Optimization of components and assembling in a PEM electrolyzer stack

Abstract An optimization study of components and assembling characteristics for a proton exchange membrane (PEM) short stack electrolyzer (3 cells of 100 cm 2 geometrical area) was carried out. The electrochemical properties were investigated by polarization, impedance spectroscopy and chrono-potentiometric measurements. A decrease of the ohmic contact resistance between the bipolar plates and the electrode backing layer was obtained by using an appropriate thickness for the gas diffusion layers/current collectors as well as by an optimization of stack compression. The amount of H 2 produced was ∼90 l h −1 at 60 A (600 mA cm −2 ) and 75 °C under 300 W of applied electrical power. No significant leakage or gas recombination was observed. The stack electrical efficiency was 75% and 88%, at 60 A and 75 °C, with respect to the low and high heating value of hydrogen, respectively.

[1]  S. Grigoriev,et al.  Pure hydrogen production by PEM electrolysis for hydrogen energy , 2006 .

[2]  F. Walsh,et al.  Ionic Conductivity of an Extruded Nafion 1100 EW Series of Membranes , 2002 .

[3]  Claude Etievant,et al.  GenHyPEM: A research program on PEM water electrolysis supported by the European Commission , 2009 .

[4]  Pierre Millet,et al.  New solid polymer electrolyte composites for water electrolysis , 1989 .

[5]  V. Antonucci,et al.  Preparation and evaluation of RuO2–IrO2, IrO2–Pt and IrO2–Ta2O5 catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in an SPE electrolyzer , 2009 .

[6]  B. Børresen,et al.  Hydrogen evolution on RuxTi1−xO2 in 0.5 M H2SO4 , 2002 .

[7]  A. J. Peters,et al.  A semiempirical study of the temperature dependence of the anode charge transfer coefficient of a 6 kW PEM electrolyzer , 2008 .

[8]  Claude Etievant,et al.  Hydrogen safety aspects related to high-pressure polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis , 2009 .

[9]  V. Antonucci,et al.  High temperature operation of a composite membrane-based solid polymer electrolyte water electrolyser , 2008 .

[10]  M. Santarelli,et al.  Fitting regression model and experimental validation for a high-pressure PEM electrolyzer , 2009 .

[11]  Pierre Millet,et al.  Solid polymer electrolyte water electrolysis: electrocatalysis and long-term stability , 1994 .

[12]  R. Saxena,et al.  Thermo-chemical routes for hydrogen rich gas from biomass: A review , 2008 .

[13]  Giovanni Cerri,et al.  HYTHEC: An EC funded search for a long term massive hydrogen production route using solar and nuclear technologies , 2007 .

[14]  S. Bliznakov,et al.  Sputtered iridium oxide films as electrocatalysts for water splitting via PEM electrolysis , 2007 .

[15]  Pierre Millet,et al.  Design and performance of a solid polymer electrolyte water electrolyzer , 1996 .

[16]  S. Trasatti Electrocatalysis in the anodic evolution of oxygen and chlorine , 1984 .

[17]  A. Marshall,et al.  Preparation and characterisation of nanocrystalline IrxSn1−xO2 electrocatalytic powders , 2005 .

[18]  F. Barbir PEM electrolysis for production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources , 2005 .

[19]  Massimo Santarelli,et al.  Analysis of water transport in a high pressure PEM electrolyzer , 2010 .

[20]  M. Santarelli,et al.  Theoretical model and experimental analysis of a high pressure PEM water electrolyser for hydrogen production , 2009 .

[21]  Mario Conte,et al.  Hydrogen economy for a sustainable development: state-of-the-art and technological perspectives , 2001 .

[22]  S. Grigoriev,et al.  PEM water electrolyzers: From electrocatalysis to stack development , 2010 .

[23]  Pierre Millet,et al.  Preparation of new solid polymer electrolyte composites for water electrolysis , 1990 .

[24]  N. Briguglio,et al.  Electrochemical characterization of single cell and short stack PEM electrolyzers based on a nanosized IrO2 anode electrocatalyst , 2010 .

[25]  G. Ciccarella,et al.  Solid Polymer Electrolyte Water Electrolyser Based on Nafion‐TiO2 Composite Membrane for High Temperature Operation , 2009 .

[26]  V. Antonucci,et al.  Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of IrO2-RuO 2 electrocatalytic powders for oxygen evolution reaction , 2008 .

[27]  Sukhvinder P.S. Badwal,et al.  Stand-alone PEM water electrolysis system for fail safe operation with a renewable energy source , 2010 .

[28]  Vincenzo Antonucci,et al.  High Temperature Operation of a Solid Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Stack Based on a New Ionomer Membrane , 2009, ECS Transactions.

[29]  Pierre Millet,et al.  Optimization of porous current collectors for PEM water electrolysers , 2009 .