Development of an electrochemical hydrogen compression cell for hydrogen purification
master's thesis, student project report, project report, diploma thesis

Hydrogen from chemical production or natural sources has a low purity and therefore significantly impacts the performance and service life of a fuel cell. The aim of this work is to develop a cell for the electrochemical compression (EHC) process based on fuel cell components, taking hydrogen purification into account. Starting with research into the current state of electrochemical compression and its operating conditions, a fuel cell design must be adapted to the EHC function. This involves considering both the pressure difference and a regeneration process for the cell. After the components have been manufactured internally, the functionality should be demonstrated on a test bench.

Focus of this work:

• State-of-the-art in fuel cells, hydrogen contamination, and electrochemical compression
• Conception and calculation of a cell for electrochemical compression
• Design and detailed construction of an EHC analysis cell
• Structure of the EHC analysis cell and functional demonstration on a test bench
• Summary and clear presentation of the results