Electrolyzer cell stack system

• US 9,580,825 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rusta-Sallehy, Ali, Vale, Michael, Frank, David, Joos, Nathaniel Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkins, III, Harry D
• Application Number:
  US13/862,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20130228456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/04 by electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/00 Electrodes; Manufacture thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/02 Process control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/17 Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

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.

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;

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 pressure actuated valve connected to the second output port,

wherein the second pressure follows, and is changed only in response to, changes in the first pressure.

2. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second pressures correspond to pressures of hydrogen and oxygen, respectively, produced by the electrolyzer cell stack.

3. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 2, further comprising a hydrogen collection device, and wherein the first pressure regulator is configured to control the pressure of hydrogen within the hydrogen collection device.

4. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 3, further comprising an oxygen collection device, and wherein the pressure following device is located downstream of the oxygen collection device and connected in fluid communication with the hydrogen collection device such that the pressure activated valve is activated by the pressure of hydrogen collection device.

5. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 4, wherein the pressure actuated valve sets the pressure of oxygen relative to the pressure of hydrogen within the hydrogen collection device.

6. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 5, wherein the pressure actuated valve is configured as a negative bias pressure regulator, so that the pressure of oxygen is set lower than the pressure of hydrogen.

7. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 5, wherein the pressure actuated valve is configured as a positive bias pressure regulator, so that the pressure of oxygen is set higher than the pressure of hydrogen.

8. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second pressures correspond to pressures of oxygen and hydrogen, respectively, produced by the electrolyzer cell stack.

9. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 8, further comprising an oxygen collection device, and wherein the first pressure regulator is configured to control the pressure of oxygen within the oxygen collection device.

10. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 9, further comprising a hydrogen collection device, and wherein the pressure following device is located downstream of the hydrogen collection device and connected in fluid communication with the oxygen collection device such that the pressure actuated valve is actuated by the pressure of the oxygen collection device.

11. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 10, wherein the pressure actuated valve sets the pressure of hydrogen relative to the pressure of oxygen within the oxygen collection device.

12. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 11, wherein the pressure actuated valve is configured as a negative bias pressure regulator, so that the pressure of hydrogen is set lower than the pressure of oxygen.

13. The balance-of-plant system according to claim 11, wherein the pressure actuated valve is configured as a positive bias pressure regulator, so that the pressure of hydrogen is set higher than the pressure of oxygen.

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 consisting essentially of a pressure actuated valve connected to the second output port,

wherein the second pressure follows the first pressure at a predetermined positive or negative bias relative to the first pressure.

15. An electrochemical cell stack according to claim 14, wherein the at least one electrochemical cell is an electrolyzer cell and, the first pressure corresponds to hydrogen pressure and the second pressure corresponds to oxygen pressure.

16. An electrochemical cell stack according to claim 14, wherein the at least one electrochemical cell is an electrolyzer cell, and the first pressure corresponds to oxygen pressure and the second pressure corresponds to hydrogen pressure.

17. An electrolyzer cell stack according to claim 14, wherein the first pressure is set relative to the second pressure such that the second pressure is one of greater than and less than the first pressure.

18. The electrochemical cell stack according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first collection device for the first reaction product; and

a second collection device for the second reaction product.

19. The electrochemical cell stack according to claim 18, wherein the first pressure regulator is arranged to regulate the first pressure within the first collection device.

20. The electrochemical cell stack according to claim 19, wherein the pressure following device is located downstream of the second collection device and connected in fluid communication with the first collection device such that the pressure activated valve is activated by pressure in the first collection device.

21. The electrochemical cell stack according to claim 20, wherein the pressure actuated valve is configured as a negative bias pressure regulator, so that the second pressure is set lower than the first pressure.

22. The electrochemical cell stack according to claim 20, wherein the pressure actuated valve is configured as a positive bias pressure regulator, so that the second pressure is set higher than the first pressure.

23. An electrolyzer cell module comprising:

an electrolyzer cell stack comprising a cathode outlet port and an anode outlet port;

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 located downstream of the other collection, the pressure following device comprising a pressure actuated valve connected in fluid communication with the one of the collection devices so as to directly sense the pressure in the one of the collection devices and configured to follow only a pressure within the other of the collection devices.