What?

• Design test to measure the load required to shear a compressed fuel cell stack
• Test must accomodate several stack designs, and any # of cells

How?

• designed 4 machined aluminum parts to mimic fuel cell end hardware while allowing a shear load to be applied to the center of the cell block
• Symmetrical design mitigates moments
• Design interfaces with INSTRON mechanical machine
• FEA to ensure flatness under compression
• LVDT & load cells to track cell displacement under load, and stack compression respectively

Results.

• Successfully measured load at point of shear, or the friction to be overcome before cells can slide
• Suggested mode of failure for high shock scenarios