Structural Analysis and Optimization of Electrochemical Hydrogen Compressor End Plate Using Taguchi Method and Gray Relational Analysis

The Electrochemical Hydrogen Compressor is an optimal device for compressing low-pressure hydrogen to high-pressure hydrogen. It has a similar structure to the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell but operates at extremely high pressures, requiring multiple cells sealed with End Plates. The End Plate design must provide initial cell activation support, withstand maximum operating pressure within the stack, and prevent internal gas leakage. This study applies a multi-objective optimization method and grey relation analysis to determine the optimal design parameters for the End Plate based on the activation area of Dummy Cells. Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the optimized End Plate design, considering the uniform pressure distribution with stacked Dummy Cells (1, 3, 6, 12). The analysis reveals that the parameters affecting the uniform pressure distribution include the End Plate design, stack sealing pressure, individual Cell design parameters, and the number of Cell stack layers.