Start with the evidence you need
A hydrogen test rig should answer a defined engineering question. The starting point is the stack, the operating envelope and the measurements needed to assess its behaviour. Hy-7 brings process, electrical and controls engineering into the same design conversation, so that equipment choices follow the purpose of the test.
The scope covers fuel cell and electrolyser test rigs, balance of plant, process diagrams and assembly. The founder’s experience includes fuel cell test rigs and power systems spanning 2.5–200 kWnet at AFC Energy during 2020–2024, alongside earlier work on fuel cell materials and stacks. That background connects electrochemical behaviour with the practical systems surrounding the stack.
Connect the process and its interfaces
The design needs to describe reactant or feed supply, thermal management, pressure control and the routes through which fluids enter and leave the system. A PFD establishes the process arrangement. A P&ID connects that arrangement to instruments, valves and operating requirements. Mass and energy balances help define the loads that the equipment must accommodate.
Electrical diagrams and the control philosophy should develop alongside the process. A change to a pump, instrument or operating sequence can affect several disciplines. Treating these interfaces together helps the team understand what a design decision means for the complete rig.
Make measurement part of the design
Useful results depend on a clear measurement boundary. Stack output and complete system performance answer different questions, particularly when cooling, circulation and other auxiliary equipment consume energy. Instrument ranges, measurement locations and data collection need to follow the test objective.
Hy-7’s controls scope includes TwinCAT PLC, HMI and data acquisition. These connect the physical equipment with operating sequences and recorded evidence. Stack and materials work can include I-V, CV, LSV and EIS characterisation and MEA development, with methods selected to suit the question being investigated.
Take the rig through to handover
The approach is Scope → Design → Build → Test & hand over. Safety and documentation belong within that sequence, including HAZOP, risk assessment, COSHH and SOPs as appropriate to the work.
To discuss a rig, bring the stack requirements, proposed test matrix and known site constraints. These provide the basis for an engineering scope that connects the test objective, equipment, controls and documentation.