U.S. automakers have invested significant resources in the research and development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs). However, to enable the widespread use of FCEVs, an additional major investment will be required to achieve an infrastructure for hydrogen compression in fueling stations. In order to dispense hydrogen to FCEV tanks quickly the hydrogen must be compressed to a minimum of 875 bar at the fueling station.

Giner ELX has identified the use of mechanical hydrogen compressors as a key impediment to commercializing and implementation of high-pressure hydrogen refueling systems. Mechanical compressors have a high capital cost, high maintenance costs, poor reliability, and are noisy. The compressed hydrogen produced by a mechanical compressor often contains small amounts of pump oil; this oil will degrade performance of fuel cells receiving the hydrogen. Most importantly, the cost of a failure in a single hydrogen compressor oil filtering system will be very high, as considerable consequential damages will be incurred in on-board vehicle gas storage and fuel-cell systems. To eliminate the need for a mechanical compressor, and any chance of catastrophic oil contamination, Giner ELX has extended its extensive experience in high-pressure hydrogen-selective proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) to develop an electrochemical hydrogen compressor (EHC) system for refueling applications that can deliver hydrogen at pressures of greater than 875 bar.

The concept demonstrates a cost-effective method for compressing hydrogen while eliminating the need for mechanical compressors. In addition, Giner ELX has demonstrated high efficiency through the use of an EHC stack that operates at high current density and utilizes a hydrogen selective PEM and integral water management membrane. The program leverages current work being conducted by Giner ELX to improve EHC efficiency and reduce EHC costs while simultaneously raising the pressure in PEM-based stacks to greater than 350 bar.