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CA-3206468-C - METHOD FOR SEALING AN ELECTROLYSIS CELL

CA3206468CCA 3206468 CCA3206468 CCA 3206468CCA-3206468-C

Abstract

A method for the sealing and electrical insulation of electrolysis cells is proposed, wherein an electrically insulating plastic is introduced into the sealing surface between the two half-cells of the device.

Inventors

  • WIEBKE LUKE

Assignees

  • WEW GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220119
Priority Date
20210211

Claims (9)

  1. 90529827 8 CLAIMS: 1. A method for the sealing and electrical insulation of electrolysis cells, comprising or consisting of the following steps: (a) providing an electrolysis cell containing or consisting of: (a1) two metallic half-cells, 5 which form the anode and cathode compartments, (a2) an anode and a cathode respectively arranged therein, (a3) a separator membrane, which separates the two electrodes from one another, and (a4) optionally spacers, which position the two electrodes in their respective 10 electrode compartments, (a5) wherein the two half-cells are separated from one another over their periphery by a gap, and (b) introducing an electrically insulating plastic into the sealing surface between the two half-cells, 15 characterized in that the sealing is carried out adhesively by thermal direct joining, bonding, hot-melt or lamination.
  2. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that half-cells that consist of stainless steel, nickel or titanium and corresponding alloys, which may also contain further extraneous metals are used. 20
  3. 3. The method as claimed in at least one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that electrically insulating plastics from the group of thermoplastics are used.
  4. 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that thermoplastics selected from the group consisting of perfluoroalkoxy polymers (PFA) and polyphenylene sulfides (PPS) are used. 25
  5. 5. The method as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the seal also encloses the ends of the separator membrane and fixes the latter in the cell.
  6. 6. The method as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that inlet and outlet connections are introduced into the join between the two half-cells.
  7. 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that welded spouts are used as inlet and 30 outlet connections.
  8. 8. An electrolysis cell comprising or consisting of (i) two metallic half-cells, which form the anode and cathode compartments, (ii) an anode and a cathode respectively arranged therein, 90529827 9 (iii) a separator membrane, which separates the two electrodes from one another, and (iv) optionally spacers, which position the two electrodes in their respective electrode compartments, (v) wherein the two half-cells are separated from one another over their periphery by a 5 gap, and (vi) the sealing surface between the two half-cells is adhesively bonded by thermal direct joining, bonding, hot-melt or lamination using an electrically insulating plastic.
  9. 9. The use of electrically insulating plastics selected from the group consisting of perfluoroalkoxy polymers (PFA) and polyphenylene sulfides (PPS) for the sealing and 10 electrical insulation of electrolysis cells.

Description

Method for Sealing an Electrolysis Cell FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 [0001] The invention concerns the field of electrolysis technology and relates to a method for the sealing and electrical insulation of electrolysis cells, to corresponding electrolysis cells and to the use of particular plastics for the sealing. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 10 [0002] An economy without greenhouse gases within the next 30 years - this is the stated aim of Europe in order to stop climate change. Renewable energies are intended to replace fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. In the course of the sustainable reconfiguration of the energy supply, hydrogen will play an important role. [0003] For clean mobility, the efficient supply of electricity and heat, as a buffer to 15 compensate for fluctuating renewable energies, as a basis for alternative fuels or as a process gas in industry - hydrogen is very versatile as energy carrier, can be used across sector boundaries, offers great synergy potentials and contains three times as great an energy density as gasoline in terms of mass. [0004] Sustainably and economically generated hydrogen is therefore a cornerstone for 20 greatly reducing the emission especially of the harmful greenhouse gas CO2 in the fields of energy, transportation and industry, and thereby combating climate change. The construction of a cross-sector hydrogen economy that is as global as possible at the same time opens up enormous opportunities for new technologies and business models, since the possibilities of using hydrogen are very widespread. For industry, hydrogen-powered gas turbines are 25 currently being researched. In fuel cells, it can be used for automobiles or buses. With hydrogen, it is possible not only to drive emission-free, but also, in contrast to electrically powered vehicles, to cover long distances and to refuel vehicles quickly. [0005] From environmental viewpoints, the production of hydrogen by electrolysis of water is of particular interest; the term "green hydrogen" is therefore also used in this context. The 30 method is carried out in coupled electrolysis cells, so-called electrolyzers, such as are also known from chloralkali electrolysis. Date Rei;:ue/Date Received 2023-06-23 RELEVANT PRIOR ART [0006] US 5,599,430 B (DOW) has already disclosed an electrolysis cell, which comprises a housing that contains at least one pair of electrodes, namely a cathode and an anode, a current collector and a membrane. It furthermore contains an electrically conductive, 5 hydraulically permeable resilient mattress, which is arranged substantially coplanar with the current collector, and touches it on one side, and likewise extends coplanar with an electrode and touches it on the other side. [0007] EP 1451389 B1 (UHDENORA) describes a current collector for electrochemical cells, consisting of a "sandwich" of compressible and resilient layers of metal wires, which imparts a 10 predetermined mechanical load under a broad compression range. [0008] EP 1766104 B1 (UHDENORA) relates to a conventional electrolysis cell having a sealing system consisting of individual elements, each of which contains two electrodes that are separated from one another by membranes, wherein the portion of inactive membrane surface is minimized by a flange so that the ratio between the flange surface of a semi-shell 15 and the active membrane surface can be set to less than 0.045. [0009] According to EP 1882758 A1 (TOAGOSEI), the resilient pressure in an electrolysis cell is transmitted with the aid of coils or wavy mats or resistive nickel alloys; the number of turns in the coils, or the number of layers placed above one another in the mats, increases stepwise from the top downward, so that a pressure profile that is at least similar to the hydrostatic 20 pressure increasing in the same direction on the anode side is ultimately set up. [0010] EP 2356266 B1 (UHDENORA) describes an electrolysis cell, which is provided with a separator and has a planar flexible cathode that is kept in contact with the separator by an elastic conductive element pressed by a current distributor. The cell furthermore contains an anode, which consists of a punched sheet or mesh supporting the separator. The cell may be 25 used in a modular arrangement to form an electrolyzer whose terminal cells are only connected to the electrical power supply. The electrical continuity between adjacent cells is assured by conductive contact strips, which are secured to the external anodic walls of the shells delimiting each cell, the stiffness of the cathode current distributor and of the anodic structure and the elasticity of the conductive element cooperate to maintain a uniform 30 cathode-to-separator contact with a homogeneous pressure distribution, while a suitable mechanical load of the contact strips is simultaneously ensured. By the use of the elastic element, damage to the electrodes is thus avoided. [0011] EP 2734658 B 1 (NEW N EL HYDROGEN) comprises a module fo