Integrated Framework for Fuel Cell Based Auxiliary Power Units: from Fuel Processing and System Performance, to Health, Ecological Impacts and Life Cycle Analysis

Fuel cell based auxiliary power units (APUs) are devices meant to reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions when the vehicle engine is used for non-propulsion purposes (space conditioning/heating, refrigeration, lighting, etc.). An integrated framework has been developed in order to evaluate the trade-offs between cost effectiveness, efficiency and health & environmental impacts of fuel cell power systems considering various stages of the life cycle of the device. The analysis of these trade-offs has been carried out applying the multi-objective optimization technique. Life cycle assessment provided the cumulative impact resulting from all the stages of the product life. Through this analysis it was possible to demonstrate that life cycle emissions cannot be neglected in this study. However, even considering those emissions, the total amount of pollutant that is released is much less than in the case of idling of diesel engines.