Universität Karlsruhe (UKARL)

The University of Karlsruhe (Universität Karlsruhe (TH)) is the oldest technical university in Germany and has about 1100 academic (and additional 950 paid by third party money) and 1200 technical and administrative staff members for a student population close to 16000 students. The IWE (Institute of Materials for electrical engineering) is an institute within the department of electrical engineering developing functional ceramics, as dielectrics, sensors and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. The SOFC research activities of the IWE are based on the planar SOFC stack development, which started in 1989 between Siemens Power Generation (KWU) and Siemens Corporate Research and Development in Munich and Erlangen. Since 1996 the IWE research is dedicated to the development, electrochemical characterization and modelling of advanced types of solid oxide fuel cells for stationary and mobile (APU) applications with respect to improved performance, efficiency and long term stability. More than 40 refereed publications were co-authored on these topics during the last 8 years. Since 1998 nano-scaled electrodes as well as electrolyte layers for high and intermediate temperature SOFC are investigated at UKARL within several national projects. Within these projects the applicability of nano-materials and structures for SOFC-applications was demonstrated. Next to the experimental work various modelling tools are developed and applied for a model supported design of materials, components and cells. Degradation mechanisms in fuel cells are modelled to design accelerated lifetime tests. Model based diagnosis tools are developed to monitor failures and degradation in fuel cell stacks and systems.