ELECTROCHEMICAL SPEFC HYDROGEN COMPRESSOR

摘要

The invention disclosed relates to an apparatus and process for electrochemical compression of hydrogen. The apparatus comprises a membrane electrolyte cell assembly (MEA), including planar gas distribution plates sandwiching the MEA, the assembly being held together by end-plates, the end-plates having complementary peripheral grooves for seating an intervening seal between the end-plates and the MEA, the end-plate on the anode side further including a hydrogen supply inlet and the end-plate on the cathode side further including a compressed hydrogen outlet. Both single cell and multi-cell assemblies are disclosed. The multi-cell assemblies comprise a plurality of such single cells connected in series, such that the compressed hydrogen from the outlet of a first cell is connected to the hydrogen outlet of the next cell in series, where each cell is electrically isolated from the adjacent cell in the series. The process involves the electrochemical compression of hydrogen in such cells, whereby pressures of up to 12,000 psi are achieved by multi-cell assemblies.