Swedish steel company Alleima will supply its Sanergy high-temperature pre-coated steel to Doosan Fuel Cell for its ramp-up to mass production of fuel cells for both maritime and stationary applications. The volume production is set to begin this year at a new manufacturing plant in Korea.
The Alleima material will be used for the interconnects, a key component in the fuel cell stacks. Alleima said in late January that it had received the order from Doosan which spans over two years for a total value of SEK 160 million. Deliveries were to start in the first quarter of 2025.
“We are pleased that Alleima has been given the opportunity to supply pre-coated material for use in interconnects with our unique mass production technique. Alleima provides material for a key component in the fuel cell industry, an end-market that aligns well with our growth strategy. We will through our innovations contribute and play an important role in the transition to more sustainable energy,” says Mikael Blazquez, EVP and Head of Strategy at Alleima.
“This order is important for the Surface Technology business unit at Alleima as it shows that we are a reliable and long-term key partner for Doosan Fuel Cell on their journey into a fossil free energy system. It feels great to be an enabler in the green transition with this new design of SOFC technology,” said Henrik Fintling, General Manager for Surface Technology at Alleima.
According to Alleima, as new stack designs for stationary power units can reduce operating temperatures to the 600 – 800°C range, alternatives to traditional ceramic plate materials can now be explored, leading to solutions like its Sanergy HT. By combining a resilient, low-cost substrate with a protective coating to avoid chromium (Cr) evaporation and resulting cell degradation, it is produced in the company’s state-of-the-art roll-to-roll coating line.
As well as streamlining the production process, Sanergy HT technology provides a multi-layered CeCo nanocoating to dramatically reduce CR evaporation from the plate due to its cobalt coating. The corrosion resistance properties of the interconnect are enhanced with the cerium coating. This can be seen in the smaller mass grain and a thinner Cr2O3 layer formation after long-term exposure of the material at 800°C.
Good adhesion of the coating enables the forming of the coated stainless strip steel to the desired interconnect shape. The self-healing properties of the coating ensure the same performance of Sanergy before and after forming. Any microscopic cracks introduced to the coating by forming heal and disappear completely during operation of the fuel cell. Ferritic stainless steel is used as the standard stainless steel for coating, however, other grades can also be used. For more info, see www.alleima.com and www.doosanfuelcell.com.
