An insulating encapsulation gasket and an electrolytic cell including the same.
By designing an insulating encapsulation gasket and utilizing the elastic differences of different sealing components, an efficient seal is achieved for the metal frame of the alkaline electrolyzer, solving the electrolyzer leakage problem, improving hydrogen production safety and gas purity, and facilitating large-scale production.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NIGBO SINO TECH HYDROGEN MEMBRANE TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-03
Smart Images
Figure CN224453657U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of hydrogen energy technology, and relates to an insulating encapsulation gasket and an electrolytic cell including the gasket. Background Technology
[0002] With global climate change and escalating energy security concerns, hydrogen energy, as an efficient and environmentally friendly energy carrier, has become an important solution. Various countries internationally have implemented policies to promote hydrogen energy development, and my country has also clearly outlined a grand blueprint for the development of the hydrogen energy industry, aiming to achieve a green transformation of its energy structure. Electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen, as a clean and sustainable method, has significant advantages. Its pollution-free and zero-emission characteristics help address global warming, while its high compatibility with various renewable energy sources effectively solves the intermittency and unpredictability issues of renewable energy power generation.
[0003] Due to its high cost-effectiveness, alkaline hydrogen production is the mainstream technology and will remain so for a considerable period of time, occupying a large market share. However, alkaline hydrogen production, especially alkaline hydrogen production equipment with pressurized large metal electrode frames, is difficult to encapsulate, prone to alkaline leakage during use, and susceptible to hydrogen-oxygen cross-contamination, leading to potential safety issues.
[0004] Therefore, designing and developing an insulating encapsulation gasket is crucial for the hydrogen production field. Utility Model Content
[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide an insulating encapsulation gasket and an electrolytic cell including the gasket. This invention achieves sealing of the metal frame of the alkaline electrolytic cell through the design of the insulating encapsulation gasket, which is particularly beneficial for large-scale alkaline hydrogen production devices. This effectively prevents leakage from the electrolytic cell, improves the safety of alkaline hydrogen production, and has a simple structure. Specifically, by adding an insulating encapsulation gasket to the metal frame of the existing bipolar plate of the electrolytic cell, and utilizing the different elasticities of various sealing components, a more efficient and safer seal is achieved. It also helps improve the purity of process gases in medium- and high-pressure hydrogen equipment, facilitates fluctuating current hydrogen production, and effectively prevents alkaline leakage and issues related to gas purity in fluctuating power hydrogen production. It has significant application value and is suitable for large-scale industrial production.
[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an insulating encapsulation gasket, the insulating encapsulation gasket including a gasket body, the gasket body having an annular structure, a first annular sealing element being provided on one side surface of the gasket body, and a second annular sealing element and a third annular sealing element being sequentially provided on the other side surface of the gasket body along a direction away from the center of the gasket body.
[0008] The diameter of the second annular seal is smaller than the diameter of the first annular seal, and the diameter of the first annular seal is smaller than the diameter of the third annular seal.
[0009] In this invention, the metal frame of the alkaline electrolyzer is sealed through the design of an insulating encapsulation gasket. This is particularly beneficial for large-scale alkaline hydrogen production equipment, effectively preventing leakage from the electrolyzer and improving the safety of alkaline hydrogen production. The structure is simple; that is, by adding an insulating encapsulation gasket to the metal frame of the existing bipolar plate of the electrolyzer, and utilizing the different elasticities of various sealing components, a more efficient and safer seal is achieved. It also helps to improve the purity of process gases in medium and high-pressure hydrogen equipment, facilitates fluctuating current hydrogen production, and effectively prevents alkaline leakage and gas purity issues in fluctuating power hydrogen production. It has great application value and is suitable for large-scale industrial production. As a preferred technical solution of this invention, a first annular groove is provided on one side surface of the gasket body, which is used to fix the first annular sealing component.
[0010] As a preferred technical solution of this utility model, the depth of the first annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm, such as 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0011] As a preferred technical solution of this utility model, a second annular groove and a third annular groove are respectively provided on the other side surface of the gasket body. The second annular groove is used to fix the second annular seal, and the third annular groove is used to fix the third annular seal.
[0012] As a preferred technical solution of this utility model, the depth of the second annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm, such as 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0013] Furthermore, the depth of the third annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm, for example, 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0014] As a preferred technical solution of this utility model, the thickness of the gasket body is 2mm to 6mm, such as 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0015] As a preferred technical solution of this utility model, the thickness of the first annular seal is 1mm to 5mm, such as 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0016] As a preferred technical solution of this utility model, the thickness of the second annular seal is 1mm to 5mm, such as 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0017] As a preferred technical solution of this utility model, the thickness of the third annular seal is 1mm to 5mm, such as 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0018] Secondly, this utility model provides an electrolytic cell, which includes the insulating encapsulation gasket described in the first aspect.
[0019] However, this does not apply to all values listed; other unlisted values within the same range also apply.
[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0021] In this invention, the metal frame of the alkaline electrolyzer is sealed through the design of an insulating encapsulation gasket. This is particularly beneficial for large-scale alkaline hydrogen production devices, effectively preventing leakage from the electrolyzer and improving the safety of alkaline hydrogen production. The structure is simple; that is, by adding an insulating encapsulation gasket to the metal frame of the existing bipolar plate of the electrolyzer, and utilizing the different elasticities of different sealing components, a more efficient and safer seal is achieved. It also helps to improve the purity of process gases in medium and high pressure hydrogen equipment, facilitates fluctuating current hydrogen production, and effectively prevents alkaline leakage and gas purity issues in fluctuating power hydrogen production. It has great application value and is convenient for large-scale industrial production. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of one side surface of an insulating encapsulation gasket provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;
[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the other side surface of an insulating encapsulation gasket provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;
[0024] Figure 3 A side view of an insulating encapsulation gasket provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;
[0025] Wherein, 1-gasket body; 2-first annular seal; 3-second annular seal; 4-third annular seal. Detailed Implementation
[0026] It should be understood that in the description of this utility model, the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the convenience of describing this utility model and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.
[0027] It should be noted that, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.
[0028] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0029] In one specific embodiment, the present invention provides an insulating encapsulation gasket, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the insulating encapsulation gasket includes a gasket body 1, which has an annular structure. A first annular seal 2 is provided on one side surface of the gasket body 1, and a second annular seal 3 and a third annular seal 4 are sequentially provided on the other side surface of the gasket body 1 in a direction away from the center of the gasket body 1. The diameter of the second annular seal 3 is smaller than the diameter of the first annular seal 2, and the diameter of the first annular seal 2 is smaller than the diameter of the third annular seal 4.
[0030] It should be noted that the gasket body 1 in this utility model has insulating properties, a certain degree of elasticity, and good alkali resistance. The materials that can be selected include any one of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polysulfone (PSU), polyphenylene sulfone (PSSU), polyethersulfone (PES), etc., as well as composite materials of other organic and inorganic materials. The materials of the first annular seal 2, the second annular seal 3, and the third annular seal 4 can be the same or different. Specifically, any one or more combinations of materials such as EPDM rubber, fluororubber, natural rubber, polyvinyl chloride, and polyurethane can be selected. Based on the gasket body 1, the insulating encapsulation gasket composed of the first annular seal 2, the second annular seal 3, and the third annular seal 4 is pressed and adhered to the bipolar plate or end plate, which can realize the ethersulfone in the electrolytic cell and the chamber, effectively preventing the leakage of alkali solution or the leakage of alkali solution inside the chamber.
[0031] It should be noted that the ring shape of the first annular seal 2, the second annular seal 3 and the third annular seal 4 in this utility model can be varied, that is, the shape of its ring interface can be one of the following: circle, square, rectangle, ellipse, etc., and it is better to choose circle and ellipse.
[0032] It should be noted that the compression ratio of the gasket body 1 in this utility model can be 0% to 30%, which is conducive to achieving overall initial sealing and structural positioning; the compression ratio of the first annular seal 2, the second annular seal 3 and the third annular seal 4 can be between 10% and 40%, which is conducive to achieving further sealing and effectively solving the problems of leakage and internal leakage caused by thermal expansion and contraction and long-term use.
[0033] In one embodiment, a first annular groove is provided on one side surface of the gasket body 1, and the first annular groove is used to fix the first annular seal 2.
[0034] In one embodiment, the depth of the first annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm, for example, 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0035] In one embodiment, a second annular groove and a third annular groove are respectively provided on the other side surface of the gasket body 1. The second annular groove is used to fix the second annular seal 3, and the third annular groove is used to fix the third annular seal 4.
[0036] In one embodiment, the depth of the second annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm, for example, 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0037] In one embodiment, the depth of the third annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm, for example, 0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0038] In this invention, the depths of the first annular groove, the second annular groove, and the third annular groove are 0.5mm to 2.5mm because this range is conducive to achieving an effective long-term sealing effect; if it is not within this range, the sealing effect may be poor or the sealing strip may be subjected to excessive pressure.
[0039] In one embodiment, the thickness of the gasket body 1 is 2mm to 6mm, such as 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0040] In this invention, the thickness of the gasket body 1 is 2mm to 6mm because this range is conducive to achieving an effective long-term sealing effect; if it is not within this range, the sealing effect may be poor or the sealing strip may be subjected to excessive pressure.
[0041] In one embodiment, the thickness of the first annular seal 2 is 1mm to 5mm, such as 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0042] In one embodiment, the thickness of the second annular seal 3 is 1mm to 5mm, such as 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0043] In one embodiment, the thickness of the third annular seal 4 is 1 mm to 5 mm, such as 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, etc., but is not limited to the listed values. Other unlisted values within this range are also applicable.
[0044] In this invention, the thickness of the first annular seal 2, the second annular seal 3, and the third annular seal 4 is 1mm to 5mm because this range is conducive to achieving an effective long-term sealing effect; if it is not within this range, the sealing effect may be poor or the sealing strip may be subjected to excessive pressure.
[0045] In another specific embodiment, the present invention provides an electrolytic cell, the electrolytic cell including the above-mentioned insulating encapsulation gasket.
[0046] It should be noted that the structure of the electrolyzer in this utility model is not specifically limited here. Those skilled in the art can make adaptive adjustments according to actual conditions. Among them, the electrolyzer is the core equipment for hydrogen production by electrolysis of water, and its structural design directly affects the hydrogen production efficiency, safety and lifespan. The basic structure usually includes the following key parts: electrolytic cell (single cell) structure. The electrolyzer is usually composed of multiple electrolytic cells connected in series or parallel. The basic structure of each single cell includes: the anode where the oxidation reaction (OER, oxygen evolution reaction) occurs, usually using nickel-based materials (alkaline electrolyzer) or iridium / ruthenium oxide coating (PEM electrolyzer); the cathode where the reduction reaction (HER, hydrogen evolution reaction) occurs, commonly using nickel or platinum group metals (such as Pt / C); and a diaphragm. Alkaline electrolyzers use asbestos or porous polymer diaphragms (such as PPS) or composite diaphragms to prevent hydrogen and oxygen mixing while allowing OH- ion migration; PEM electrolyzers use perfluorosulfonic acid proton exchange membranes, which only allow H+ ions to migrate. + By preventing gas crosstalk, electrode support structures such as metal mesh or porous sintered plates ensure uniform current distribution and provide mechanical support.
[0047] Application Example 1
[0048] This application example provides an alkaline electrolytic cell employing an insulating encapsulation gasket, wherein:
[0049] The outer diameter of the metal bipolar plate is 1205mm (including the electrode frame size), the effective electrode size is 1067mm, the diaphragm size is 1107mm, and the frame is a standard nickel-plated stainless steel frame with steps for the diaphragm and electrodes.
[0050] In the insulating encapsulation gasket, the gasket body 1 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene composite material with a cross-sectional thickness of 3mm and a cross-sectional width of 5.3cm. The first annular seal 2, the second annular seal 3, and the third annular seal 4 are all made of perfluororubber material with a circular cross-section and a diameter of 1.5mm. The groove structure in the gasket body 1 that fixes the first annular seal 2, the second annular seal 3, and the third annular seal 4 has a depth of 1.0mm.
[0051] The electrolytic cell uses a composite diaphragm with a diaphragm thickness of approximately 500 μm. The cathode electrode uses Raney nickel loaded on a 46-mesh, 19-wire nickel mesh, while the anode uses a 46-mesh, 19-wire optical mesh. The flow channel structure is a stretched mesh with a thickness of 3.0 mm. At 85°C, with 28%–30% potassium hydroxide, the chamber voltage is 1.71 V, and the current density is >4000 A / m. 2 The hydrogen production pressure is 3.5 MPa.
[0052] When the above electrolyzer is running at full power, the oxygen purity is greater than 99.4% before purification and the hydrogen purity is greater than 99.8% before purification. When the power is at 15% load, the oxygen purity is greater than 99.1% before purification and the hydrogen purity is greater than 99.6% before purification.
[0053] The fuel cell stack in the electrolytic cell was subjected to 200 cycles of hot and cold shock (low temperature -30℃, high temperature 90℃) and 200 cold start-up cycles. During operation at full power and low load, the purity of the gas did not change significantly when it was not purified, and no leakage occurred.
[0054] In summary, this invention achieves sealing of the metal frame of an alkaline electrolyzer through the design of an insulating encapsulation gasket. This is particularly beneficial for large-scale alkaline hydrogen production devices, effectively preventing leakage from the electrolyzer and improving the safety of alkaline hydrogen production. The structure is simple; that is, by adding an insulating encapsulation gasket to the metal frame of the existing bipolar plate of the electrolyzer, and utilizing the different elasticities of various sealing components, a more efficient and safer seal is achieved. It also helps improve the purity of process gases in medium and high-pressure hydrogen equipment, facilitates fluctuating current hydrogen production, and effectively prevents alkaline leakage and issues related to gas purity in fluctuating power hydrogen production. It has significant application value and is suitable for large-scale industrial production.
[0055] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present utility model, but the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present utility model fall within the protection and disclosure scope of the present utility model.
Claims
1. An insulating encapsulation gasket, characterized by, The insulating encapsulation gasket includes a gasket body, which has an annular structure. A first annular seal is provided on one side surface of the gasket body, and a second annular seal and a third annular seal are sequentially provided on the other side surface of the gasket body in a direction away from the center of the gasket body. The diameter of the second annular seal is smaller than the diameter of the first annular seal, and the diameter of the first annular seal is smaller than the diameter of the third annular seal.
2. The insulating encapsulation pad of claim 1, wherein, A first annular groove is provided on one side surface of the gasket body, and the first annular groove is used to fix the first annular seal.
3. The insulating encapsulant gasket of claim 2, wherein, The depth of the first annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm.
4. The insulating encapsulant gasket of claim 1, wherein, The other side surface of the gasket body is provided with a second annular groove and a third annular groove, respectively. The second annular groove is used to fix the second annular seal, and the third annular groove is used to fix the third annular seal.
5. The insulating encapsulant gasket of claim 4, wherein, The depth of the second annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm; The depth of the third annular groove is 0.5mm to 2.5mm.
6. The insulating encapsulant gasket of claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the gasket body is 2mm to 6mm.
7. The insulating encapsulation gasket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the first annular seal is 1mm to 5mm.
8. The insulating encapsulant gasket of claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the second annular seal is 1mm to 5mm.
9. The insulating encapsulant gasket of claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the third annular seal is 1mm to 5mm.
10. An electrolytic cell characterized in that, The electrolytic cell includes the insulating encapsulation gasket as described in any one of claims 1-9.