Hydrogen Revolution: Innovating Energy with Electrochemical Hydrogen Compression

Due to rapid socio-economic development, energy plays a fundamental role. Its constant supply is indispensable to ensure an adequate standard of living, currently met by non-renewable sources and close to exhaustion. In this scenario, hydrogen is very promising due to its ability to store large energy sources within its chemical bond and, unlike fossil fuels, is classified as a secondary energy carrier. Other forms of energy are needed for its production through electrolysis, to achieve a real energy transition. In this research work, a new type of compressor has been developed, whose operating principle is based on the fuel cells. This electrochemical device can be considered as an alternative method of hydrogen storage as it is able to compress low amounts of gas at high pressure. Given the low molecular weight of hydrogen and the desire to create stages with technically acceptable compression ratios, it is necessary to have very high peripheral speeds; this requires the choice of using materials with a high strength-to-specific gravity ratio. The methodology developed involves the absence of moving mechanical parts, the dimensional passivity of the machine and high efficiency.