Proton Exchange Membrane Stack Module (PSM)

Coffman was contracted to perform the review and design of a next generation modular hydrogen production platform that utilizes PEM electrolyzers to generate high purity hydrogen.

Coffman and Nel Hydrogen (Nel) studied the existing market and determined that a 10 MW platform was the right size for current market demand. Our project scope included a full balance of plant (BOP) design for a 10 MW (input power) electrolysis production system, system layout optimization, material and equipment selection, international regulatory and code compliance planning, and a novel fabrication plan to reduce cost and risk while minimizing delivery and installation time. The unit operations in our design included water purification systems, phase separators, process piping, pumps, instrumentation, heat exchangers, piping supports/skids, and power distribution systems. The basis of design (BOD) leverages our client’s electrolysis systems and cell stack models to bolster a practical but significant improvement that drives towards market leading cost, footprint, integration risk, and overall performance.

MARKET SHIFT

During the design process of the hydrogen production platform and the associated BOP, the market shifted extremely fast to a 100 MW scale due to the 45V and the Infrastructre Bill. In response, Nel refocused Coffman’s effort to package their cell stacks in a product to maximize flexibility for their customers.

The Coffman team refocused on product development and detailed design of what became the PEM Electrolyzer Stack Module (PSM) concept: a repeatable, modular design of eight electrolyzer stacks (10 MW input power per PSM) intended to be used as building blocks for hydrogen production via electrolysis at a previously unseen scale.

With the PSM detailed design significantly complete, Coffman is now advancing a BOP design for a 100 MW hydrogen production facility utilizing 10 PSMs as a central building block. The goal of the 100 MW “full facility” design is the same as the initial smaller facility design review: leverage Coffman’s engineering expertise paired with the client’s experiences with electrolysis and general engineering design to create a production facility design that meets client demands, has a market leading cost, footprint, low integration risk, and high overall performance.