(Received) – As part of its BALIS project, the German Aerospace Center has started building a test field on the Empfingen innovation campus, Baden-Württemberg. Fuel cell drives are to be developed and tested there for various modes of transport, including aircraft. The focus is on fuel cells with an output of around 1,5 megawatts. This would make it possible, for example, to develop a regional aircraft with 40 to 60 seats and a range of 1.000 kilometers, according to DLR.
The BALIS test infrastructure represents “the necessary overall system, i.e. the complete hardware and the necessary infrastructure”. This included the fuel cell system itself, the hydrogen tanks, electric motors and the control and regulation technology. 
The test field thus enables research and development work under a wide variety of applicable framework conditions, requirements and guidelines. In addition to setting up and operating the test field, the DLR is also developing and testing its own fuel cell system in the BALIS project, the researchers explain. “There is already great interest from business and we are in contact with large aircraft manufacturers, start-ups and manufacturers of components in the areas of fuel cells, electric motors, hydrogen tanks and power electronics,” said Karsten Lemmer, member of the DLR board and responsible for innovation, transfer and scientific infrastructures, on the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony.
Commissioning from 2023
The test field is being built on an area of around 2.000 square meters and is made up of seven specially designed laboratory containers. According to the information, the commissioning of the research infrastructure is expected to begin in autumn 2022 and will take around nine months. According to current planning, sub-areas for fuel cells and electric motors will be ready for use for the first research and development projects at the beginning of 2023. Testing of complete drives will be possible from 2024/2025. Around a handful of scientific and technical employees from the DLR Institute of Technical Thermodynamics will set up and operate the system.
BALIS is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) with 26 million euros as part of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP) and financed by the Energy and Climate Fund. The DLR is already represented on the innovation campus with the spin-off msquare and a research observatory that is scheduled to open in spring 2022. The program is coordinated by the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW) and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).
Photos
Laying the foundation stone for the BALIS test field © DLR
Graphic center
Structure of the BALIS test field © DLR
