Decision support on membrane electrode assembly (MEA) production and factory concepts

Hydrogen production by the electrolysis of water using renewable energy is a key component of the energy transition toward carbon dioxide emission reduction. Therefore, electrolyzers are in increased demand and have to meet higher technical requirements. The most important component of an electrolyzer is the type of cell. The proton-exchange membrane (PEM) cell is the one that offers the most promise. Cell components and their materials are subject to volatile development conditions. In particular, various production technologies come to mind for producing assembled cells the so-called membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Currently, only small quantities are produced. To meet demand, production must be scaled up quickly. Nevertheless, high requirements are placed on the quality of the cells, since high-priced raw materials are used for PEM cells. Therefore, this paper presents a data-driven approach to assessing the appropriate production technology. First, general and specific requirements of a cell production scale-up are derived. Later, characteristics of suitable cell production technologies are extracted. By using a digital factory model, suitable for shop floor data, the basis for the conception and validation of possible production concepts is laid.