An experimental analysis of PEMFC stack assembly using strain gage sensors

•Development of in-house sensors, based on strain gage technology.•The influence of the stack number of cells and the clamping method are investigated.•Increasing the stack number of cells raises the stack stiffness.•The end-plate deformation has been evaluated.•An analytical model has been proposed, validated by experimental results.

This work investigates the mechanical state of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) during its assembly, essential for the system efficiency. By the mean of strain gage sensors and optical measurements, the influence of the number of cells and the clamping method are investigated on stacks composed of 1–16 cells. Two different solicitations are applied: ideal and real assembly conditions. The ideal conditions reveal the effect of the number of cells on the stack properties whereas the end-plates deflection and deformations can inform us about the compression ratio distribution of the active layer of the cell (MEA) under real assembly conditions. The method proposed here can be incorporated in existing systems, and provide relevant informations to optimize the stack performance.