Assembly techniques for proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack: A literature review

The assembly of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a complex process. The joint action of the assembly load and the working temperature causes an uneven stress distribution among the components and produces a certain degree of deformation. In addition, the assembly process is often related to load transfer, material transfer, energy exchange, multi-phase flow and electrochemical reaction. At present, the manufacturing cost of fuel cells is extremely high, and assembly cost accounts for a large proportion. Assembly techniques with low efficiency and accuracy further increase manufacturing costs. Therefore, there is an urgent need for further research on stack assembly theory and techniques to improve stack assembly efficiency and reduce costs. Based on a survey of the literature, the research status of assembly load, assembly load optimisation, assembly mechanism, and automatic assembly are summarised. Based on comprehensive analyses, this review proposes the development trends of assembly key techniques for fuel cell stacks, and provides a helpful reference for researchers and producers. In the future, the research of assembly technique should pay more attention to the assembly load of fuel cell under on-line conditions and the joint influence of assembly load and other stresses. The assembly mechanism should be designed according to the application scenario of fuel cell and be more convenient to dynamically adjust the assembly load. The review also points out that automation is the development direction of assembly technique. The design, manufacture and assembly of fuel cells need to be better coordinated.