US-12624464-B2 - Electrolysis device

US12624464B2US 12624464 B2US12624464 B2US 12624464B2US-12624464-B2

Abstract

An electrolysis device includes two electrolysis units, which each includes two end plates. The electrolysis units each includes an intermediate plate approximately or exactly in the middle between its end plates and each includes a stack of series-connected electrolysis cells between the intermediate plates and the end plates. Each stack of electrolysis cells includes two electrodes, at which an electrolysis liquid is partially electrolytically split, so that the remaining electrolysis liquid is admixed with a respective electrolysis gas in the area of the two electrodes after the electrolytic splitting. The end plates are electrically connected to one another at least in pairs. The electrolysis device includes a rectifier unit, which provides two potentials (P 1 , P 2 ) via two outputs, each output being electrically connected to one terminal of the intermediate plate of the one electrolysis unit and to one terminal of the intermediate plate of the other electrolysis unit.

Inventors

Gerd Becker
Christian Bergins
Torsten Gerhard BUDDENBERG

Assignees

PRIMETALS TECHNOLOGIES GERMANY GMBH
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230515
Priority Date: 20220518

Claims (11)

1 . An electrolysis device, wherein the electrolysis device comprises a first and a second electrolysis unit, wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit each comprises a first and a second end plate, wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit each includes a respective intermediate plate arranged between the respective first and the respective second end plate, wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit each includes a stack of electrolysis cells between the respective intermediate plate and each of the two respective end plates, wherein the electrolysis cells of each stack of electrolysis cells are electrically connected in series, wherein the electrolysis cells of each stack of electrolysis cells include a first electrode and a second electrode at which an electrolysis liquid is partially electrolytically split, so that the remaining electrolysis liquid is admixed after the electrolytic splitting with a first electrolysis gas in the area of the respective first electrode and with a second electrolysis gas in the area of the respective second electrode, wherein the first end plate of the first electrolysis unit and the first end plate of the second electrolysis unit are electrically connected to one another, wherein the second end plate of the first electrolysis unit and the second end plate of the second electrolysis unit are electrically connected to one another, wherein the electrolysis device includes a rectifier unit, which provides a first potential (P 1 ) via a first output and provides a second potential (P 2 ) via a second output, and wherein the first output of the rectifier unit is electrically connected to a terminal of the intermediate plate of the first electrolysis unit and the second output of the rectifier unit is electrically connected to a terminal of the intermediate plate of the second electrolysis unit.
2 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second end plate of the first and the second electrolysis unit are electrically connected to one another.
3 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first and the second end plate of the first and the second electrolysis unit are electrically grounded.
4 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the rectifier unit provides the first and the second potential (P 1 , P 2 ) without fixed reference to ground.
5 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a transformer unit is arranged upstream of the rectifier unit, via which the rectifier unit is supplied with the electrical energy required for its operation.
6 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second end plate of the first and the second electrolysis unit include media fittings for supplying the electrolysis liquid, for discharging the electrolysis liquid admixed with the first electrolysis gas, and for discharging the electrolysis liquid admixed with the second electrolysis gas.
7 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the intermediate plates do not include passages for the electrolysis liquid, so that the flow direction of the electrolysis liquid is reversed at the respective intermediate plate, or only include passages for the electrolysis liquid, but do not include passages for the electrolysis liquid admixed with the first electrolysis gas and the electrolysis liquid admixed with the second electrolysis gas, or include passages for both the electrolysis liquid and the electrolysis liquid admixed with the first electrolysis gas and the electrolysis liquid admixed with the second electrolysis gas.
8 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit are arranged adjacent to one another, so that the directions from the respective first end plate to the respective second end plate extend in parallel and, viewed in the mentioned directions, the first end plates are arranged at the same height and/or the second end plates are arranged at the same height.
9 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the rectifier unit, viewed in the direction from the respective first end plate to the respective second end plate of a respective electrolysis unit is located in front of the first end plates and, viewed orthogonally to the mentioned directions, is located in the area between the two sides of the two electrolysis units facing away from the respective other electrolysis unit.
10 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the terminal of the intermediate plate of the first electrolysis unit is arranged on the side of the first electrolysis unit facing toward the second electrolysis unit, and the terminal of the intermediate plate of the second electrolysis unit is arranged on the side of the second electrolysis unit facing toward the first electrolysis unit.
11 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rectifier unit includes transistors, for switching the first and the second potential (P 1 , P 2 ) at the first and the second output.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 22174135.8, filed May 18, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. TECHNOLOGICAL AREA The present invention is directed to an electrolysis device. PRIOR ART Electrolysis devices are known in various embodiments. Generally speaking, an electrolysis device comprises a number of electrolysis units. The number can be 1 or greater than 1. The electrolysis units each comprise a first and a second end plate. The electrolysis units often furthermore comprise an intermediate plate arranged between the first and the second end plate, sometimes also multiple intermediate plates. One of the intermediate plates can be arranged in the middle between the two end plates. The electrolysis units include a stack of electrolysis cells between each two plates—in this case these can alternatively be the two end plates, one end plate and one intermediate plate, or two intermediate plates—wherein the electrolysis cells of the respective stack are electrically connected in series. The electrolysis cells each include a first electrode and a second electrode, at which an electrolysis liquid is electrolytically split, so that the electrolysis liquid is admixed after the electrolytic splitting with a first electrolysis gas in the area of the respective first electrode and with a second electrolysis gas in the area of the respective second electrode. The electrolysis device furthermore includes a rectifier unit, which provides a first potential via a first output and a second potential via a second output. Multiple such electrolysis devices are known from US 2010/0 012 503 A1. The electrolysis devices known from US 2010/0 012 503 A1 each include a single electrolysis unit. In one of these electrolysis devices (hereinafter: prior art 1), the first end plate is connected to the first output, the second end plate to the second output. An intermediate plate, which is in turn grounded, is arranged between the two end plates. In another of these electrolysis devices (hereinafter: prior art 2), an intermediate plate is also provided. The intermediate plate is connected to the first output. The two end plates are connected to the second output and are grounded. In still another of these electrolysis devices (hereinafter: prior art 3), the two end plates are connected to the first output. An intermediate plate, which is connected to the second output and is grounded, is arranged between the two end plates. In still another of these electrolysis devices (hereinafter: prior art 4), in addition to the two end plates, a total of three intermediate plates are provided. The two end plates and the middle of the three intermediate plates are connected to the second output and are grounded. The two remaining intermediate plates are connected to the first output. In still another of these electrolysis devices (hereinafter: prior art 5), in addition to the two end plates, a total of two intermediate plates are provided. One end plate and one intermediate plate are connected to the first output. The other end plate and the other intermediate plate are connected to the second output and are grounded. The interconnection is such that the intermediate plate connected to the first output is located between the two plates connected to the second output and vice versa the intermediate plate connected to the second output is also located between the two plates connected to the first output. Furthermore, an electrolysis device (hereinafter: prior art 6) is also known, which comprises a first and a second electrolysis unit, wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit each comprise a first and a second end plate. In this electrolysis device, the electrolysis units do not include any intermediate plates, so that the stack of electrolysis cells extends from the first to the second end plate of the respective electrolysis unit. In this electrolysis device, the first end plate of the first electrolysis unit and the first end plate of the second electrolysis unit are electrically connected to one another and are grounded. The first output of the rectifier unit is connected to the second end plate of the first electrolysis unit, the second output of the rectifier unit is connected to the second end plate of the second electrolysis unit. Fittings for supplying and discharging electrolysis liquid (in the supply without electrolysis gas, in the discharge with one of the electrolysis gases in each case) are arranged in the area of the first end plates of the two electrolysis units. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION So-called renewable energies are required to a significant extent in the context of the energy transition. One possibility for the storage of renewable energies is the electrolysis of water from electrical energy generated by photovoltaics, wind power, or in another environmentally friendly way. In electrolysis, water is split int