Engineering Performance, Manufacturing Methods, and Capital Costs of Emerging Electrochemical Hydrogen Compression (EHC) Systems

摘要

This research applies a design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) methodology for estimating the engineering performance, manufacturing methods, and capital costs of new, emerging energy technologies to electrochemical hydrogen compression (EHC) systems. EHC systems have been demonstrated in laboratory prototypes but in the future could potentially replace or augment the capabilities of conventional mechanical hydrogen compressors in providing compressed hydrogen fuel (H2) to a future fuel cell vehicle fleet. Because any alternative compression technology would need to compete with the mature and widespread technology of mechanical compression, it is crucial to identify the performance, design, and manufacturing conditions needed to reduce the EHC costs to where they can compete. Thus, a DFMA-style analysis is applied to the cost to manufacture an EHC system, at varying hydrogen production rates (from 250 to 1,000 kilograms (kg) of H2/day) and varying levels of annual manufacturing production (between 500 and 5,000 EHC systems per year). The DFMA methodology applied includes four primary, sequential stages: (1) System Conceptual Design, (2) System Physical Design, (3) Cost Modeling, and (4) Continuous Improvement to Reduce Cost. Prototype developers of EHC systems have provided expert advice to this analysis effort, including Giner Electrochemical Systems Inc., Proton Onsite Inc., and FuelCell Energy Inc. The results of this DFMA analysis can help reveal key cost drivers for EHC and can help compare EHC with mechanical compression based on performance and cost, at similar manufacturing and H2 production rates.