Dynamic LCA of fuel cell-assisted bike in consideration of Pt catalyst degradation in various operating conditions

Abstract

Fuel cell (FC) systems have recently become increasingly popular in large applications, such as FC vehicles and stationary FC power systems for residences. The use of FC systems in smaller applications, such as electrically power-assisted bicycles and drones, is expected to expand. FC systems exert a low environmental impact during operation. However, in the future, the environmental impact during the manufacturing phase ought to be additionally considered. There is a concern that the sale of products may be restricted, if they fail to meet legal standards, such as the life cycle assessment (LCA) regulations in the EU countries. For instance, in TC 105 of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the technical specification of LCA methodology for a stationary FC co-generation system was issued. This study evaluates the abiotic depletion potential (ADP) in the manufacturing phase and global warming potential (GWP). As the platinum (Pt) catalyst of FC significantly impacts the environment, more than lithium and cobalt, used in conventional lithium-ion batteries, each FC application ought to be designed considering all life cycle stages, while optimizing performance product life. As a promising example, we analyzed the performance drop caused by Pt degradation during the use phase of the assisted bicycle. Moreover, the dynamic performance of the FC-assisted bikes with an FC device and the supplemental power source of a Li-ion battery were evaluated under various operating conditions.