CA2051859A1 - Process for operating a pressure electrolysis apparatus - Google Patents

Process for operating a pressure electrolysis apparatus

Info

Publication number
CA2051859A1
CA2051859A1 CA002051859A CA2051859A CA2051859A1 CA 2051859 A1 CA2051859 A1 CA 2051859A1 CA 002051859 A CA002051859 A CA 002051859A CA 2051859 A CA2051859 A CA 2051859A CA 2051859 A1 CA2051859 A1 CA 2051859A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
pressure
hydrogen
fluid
electrically non
electrolytic cell
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002051859A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Erhard Kliem
Reinhard Glatthaar
Alfred Kunz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Linde GmbH
Original Assignee
Erhard Kliem
Reinhard Glatthaar
Alfred Kunz
Linde Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Erhard Kliem, Reinhard Glatthaar, Alfred Kunz, Linde Aktiengesellschaft filed Critical Erhard Kliem
Publication of CA2051859A1 publication Critical patent/CA2051859A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25BELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B15/00Operating or servicing cells
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25BELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B1/00Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
    • C25B1/01Products
    • C25B1/02Hydrogen or oxygen
    • C25B1/04Hydrogen or oxygen by electrolysis of water
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25BELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B9/00Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
    • C25B9/05Pressure cells
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/36Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)
  • Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)
  • Polymers With Sulfur, Phosphorus Or Metals In The Main Chain (AREA)

Abstract

Summary In pressure electrolysis cell equipment, water is reduced to hydrogen and oxygen . The electrolytic cell block is contained in a pressure-resistant casing and is surrounded by an electrically non-conductive fluid which is maintained at the electrolytic operating pressure. Feed water and hydrogen are used as non-conductive fluids. Fluid pressure is controlled via the pressure of one or both product gases, e.g. via the pressure in the hydrogen separator. To set the starting temperature of the process, the fluid within the casing can be heated; during steady-state operation, indirect heat exchange results in cooling within the casing.

Description

20~18~9 Descri~tion Process for operating a pressure electrolysis apparatus The invention concerns a process for operating a pressure electrolysis apparatus for electrolyzing water by electric energy to generate hydrogen and nxy~en , whereby the electrolytic cell block contained in a pressure-resistant casing is surrounded by a fluid under pressure.

German application DE-OS 38 37 354 describes a process for operating a pressure electrolysis system. In that application, the electrolytic cell block, also called the reduction pot, is contained in a pressure casing and surrounded by a fluid under pressure. The fluid is always maintained at a higher pressure than the internal pressure of the reduction pot. This allows the construction design to be simplified relative to conventional pressure reduction pots, since uncontrolled escape of gases from the electrolytic cells can be effectively prevented.

A disadvantage of this process is nevertheless that the electrolytic cell block continues to be operated under a pressure differential. This limits the design to the use of materials impervious to pressure.
2 0 ~ 9 Objective of the present invention is to provide a process for the operation of pressure electrolysis equipment which avoids the disadvantages of the known state of the technology.

The invention resolves this task by having the electrolytic eell block surrounded by a non-conductive fluid which is maintained at the working pressure of the electrolytic process.

Analogous to the known state of the teehnology, the invention employs a pressure casing to contain the electrolytic eell bloek.
However, in contrast to the known process, the fluid surrounding the eleetrolytie eell bloek is maintained at the same pressure as within the actual reduction pot. By working under a pressure equilibrium, the invention obviates the electrolytic cell block having to withstand a pressure differential. Mechanical stress thus results only from the construction, such as in reduction pots of the filter press design. To prevent eseape of gases from the reduction pot, it is furthermore entirely sufficient to maintain a pressure equilibrium.

As a further development of the invention, it is proposed to use feed water or hydrogen as non-eonduetive fluids. When using hydrogen as fluid, the hydrogen produeed by the hydrogen electrolysis should preferably be utilized.
Under the invention, any electrically non-conductive and inert fluid is suitable, provided it requires no special measures to be taken concerning its corrosion behaviour relative to the reduction pot and/or the pressure-resistant casing. However, for hydrogen electrolysis it is nevertheless 20~18~9 especially advantageous to use feed water (totally desalinated water). The feed water is pumped up to the pressure in the electrolytic cell block and fed through the pressure tank before being mixed with the electrolytes separated from the product gases and routed to the water separation. Since this provides for a constant flow of feed water through the pressure-resistant casing, the reduction pot can be efficiently cooled. Additional cooling can be provided by cooling water in a heat exchanger installed in the pressure tank.

As a development of the invention, the pressure of the electrically non-conductive fluid is controlled via the pressure of one or both product gases.

The hydrogen and oxygen resulting as product gases from the hydrogen electrolysis are separated by the entrained electrolytes and are available at the working pressure of the hydrogen electrolysis. The pressure of the electrically non-conductive fluid can therefore be effectively controlled directly or indirectly via the product gas pressure. If e.g. feed water is used as fluid, the fluid level will be detected in one of the product gas/electrolyte separators, serving as a control signal for the fluid. If hydrogen is used as fluid, control is simplified by the fact that the interior space of the pressure tank is in direct contact with the hydrogen product. In this invention variant, pressure fluctuations in the reduction pot, which transmit as pressure fluctuations in the product gas separator, result in prompt and direct pressure equalization in the pressure tank.

2 0 ~

While, in accordance with the invention, direct pressure adjustment by means of the product hydrogen is very advantageous, one additional advantage results from the use of feed water as fluid. In the invented process, the feed water can be used as heat carrier medium.

As a development of the invention, heating the electrically non-conductive fluid for the start-up phase of the pressure electrolysis equipment can be accomplished by heating inside the pressure-resistant casing.

Raised temperature facilitates the electrolysis of water under pressure. To bring the electrolytic cell block to the start-up temperature required for the reaction, the feed water is heated directly within the pressure-resistant casing.

During steady-state operation of the electrolysis equipment, the feed water is preferably cooled within the casing by a heat exchanger. Cooling the feed water has a direct cooling effect on the reduction pot and avoids an unacceptable increase in its operating temperature.

The invented process here described is especially suited to the use of electrolytic cell blocks in the so-called filter press design which uses electrolytic cell frames made of non-pressure resistant materials. These materials which, although not impervious to pressure, are suitable for the construction of electrolytic cell blocks include ceramic materials and non-conductive synthetics.

2()~1859 The invented process is described and exemplified below in the schematic figures 1 and 2.

Figure 1 shows the invention variant using feed water as electrically non-conductive fluid. An electrolytic cell block 1, which reduces water to hydrogen and oxygen under pressure, is contained in a pressure tank 2, surrounded by an electrically non-conductive fluid 3. The resulting product gases are captured separately in the reduction pot and evacuated via conduits 4 and 5. In the separators Al and A2, entrained electrolyte is separated from the product gases. From separator Al, product hydrogen is drawn off through conduit 6 by means of a pressure-controlled valve. The oxygen generated is drawn off via separator A2 through conduit 7 by means of a level-controlled valve. The two separators are connected on the side of the separated fluid by communicating pipes. Leading from these pipes is conduit 9 through which separated electrolyte is returned to the electrolytic cell block, displaced by feed water for separation. For the purpose, the fluid is pumped up to the electrolytic working pressure and fed to the electrolytic cell block 1 via conduit 9'. The feed water for separation by the electrolysis is carried via conduit 10 and pumped up to the electrolytic working pressure by means of pump P2. Thereafter it surrounds the electrolytic cell block 1 as fluid 3 in the pressure-resistant casing 2. To equalize pressure fluctuations relative to the reduction pot working pressure, the product gas pressure as measured in the hydrogen separator Al is used to effect the pressure control. The fluid level in the hydrogen separator Al is provided to the pump P2 as control signal. After 20~18S9 the feed water has surrounded the reduction pot, it is evacuated from the pressure-resistant casing 2 via conduit 8 and mixed with the electrolytes in the ~xygen separator A2. At start-up, the heater E is used to heat the water to the operating temperature.
During steady-state operation, cooling is obtained by means of the heat exchanger W in order to evacuate heat released during electrolysis.

Figure 2 shows the invention variant using product hydrogen as electrically non-conductive fluid. The equipment design is herc similar to that in Figure 1, wherefore structural components have been assigned the same reference numbers. As fluid 3, product hydrogen is used. The interior of the pressure tank 2 is accordingly connected with the product gas conduit 6 via the feeder line 6a. Since pressure fluctuations in the reduction pot 1 lead to corresponding pressure fluctuations in the product gas, no indirect control is required. Cooling of the reduction pot 1 is here obtained by means of the heat exchangers W1 and W1 in the electrolyte/product gas separators A1 and A1.

Claims (4)

1. Process for operating a pressure electrolysis apparatus used to reduce water by means of electric energy into hydrogen and oxygen , wherein the electrolytic cell block inside a pressure-resistant casing is surrounded by a fluid under pressure; the process being characterized by the electrolytic cell block being surrounded by an electrically non-conductive fluid maintained at the working pressure used in the pressure electrolysis.
2. Process in accordance with claim 1, characterized by feed water being used as electrically non-conductive fluid.
3. Process in accordance with claim 1, characterized by hydrogen, preferably product hydrogen, being used as electrically non-conductive fluid.
4. Process in accordance with one of claims 1 through 3, characterized by the pressure of the electrically non-conductive fluid being controlled via the pressure of one or both product gases.
CA002051859A 1990-09-19 1991-09-19 Process for operating a pressure electrolysis apparatus Abandoned CA2051859A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DEP4029634.2 1990-09-19
DE4029634A DE4029634A1 (en) 1990-09-19 1990-09-19 METHOD FOR OPERATING A PRINT ELECTROLYSIS SYSTEM

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2051859A1 true CA2051859A1 (en) 1992-03-20

Family

ID=6414519

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002051859A Abandoned CA2051859A1 (en) 1990-09-19 1991-09-19 Process for operating a pressure electrolysis apparatus

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0478980B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE117382T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2051859A1 (en)
DE (2) DE4029634A1 (en)
NO (1) NO912877L (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5888361A (en) * 1996-05-08 1999-03-30 Shinko Pantec Co., Ltd. Apparatus for producing hydrogen and oxygen
WO2000070699A1 (en) * 1999-05-12 2000-11-23 Protegy Limited Energy production, storage and delivery system
US8057646B2 (en) 2004-12-07 2011-11-15 Hydrogenics Corporation Electrolyser and components therefor

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FI90569C (en) * 1992-08-31 1994-02-25 Neste Oy Electrolyser for hydrogen production
FI90568C (en) * 1992-08-31 1994-02-25 Neste Oy Electrolyser for hydrogen production
DE4418999C2 (en) * 1994-05-31 1996-04-11 Von Hoerner System Gmbh Pressure electrolyser with an encapsulated cell block made up of individual electrolysis cells
DE10150557C2 (en) 2001-10-15 2003-12-18 Mtu Friedrichshafen Gmbh Pressure electrolyzer and method for operating such
EP1473386A4 (en) * 2002-01-29 2005-04-06 Mitsubishi Corp High-pressure hydrogen producing apparatus and producing method
ES2343998B1 (en) * 2009-01-21 2011-06-17 Hydrogenworks, S.L. HYDROGEN GENERATOR.
DE102018213404A1 (en) * 2018-08-09 2020-02-13 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Electrolyser and method for operating an electrolyzer

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH153472A (en) * 1931-02-19 1932-03-31 Mentzel Alfred Electrolytic pressure decomposer.
DE755942C (en) * 1940-09-06 1954-02-01 Siemens & Halske A G Electrolytic production of hydrogen and oxygen in the pressure decomposer
US3652431A (en) * 1970-03-12 1972-03-28 Julian Louis Reynolds Method of operating an electrolysis cell for the production of gases under hydrostatic pressure
FR2608715B1 (en) * 1986-12-19 1989-12-01 Srti Soc Rech Tech Ind LIQUID LEAKAGE PREVENTION METHOD, AND DEVICE PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5888361A (en) * 1996-05-08 1999-03-30 Shinko Pantec Co., Ltd. Apparatus for producing hydrogen and oxygen
WO2000070699A1 (en) * 1999-05-12 2000-11-23 Protegy Limited Energy production, storage and delivery system
US6866835B1 (en) 1999-05-12 2005-03-15 Protegy Limited Energy production, storage and delivery system
US8057646B2 (en) 2004-12-07 2011-11-15 Hydrogenics Corporation Electrolyser and components therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0478980A1 (en) 1992-04-08
NO912877D0 (en) 1991-07-23
NO912877L (en) 1992-03-20
DE59104311D1 (en) 1995-03-02
EP0478980B1 (en) 1995-01-18
ATE117382T1 (en) 1995-02-15
DE4029634A1 (en) 1992-03-26

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued