Rated Current0–2.2 A

Voltage Range5–9.4 V DC

Hydrogen Consumption175 mL/min

Hydrogen Pressure0.5–0.6 bar

Hydrogen Purity>99.99%

Operating Temperature5–35 °C

Stack Dimensions70 × 51 × 49 mm

Weight280 g

What is an Air Cooled PEM Fuel Cell?

An air cooled PEM fuel cell stack generates electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen from ambient air across a proton exchange membrane. Hydrogen supplied at the anode is split into protons and electrons — protons cross the membrane to the cathode, electrons travel through the external circuit producing usable current, and at the cathode they recombine with oxygen from air to form water.

Air cooled stacks use the surrounding air for both oxidant supply and thermal management. At lower power ratings, passive convection is sufficient — at higher ratings, an integrated fan draws air across the stack for both reactant supply and cooling. This eliminates the need for a separate coolant circuit, coolant pump, radiator and associated plumbing — significantly simplifying system integration compared to liquid cooled stacks.

The HPFC series covers a wide power range — from compact 10W single-stack units for UAV and portable applications, through mid-range 100W–1kW stacks for backup power, remote energy systems and fuel cell test benches, to higher-power 3kW–20kW stacks for stationary power generation, hydrogen vehicle range extension and large-scale demonstration systems. All HPFC stacks require hydrogen at >99.99% purity and operate on standard ambient air — no oxygen supply required.

Applications

UAV and drone extended endurance power

Portable backup power systems

Fuel cell test bench power source

Remote and off-grid power generation

Hydrogen-powered bicycle and light mobility

Stationary power generation and demonstration

Educational and research fuel cell systems

Vehicle range extension and auxiliary power

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between air cooled and liquid cooled PEM fuel cells?

Air cooled stacks use ambient air for both the cathode oxidant supply and stack thermal management — no external coolant circuit is required. This makes them simpler to integrate and more suitable for compact or mobile applications. Liquid cooled stacks circulate a coolant through internal channels for thermal management, allowing sustained operation at higher power densities. For applications above 5kW requiring continuous duty, liquid cooling is typically preferred. For portable, UAV and low-to-mid power applications, air cooling is the practical choice.

What hydrogen purity do HPFC fuel cells require?

All HPFC air cooled fuel cell stacks require hydrogen at >99.99% purity (4N grade) at the inlet. Contaminants — particularly carbon monoxide, sulphur compounds and ammonia — poison the platinum catalyst in the MEA and cause irreversible performance loss. For applications where supply purity cannot be guaranteed, an inline purifier upstream of the stack is strongly recommended. Hydrogenergy supplies both PEM electrolyzer systems and purification equipment for complete hydrogen supply chains.

What hydrogen pressure is required at the stack inlet?

HPFC stacks typically require hydrogen at 0.35–0.6 bar gauge pressure at the inlet, depending on the series. This is a low-pressure requirement — standard pressure regulators downstream of a cylinder or electrolyzer outlet are sufficient. Never supply hydrogen above the rated inlet pressure. Consult the product datasheet for precise inlet pressure specifications for each model.

Do air cooled fuel cells need an external air supply?

No — air cooled HPFC stacks draw ambient air directly for the cathode reaction and cooling. No compressed air or oxygen supply is required. The stack must be installed in a well-ventilated location with unobstructed airflow to the cooling faces or fan inlet. Operating in enclosed spaces without adequate ventilation will cause thermal shutdown and reduce stack lifetime.

What electrical output does an HPFC stack produce?

HPFC stacks produce DC voltage output — the voltage range varies with load current and stack size. For example, the HPFC-100 operates at 10–18.4V DC across its current range, while the HPFC-10000 operates at 68–105V DC. A DC-DC converter or power conditioning unit is typically required to match the stack output to the load voltage. Output voltage drops as current increases — size the stack for your peak power requirement.

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