Electrolyzer cell stack system
First Claim
1. A balance-of-plant system, suited for regulating the operation of an electrolyzer cell stack having at least one electrolyzer cell having a first output port for a first reaction product and a second output port for a second reaction product, at least one of the first and second output ports being for supply of one of the reaction products as a gas for use, the balance-of-plant system comprising:
- a first pressure regulator for regulating a first pressure of the first reaction product; and
a pressure following device for regulating a second pressure of the second reaction product relative to the first pressure, the pressure following device consisting essentially of a dome-loaded pressure valve connected to the second output port,wherein flow of the second reaction product through the second output port is controlled by the dome-loaded pressure valve relative to the first pressure.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a balance-of-plant system and apparatus suited for regulating the operation of an electrolyzer cell stack. Specifically, in some embodiments, a balance-of-plant system and apparatus is operable to regulate the respective pressures of at least two reaction products relative to one another. Various examples are provided to demonstrate how the respective pressures of two reaction products can be regulated in relation to one another in a pressure following configuration, thereby regulating the pressure differential across an electrolyte layer according to aspects of different embodiments of the invention. Some of the examples provided also include design simplifications and alternatives that may reduce production costs of electrochemical cells configured according to aspects of different embodiments of the invention.
44 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A balance-of-plant system, suited for regulating the operation of an electrolyzer cell stack having at least one electrolyzer cell having a first output port for a first reaction product and a second output port for a second reaction product, at least one of the first and second output ports being for supply of one of the reaction products as a gas for use, the balance-of-plant system comprising:
-
a first pressure regulator for regulating a first pressure of the first reaction product; and a pressure following device for regulating a second pressure of the second reaction product relative to the first pressure, the pressure following device consisting essentially of a dome-loaded pressure valve connected to the second output port, wherein flow of the second reaction product through the second output port is controlled by the dome-loaded pressure valve relative to the first pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An electrochemical cell stack module comprising:
-
at least one electrochemical cell; a first output port for a first reaction product at a first pressure and a second output port for a second reaction product at a second pressure, at least one of the first and second output ports being for supply of one of the reaction products as a gas for use, wherein the first and second pressures are controllable; a first pressure regulator for regulating the first pressure of the first reaction product; and a pressure following device that is operable to control the second pressure relative to the first pressure, the pressure following device comprising a dome-loaded pressure valve connected to the second output port and having its dome fluidly connected to the first output port, wherein flow of the reaction product through the second output port is controlled by the dome-loaded pressure valve relative to the first pressure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. An electrolyzer cell module comprising:
-
an electrolyzer cell stack comprising a cathode outlet port and an anode outlet port; a hydrogen collection device connected to the cathode outlet port; an oxygen collection device connected to the anode outlet port; a first pressure regulator connected to one of the collection devices and configured to control a pressure within the one of the collection devices; and a pressure following device arranged between the collection devices, the pressure following device comprising a dome-loaded pressure valve configured to directly sense the pressure in the one of the collection devices and control a pressure within the other of the collection devices relative to the pressure within the one of the collection devices.
-
Specification