Hydrogen Cell Structural Health Monitoring: Experimental methods to define locations for integrated sensors

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) are widely assumed as a clean alternative energy source to fossil fuels, being expected to be a growing field in the future. Integrity assessment of these devices during operation is a critical parameter to ensure proper functioning and maximisation of overall efficiency. Commonly, hydrogen cells are assembled into multiple stacks to increase power generation capabilities. The assembly load can cause structural and physical conditions that impact key performance parameters such as water, reactants, electrons and heat transfer. In this context, the present work explores the application of different structural integrity assessment methods to monitor critical parameters and their most relevant monitoring locations. Through different experimental methods, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the behaviour of a commercial cell under operating conditions. Digital Image Correlation (DIC), thermographic imaging, thermocouples, and strain gauges were employed to monitor mechanical and thermal responses during short-term operation. The resulting data can also support numerical simulations, which is particularly valuable given the complexity of this use case.