Small electrolysis chamber for hydrogen production by alkaline electrolyzed water

Abstract

The invention discloses an electrolysis chamber for hydrogen production through alkaline electrolysis of water, and relates to the technical field of hydrogen production through electrolysis of water. The device comprises a chamber body, and an anode plate, an anode electrode, an ion exchange membrane, a cathode electrode and a cathode plate which are arranged in an inner cavity of the chamber body, the chamber body comprises an anode tank body and a cathode tank body which are mutually sealed and buckled, and the anode tank body is provided with a plurality of anode liquid inlets and a plurality of anode liquid outlets; a plurality of cathode liquid inlets and a plurality of cathode liquid outlets are formed in the cathode tank body; the anode plate is mounted at the bottom of the anode electrolytic bath, a plurality of first supporting structures are formed on one side, far away from the bottom of the anode electrolytic bath, of the anode plate, and the anode electrode is connected to the other sides of the first supporting structures; the cathode plate is installed at the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell, a plurality of second supporting structures are formed on the side, away from the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell, of the cathode plate, and the cathode electrode is connected to the other sides of the second supporting structures. According to the invention, the distribution uniformity of the electrolyte in the small electrolysis chamber is improved, and the uniformity and efficiency of electrolysis reaction are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen production by water electrolysis, and more particularly to an electrolysis chamber for hydrogen production by alkaline water electrolysis. Background Art

[0002] Alkaline water electrolysis is a technology that produces hydrogen by electrolyzing water in an alkaline electrolyte. At present, in the field of alkaline water electrolysis, the flow state of the electrolyte in the electrolysis chamber in the traditional electrolyzer design is not flexible enough, and local concentration unevenness is prone to occur, which not only affects the rate of the electrolysis reaction, but also makes it difficult to further improve the output and purity of hydrogen. In addition, the electrolyte flow uniformity is poor, and concentration polarization is prone to occur, resulting in a large difference between the local reactant concentration on the electrode surface and the main electrolyte concentration, increasing the voltage requirement of the electrolysis process, increasing energy consumption, and increasing the cost of hydrogen production, thereby limiting its application in large-scale industrial production. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide an electrolysis chamber for hydrogen production by alkaline water electrolysis to effectively regulate the distribution of electrolyte in the electrolysis chamber, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of hydrogen production by alkaline water electrolysis, while reducing energy consumption, and realizing efficient and low-cost production of hydrogen.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] An electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline electrolysis of water comprises: a chamber body and an anode plate, an anode electrode, an ion exchange membrane, a cathode electrode and a cathode plate installed in a cavity of the chamber body;

[0006] The chamber body comprises an anode tank body and a cathode tank body which are interlocked with each other, wherein the anode tank body has an anode electrolytic cell, and two oppositely arranged side walls thereof are provided with a plurality of anode liquid inlets and a plurality of anode liquid outlets which are connected to the anode electrolytic cell; the cathode tank body has a cathode electrolytic cell which is arranged opposite to the anode electrolytic cell, and two oppositely arranged side walls thereof are provided with a plurality of cathode liquid inlets and a plurality of cathode liquid outlets which are connected to the cathode electrolytic cell;

[0007] The anode plate is installed at the bottom of the anode electrolytic cell, and a plurality of first support structures are formed on the side away from the bottom of the anode electrolytic cell, and the anode electrode is connected to the plurality of first support structures; the cathode plate is installed at the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell, and a plurality of second support structures are formed on the side away from the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell, and the cathode electrode is connected to the plurality of second support structures, and the ion exchange membrane is installed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode.

[0008] The beneficial effects that can be achieved by the present invention are as follows: the support structure is utilized to enable the electrolyte to flow along the gaps between the support structures after entering, thereby increasing the contact area between the electrolyte and the electrode, promoting the efficiency of charge transfer and material exchange, and being able to strengthen the disturbance of the electrolyte flow, thereby improving the uniformity of the electrolyte distribution in the electrolysis chamber, and improving the uniformity and efficiency of the electrolysis reaction. At the same time, according to the requirements of the structural size of the electrolysis chamber, a plurality of anode liquid inlets, anode liquid outlets, cathode liquid inlets and cathode liquid outlets are reasonably arranged, which can also enhance the uniformity of the electrolyte flow, ensure that it can stably flow into the electrolysis chamber and be stably discharged, and prevent the occurrence of local uneven concentration.

[0009] Preferably, the anode cell body and the cathode cell body are fixed by bolts.

[0010] Preferably, the outer diameter of the ion exchange membrane is larger than the diameter of the notch of the anode electrolytic cell and the diameter of the notch of the cathode electrolytic cell.

[0011] Preferably, it further comprises an anode sealing ring, the anode cell body is provided with an anode sealing groove on the outer peripheral side corresponding to the anode electrolytic cell, and the anode sealing ring is installed in the anode sealing groove and is sealed and connected to the ion exchange membrane.

[0012] Preferably, it further comprises a cathode sealing ring, wherein a cathode sealing groove is formed on the outer peripheral side of the cathode cell body corresponding to the anode electrolytic cell, and the cathode sealing ring is installed in the cathode sealing groove and is sealed and connected to the ion exchange membrane.

[0013] Preferably, the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are each provided with a plurality of through holes penetrating the plate surface thereof; and the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure are both arranged in a staggered manner with respect to the corresponding through holes.

[0014] Preferably, the first supporting structure and the second supporting structure are of the same structure, and both include a plurality of staggered protrusions.

[0015] Preferably, each of the protrusions includes a conical tube and a spherical cover, the large end of the conical tube is fixed to the anode plate and / or cathode plate, the open end of the spherical cover is fixed to the small end of the conical tube, and the plate surface of the anode plate and / or cathode plate is connected to the outer surface of the corresponding spherical cover.

[0016] Preferably, the spherical cover is connected to the anode electrode and / or the cathode electrode by roll welding.

[0017] Preferably, the number of the anode liquid inlet, the anode liquid outlet, the cathode liquid inlet and the cathode liquid outlet are the same.

[0018] It can be seen from the above technical solution that, compared with the prior art, the present invention discloses an electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. By setting up multiple liquid inlets and outlets, the uniformity of electrolyte distribution can be improved, thereby reducing concentration polarization, avoiding increased energy consumption, reducing electrolyte flow resistance, accelerating gas discharge, and improving hydrogen production efficiency.

[0020] 2. Staggered protrusions are provided on the anode plate and the cathode plate to support the electrodes and enhance the flow disturbance of the electrolyte inside the electrolytic cell, so that the temperature distribution inside the electrolytic cell is more uniform, the generation of large hydrogen and oxygen bubbles is reduced, and the influence of bubbles on the current density is reduced.

[0021] 3. The protrusion adopts the form of a combination of a conical cylinder and a spherical cover, which not only reduces its own weight, but also increases the contact area between the electrolyte and the anode plate and the electrode as a whole, thereby improving the conductivity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying creative work.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the anode cell provided by the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the anode plate provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of part A.

[0027] In the figure: 1, anode tank body, 11, anode electrolytic cell, 12, anode liquid inlet, 13, anode liquid outlet, 14, anode sealing groove, 15, anode terminal mounting groove, 2, cathode tank body, 21, cathode liquid inlet, 3, anode plate, 31, first supporting structure, 311, conical cylinder, 312, spherical cover, 4, anode electrode, 5, ion exchange membrane, 6, cathode electrode, 7, cathode plate, 71, second supporting structure, 8, anode sealing ring, 9, cathode sealing ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the terms "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0030] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0031] See also Figure 1-Figure 4 The embodiment of the present invention discloses an electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline electrolysis of water, comprising: a chamber body and an anode plate 3, an anode electrode 4, an ion exchange membrane 5, a cathode electrode 6 and a cathode plate 7 installed in the chamber body cavity;

[0032] The chamber body comprises an anode tank body 1 and a cathode tank body 2 which are interlocked with each other, wherein the anode tank body 1 comprises an anode electrolytic cell 11, and an anode liquid inlet tank and an anode liquid outlet tank are provided at both ends of the bottom of the anode electrolytic cell 11, and a plurality of anode liquid inlets 12 connected to the anode liquid inlet tank and a plurality of anode liquid outlets 13 connected to the anode liquid outlet tank are provided on two oppositely arranged side walls of the anode tank body 1; the cathode tank body 2 comprises a cathode electrolytic cell which is arranged opposite to the anode electrolytic cell 11, and a cathode liquid inlet tank and a cathode liquid outlet tank are provided at both ends of the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell, and a plurality of cathode liquid inlets 21 connected to the cathode liquid inlet tank and a plurality of cathode liquid outlets connected to the cathode liquid outlet tank are provided on two oppositely arranged side walls of the cathode tank body 2;

[0033] The anode plate 3 is installed at the bottom of the anode electrolytic cell 11 between the anode liquid inlet slot and the anode liquid outlet slot, and a plurality of first support structures 31 are formed on the side away from the bottom of the anode electrolytic cell 11, and the anode electrode 4 is connected to the plurality of first support structures 31; the cathode plate 7 is installed at the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell between the cathode liquid inlet slot and the cathode liquid outlet slot, and a plurality of second support structures 71 are formed on the side away from the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell, and the cathode electrode 6 is connected to the plurality of second support structures 71, and the ion exchange membrane 5 is installed between the anode electrode 4 and the cathode electrode 6.

[0034] This embodiment enhances the uniformity of electrolyte flow by providing multiple anode liquid inlets 12, anode liquid outlets 13, cathode liquid inlets 21 and cathode liquid outlets, ensuring that the electrolyte can stably flow into the electrolysis chamber and be stably discharged, thereby preventing the occurrence of local concentration unevenness. At the same time, the support structure is utilized so that the electrolyte can flow along the gaps between the support structures after entering, thereby increasing the contact area between the electrolyte and the electrode, promoting the efficiency of charge transfer and material exchange, and strengthening the disturbance of the electrolyte flow, thereby improving the uniformity of the electrolyte distribution in the electrolysis chamber and improving the uniformity and efficiency of the electrolysis reaction.

[0035] In a specific embodiment, the anode tank body 1 and the cathode tank body 2 are fixed by bolts to improve the fastening force of the connection between the two tank bodies, ensure the stability and integrity of the internal structure, provide solid and reliable physical support and structural guarantee for the smooth operation of the electrolytic reaction, and facilitate disassembly and maintenance.

[0036] In a specific embodiment, the outer diameter of the ion exchange membrane 5 is larger than the diameter of the notch of the anode electrolytic cell 11 and the diameter of the notch of the cathode electrolytic cell. The ion exchange membrane 5 is made of PPS material and can be pasted between the anode cell body 1 and the cathode cell body 2. With its good isolation performance, it allows the electrolytic ions to pass through while effectively preventing the mixing of hydrogen and oxygen, avoiding safety hazards and reduced reaction efficiency caused by gas mixing, and ensuring the independence and high efficiency of the cathode and cathode reactions.

[0037] In a specific embodiment, it also includes an anode sealing ring 8, and an anode sealing groove 14 is opened on the outer peripheral side of the anode electrolytic cell 11 of the anode tank body 1, and the anode sealing ring 8 is installed in the anode sealing groove 14 and is sealed and connected to the ion exchange membrane 5. It also includes a cathode sealing ring 9, and a cathode sealing groove is opened on the outer peripheral side of the cathode tank body 2 corresponding to the anode electrolytic cell 11, and the cathode sealing ring 9 is installed in the cathode sealing groove and is sealed and connected to the ion exchange membrane 5. The anode sealing ring 8 and the cathode sealing ring 9 are made of fluororubber, which effectively prevents leakage of the electrolyte by constructing a sealing barrier, thereby effectively ensuring the overall sealing of the electrolytic chamber and the stability of the reaction system, and ensuring that the electrolysis process is carried out in a controllable and safe environment.

[0038] In a specific embodiment, the anode electrode 4 and the cathode electrode 6 are each provided with a plurality of through holes arranged through the plate surface thereof; the first support structure 31 and the second support structure 71 are both staggered with the corresponding through holes, which is beneficial to promoting the flow of electrolyte and the discharge of gas from the liquid outlet to the outside.

[0039] In a specific embodiment, the first support structure 31 and the second support structure 71 have the same structure, and both include a plurality of staggered protrusions. The staggered arrangement of the protrusions enhances the flow disturbance of the electrolyte inside the electrolytic cell, makes the temperature distribution inside the electrolytic cell more uniform, reduces the generation of large hydrogen and oxygen bubbles, and thus reduces the influence of the bubbles on the current density.

[0040] In a specific embodiment, each protrusion includes a conical tube 311 and a spherical cover 312. The large end of the conical tube 311 is fixed to the anode plate 3 and / or the cathode plate 7, and the open end of the spherical cover 312 is fixed to the small end of the conical tube 311; the spherical cover 312 is connected to the anode electrode 4 and / or the cathode electrode 6 by roll welding. The protrusion is a conductor, so the contact area between the electrolyte and the electrode is increased by the protrusion, the conductivity is improved, the charge transfer and material exchange efficiency are promoted, and the electrolysis efficiency is improved.

[0041] In a specific embodiment, an anode terminal post mounting groove 15 is further provided in the anode electrolytic cell 11, and an anode terminal post mounting hole connected to the anode terminal post mounting groove 15 is provided in the anode cell body 1. The anode terminal post is installed in the anode terminal post mounting hole and is electrically connected to the anode plate 3 to supply power to the anode electrode 4; a cathode terminal post mounting groove is further provided in the cathode electrolytic cell, and a cathode terminal post mounting hole connected to the cathode terminal post mounting groove is provided in the cathode cell body 2. The cathode terminal post is installed in the cathode terminal post mounting hole and is electrically connected to the cathode plate 7 to supply power to the cathode electrode 6.

[0042] In a specific embodiment, the number of the anode liquid inlet 12, the anode liquid outlet 13, the cathode liquid inlet 21 and the cathode liquid outlet can be adjusted as needed. For example, the anode and the cathode can be set to different forms such as one inlet and one outlet, one inlet and two outlets, two inlets and one outlet, and two inlets and two outlets. In the optimal case, the number of liquid inlets is the same as the number of liquid outlets. At this time, the electrolyte flows the fastest, the exhaust speed is the fastest and the electrolysis efficiency is the highest.

[0043] In this specification, each embodiment is described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other. For the device disclosed in the embodiment, since it corresponds to the method disclosed in the embodiment, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the method part.

[0044] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention will not be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but rather to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis, characterized in that: include: A chamber body and an anode plate (3), an anode electrode (4), an ion exchange membrane (5), a cathode electrode (6) and a cathode plate (7) installed in the chamber body cavity; The chamber body comprises an anode cell body (1) and a cathode cell body (2) which are sealed and fastened to each other, the anode cell body (1) comprising an anode electrolytic cell (11), and two side walls thereof arranged opposite to each other are provided with a plurality of anode liquid inlets (12) and a plurality of anode liquid outlets (13) which are in communication with the anode electrolytic cell (11); the cathode cell body (2) comprises a cathode electrolytic cell arranged opposite to the anode electrolytic cell (11), and two side walls thereof arranged opposite to each other are provided with a plurality of cathode liquid inlets (21) and a plurality of cathode liquid outlets which are in communication with the cathode electrolytic cell; The anode plate (3) is mounted on the bottom of the anode electrolytic cell (11), and a plurality of first support structures (31) are formed on the side away from the bottom of the anode electrolytic cell (11), and the anode electrode (4) is connected to the plurality of first support structures (31); the cathode plate (7) is mounted on the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell, and a plurality of second support structures (71) are formed on the side away from the bottom of the cathode electrolytic cell, and the cathode electrode (6) is connected to the plurality of second support structures (71), and the ion exchange membrane (5) is mounted between the anode electrode (4) and the cathode electrode (6).

2. The electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anode tank body (1) and the cathode tank body (2) are fixed by bolts.

3. The electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the ion exchange membrane (5) is greater than the diameter of the slot opening of the anode electrolytic cell (11) and the diameter of the slot opening of the cathode electrolytic cell.

4. The electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes an anode sealing ring (8). The anode cell body (1) is provided with an anode sealing groove (14) on the outer peripheral side corresponding to the anode electrolytic cell (11). The anode sealing ring (8) is installed in the anode sealing groove (14) and is sealed and connected to the ion exchange membrane (5).

5. The electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a cathode sealing ring (9). The cathode cell body (2) is provided with a cathode sealing groove on the outer peripheral side corresponding to the anode electrolytic cell (11). The cathode sealing ring (9) is installed in the cathode sealing groove and is sealed and connected to the ion exchange membrane (5).

6. The electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anode electrode (4) and the cathode electrode (6) are both provided with a plurality of through holes which penetrate through the plate surfaces thereof; the first supporting structure (31) and the second supporting structure (71) are both arranged in a staggered manner with respect to the corresponding through holes.

7. The electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first supporting structure (31) and the second supporting structure (71) have the same structure, and both comprise a plurality of staggeredly arranged protrusions.

8. The electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to claim 7, characterized in that: Each of the protrusions comprises a conical tube (311) and a spherical cover (312); the large end of the conical tube (311) is fixed to the anode plate (3) and / or the cathode plate (7); the open end of the spherical cover (312) is fixed to the small end of the conical tube (311); and the plate surface of the anode plate (3) and / or the cathode plate (7) is connected to the outer surface of the corresponding spherical cover (312).

9. The electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to claim 8, characterized in that: The spherical cover (312) is connected to the anode electrode (4) and / or the cathode electrode (6) by means of roll welding.

10. An electrolysis chamber for producing hydrogen by alkaline water electrolysis according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The number of the anode liquid inlet (12), the anode liquid outlet (13), the cathode liquid inlet (21) and the cathode liquid outlet are all the same.

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