Square modular alkaline electrolyzer without sealing structure

Abstract

The application discloses a square modular alkaline electrolytic cell without sealing structure, which comprises a frame and an electrolytic unit; a plurality of mounting cavities are arranged on the frame, and the electrolytic unit is mounted in the mounting cavities; the electrolytic unit comprises an anode plate, an anode electrode, a diaphragm, a cathode electrode and a cathode plate; the surfaces of the anode plate and the cathode plate are provided with electrolytic cavities; the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are arranged in the electrolytic cavities of the anode plate and the cathode plate respectively; the diaphragm is arranged between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode; the anode plate and the cathode plate are buckled to each other at one side provided with the electrolytic cavities, and the anode plate and the cathode plate are fused into an integrated whole by using a hot-press forming process; and the surfaces of the anode plate and the cathode plate are provided with liquid inlets and liquid outlets which are communicated with the electrolytic cavities. The electrolytic cell is good in sealing property and convenient to assemble.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electrolytic cells, in particular to a square modular alkaline electrolytic cell without sealing structure. BACKGROUND

[0002] The global energy pattern is undergoing profound changes today, and the environmental and sustainability problems caused by traditional fossil energy have prompted the development and utilization of clean energy to become the research focus of countries around the world. Water electrolysis hydrogen production technology has a broad prospect in many fields because it can produce high-purity hydrogen, and has attracted much attention. The technical level of alkaline electrolytic cell as a key equipment greatly affects the efficiency and economy of the hydrogen production industry.

[0003] However, the existing alkaline electrolytic cell technology has many limitations, mainly in the following aspects:

[0004] 1. Traditional alkaline electrolytic cells usually use bolt fastening and sealing ring sealing methods. This structure not only leads to a large electrolytic cell volume and weight increase, but also causes aging and leakage of sealing components due to long-term use, which seriously affects the reliability and safety of the equipment. In addition, the complex sealing structure increases the labor, material and time costs of production and manufacturing, and restricts the improvement of production efficiency.

[0005] 2. The assembly process of traditional alkaline electrolytic cells is complicated, the component connection method is poor, and the sealing performance is poor, which can easily cause gas leakage, electrolyte leakage and other problems. These defects not only increase the error probability and rework rate of assembly, but also bring great inconvenience to the maintenance and repair of the equipment, increase the maintenance cost and downtime, and reduce the availability of the equipment.

[0006] Therefore, it is an urgent problem for those skilled in the art to develop a square modular alkaline electrolytic cell without sealing structure with good sealing performance and convenient assembly. SUMMARY

[0007] Therefore, the present application provides a square modular alkaline electrolytic cell without sealing structure with good sealing performance and convenient assembly.

[0008] In order to achieve the above purpose, the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] A square modular alkaline electrolytic cell without sealing structure comprises:

[0010] a frame,

[0011] The electrolytic unit is installed in the mounting cavity of the frame, and the electrolytic unit comprises an anode plate, an anode electrode, a diaphragm, a cathode electrode and a cathode plate; the surfaces of the anode plate and the cathode plate are provided with electrolytic cavities; the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are arranged in the electrolytic cavities of the anode plate and the cathode plate respectively; the diaphragm is arranged between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode; one side of the anode plate and the cathode plate provided with the electrolytic cavities are buckled to each other, and the anode plate and the cathode plate are fused into one body by using a hot-press forming process; the surfaces of the anode plate and the cathode plate are provided with liquid inlet ports and liquid outlet ports which are in communication with the electrolytic cavities.

[0012] The beneficial effects of the above technical scheme are that, through buckling of the anode plate and the cathode plate and the hot-press forming process, the traditional sealing ring is not needed, the problems of aging and leakage of the sealing element are fundamentally solved, and the sealing property and reliability of the electrolytic cell under long-period operation are ensured; the modular design enables the electrolytic unit to be quickly installed and replaced, and the assembly difficulty and maintenance cost are reduced.

[0013] Preferably, the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are both provided with tabs, the anode plate and the cathode plate are provided with mounting grooves at positions corresponding to the tabs, and the tabs are arranged in the mounting grooves. The presence of the tabs ensures reliable connection of the electrodes with an external power supply, and the tabs are fixed in the mounting grooves, thereby further enhancing the stability of the connection and avoiding interruption or reduction of the electric energy transmission due to poor contact.

[0014] Preferably, the side wall opposite to the anode electrode or the cathode electrode of the electrolytic cavity is provided with a nipple. The presence of the nipple increases the contact area of the electrolyte with the electrode, optimizes the distribution and flow characteristics of the electrolyte, enables the electrolyte to more uniformly cover the electrode surface, and improves the uniformity of the electrolysis reaction. The nipple can effectively improve the electrolysis efficiency, reduce the energy loss in the electrolysis process, and improve the generation rate of hydrogen and oxygen by promoting the material exchange and charge transmission between the electrolyte and the electrode.

[0015] Preferably, the side surfaces of the buckled anode plate and cathode plate are respectively provided with positioning holes and positioning columns corresponding to each other, and the positioning columns and the positioning holes are inserted and connected when the anode plate and the cathode plate are buckled. The cooperation of the positioning holes and the positioning columns ensures the accurate alignment of the anode plate and the cathode plate during assembly, avoids problems such as poor sealing and electrolyte leakage caused by assembly errors, and improves the assembly precision and quality. The accurate positioning structure enables the anode plate and the cathode plate to be tightly combined during the hot-press forming process, enhances the structural stability of the entire electrolytic unit, and ensures that the electrolytic cell will not be loose or deformed during operation.

[0016] Preferably, the plurality of installation cavities are arranged in an array, and the ends of the installation cavities are provided with openings for installing electrolytic units, and the electrolytic units are provided with handles on one side of the opening ends of the installation cavities. The handles facilitate the installation and removal of the electrolytic units.

[0017] Preferably, the electrolytic tank is also provided with a liquid inlet pipe, which includes a main liquid inlet pipe and branch liquid inlet pipes, and the branch liquid inlet pipes are provided with flow valves for detecting the flow of the branch liquid inlet pipes and rotary switches for controlling the flow of the branch liquid inlet pipes at the connection positions of the branch liquid inlet pipes and the main liquid inlet pipe; and the plurality of liquid inlets are connected to the branch liquid inlet pipes. The flow valves and rotary switches provided on the branch liquid inlet pipes can accurately control the flow of electrolyte of each electrolytic unit, monitor the flow changes in real time, ensure the stability and reliability of the electrolyte supply, and further optimize the electrolysis process. The design of the liquid inlet pipe can flexibly adjust the flow distribution according to the number and arrangement of different electrolytic units, adapt to various operating conditions, and enhance the adaptability and flexibility of the electrolytic tank system.

[0018] Preferably, the liquid outlet is connected to a gas-liquid separator, and the gas-liquid separator is connected to a liquid outlet pipe and an exhaust pipe. The gas-liquid separator can effectively separate the gas and liquid generated by the electrolysis reaction, avoid pipe blockage or equipment damage caused by the mixture of gas and liquid, and improve the operating efficiency and safety of the electrolytic tank.

[0019] Preferably, the side walls of the anode plate and the cathode plate are provided with sliding grooves, the inner walls of the installation cavities are provided with sliding rails at positions corresponding to the sliding grooves, the sliding rails are further provided with moving buckles, and the sliding grooves are provided with clamping grooves corresponding to the moving buckles. The cooperation of the sliding grooves and the sliding rails provides a quick installation and replacement path for the electrolytic units, and the operator can easily push or pull the electrolytic units into or out of the installation cavities without the need for complex tools or operations, thereby improving the maintenance efficiency.

[0020] Preferably, the frame is provided with power sockets at positions corresponding to the tabs, and the power sockets include a fixed frame, a spring, and a terminal post; the fixed frame is embeddedly installed in the frame, the spring and the terminal post are located in the fixed frame, one end of the spring is connected to the fixed frame, the other end of the spring is connected to the terminal post, the tab is inserted between the two terminal posts, and the terminal post is connected to a wire. The spring plug-in design of the power socket can effectively solve the problems of poor contact and looseness that occur in the long-term use of traditional connection methods, ensure the stable power supply of the electrolytic unit, and improve the reliability of the electrical connection.

[0021] According to the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the present application provides a square modular alkaline electrolytic tank without a sealing structure, which has the following advantages:

[0022] (1) The buckle structure of the anode plate and the cathode plate is adopted, and the integrated sealing is realized through the hot-press forming process, so that the leakage problem caused by aging and wear of the traditional sealing ring is completely solved, the sealing performance and reliability of the electrolytic cell under long-period operation are ensured, and the safety of the equipment is improved;

[0023] (2) The modular design makes the installation and replacement of the electrolytic unit extremely convenient, the quick plug-in and plug-out of the electrolytic unit are realized through the chute, the slide rail, the moving buckle and the like, and the complex tools or operations are not needed. Meanwhile, the independent electrolytic unit design facilitates the local maintenance and fault checking, reduces the equipment downtime, and lowers the maintenance cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by the provided drawings without creative labor for those skilled in the art.

[0025] Figure 1 A structure schematic view of the electrolytic cell from one perspective is provided for the present application.

[0026] Figure 2 A structure schematic view of the electrolytic cell from another perspective is provided for the present application.

[0027] Figure 3 A side view of the electrolytic cell is provided for the present application.

[0028] Figure 4 A front view of the electrolytic cell is provided for the present application.

[0029] Figure 5 A rear view of the electrolytic cell is provided for the present application.

[0030] Figure 6 A structure explosion view of the electrolytic unit is provided for the present application.

[0031] Figure 7 A structure schematic view of one end of the electrolytic unit is provided for the present application.

[0032] Figure 8 A structure schematic view of the other end of the electrolytic unit is provided for the present application.

[0033] Figure 9 A structure schematic view of the mounting cavity is provided for the present application.

[0034] Figure 10 A structure schematic view of the connection position of the mounting cavity and the electrolytic unit is provided for the present application.

[0035] Figure 11 Structure diagram of the power supply socket provided by the present application;

[0036] Figure 12 Structure diagram of the power supply socket provided by the present application;

[0037] Figure 13 Structure diagram of the power supply socket provided by the present application Figure 12 Sectional view at A-A in the figure;

[0038] Figure 14 Several array arrangement modes of the electrolytic unit in the electrolytic cell provided by the present application.

[0039] In the figure,

[0040] 1-Frame;

[0041] 11-Sliding rail; 12-Moving buckle;

[0042] 13-Power supply socket;

[0043] 131-Fixed frame; 132-Spring; 133-Wire post;

[0044] 14-Knob;

[0045] 2-Electrolytic unit;

[0046] 21-Positive plate; 22-Positive electrode; 23-Separator; 24-Negative electrode; 25-Negative plate; 26-Electrolytic cavity; 27-Inlet; 28-Outlet; 29-Tab; 210-Mounting groove; 211-Milk convex; 212-Positioning hole; 213-Positioning column; 214-Inlet hole;

[0047] 3-Handle; 4-Total inlet pipe; 5-Branch inlet pipe; 6-Flow valve;

[0048] 7-Rotary switch; 8-Gas-liquid separator; 9-Outlet pipe; 10-Exhaust pipe; 011-Wire; 012-Fusion layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0050] The square modular alkaline electrolytic cell without sealing structure disclosed by the embodiments of the present application comprises:

[0051] Frame 1,

[0052] The electrolytic unit 2 is arranged on the frame 1 and is arranged in the mounting cavity; the electrolytic unit 2 comprises an anode plate 21, an anode electrode 22, a diaphragm 23, a cathode electrode 24 and a cathode plate 25; the surface of the anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 is provided with an electrolytic cavity 26; the anode electrode 22 and the cathode electrode 24 are arranged in the electrolytic cavity 26 of the anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 respectively; the diaphragm 23 is arranged between the anode electrode 22 and the cathode electrode 24; one side of the anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 provided with the electrolytic cavity 26 is buckled to each other, and the anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 are fused into one body by using a hot-press forming process; the surface of the anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 is provided with a liquid inlet 27 and a liquid outlet 28 which are communicated with the electrolytic cavity 26. The anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 are processed by the hot-press forming process, and a fusion layer 012 is formed at the connecting position.

[0053] The anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 are made of high-performance engineering plastics (such as PVC, PP, etc.), which have excellent thermoplasticity, high-temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, and are suitable for the operating environment of the electrolytic cell.

[0054] The anode electrode 22 and the cathode electrode 24 are made of special materials (such as new metal alloys or high-performance carbon materials) and are subjected to surface treatment (such as plasma spraying, deposition, etc.), so as to enhance the catalytic performance and durability of the electrodes and ensure that no material falls off during long-term operation.

[0055] The diaphragm is selected from high-performance composite ion exchange membranes, which have good ion conductivity and chemical stability, can effectively isolate hydrogen and oxygen, and prevent gas mixing.

[0056] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the anode electrode 22 and the cathode electrode 24 are provided with a tab 29, the anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 are provided with a mounting groove 210 at the position corresponding to the tab 29, and the tab 29 is arranged in the mounting groove 210.

[0057] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the side wall opposite to the anode electrode 22 or the cathode electrode 24 of the electrolytic cavity 26 is provided with a protrusion 211.

[0058] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the side surface of the buckled anode plate 21 and cathode plate 25 is respectively provided with a positioning hole 212 and a positioning column 213, and the positioning column 213 is inserted into the positioning hole 212 when the anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 are buckled. The inner wall of the electrolytic cavity 26 is also provided with a liquid inlet hole 214 which is communicated with the liquid inlet 27.

[0059] To further optimize the above technical solution, the plurality of installation cavities are arranged in an array, and the end of the installation cavity is provided with an opening for installing the electrolytic unit 2, and the electrolytic unit 2 is provided with a handle 3 on the side of the opening end of the installation cavity. The arrayed installation cavities can flexibly combine the number and arrangement of electrolytic units 2 according to actual needs, such as 1x1, 1x2, 1xn, 2x2, nxn and other forms, to adapt to the needs of different sites and production scales, and enhance the scalability of the equipment. The opening design at the end of the installation cavity makes it more convenient to install and replace the electrolytic unit, and the operator can directly insert or remove the electrolytic unit from the opening without disassembling other parts, improving the maintenance efficiency. By reasonably arranging the electrolytic units 2, the overall performance of the electrolytic cell can be optimized, the distribution of electrolyte between the electrolytic units 2 is more uniform, and the running efficiency and stability of the entire system are improved.

[0060] To further optimize the above technical solution, the electrolytic cell is also provided with a liquid inlet pipe, the liquid inlet pipe includes a total liquid inlet pipe 4 and a branch liquid inlet pipe 5, and the branch liquid inlet pipe 5 is provided with a flow valve 6 for detecting the flow of the branch liquid inlet pipe 5 and a rotary switch 7 for controlling the flow of the branch liquid inlet pipe 5 at the connection between the branch liquid inlet pipe 5 and the total liquid inlet pipe 4; and the plurality of liquid inlets 27 are connected with the branch liquid inlet pipe 5.

[0061] To further optimize the above technical solution, the rotary switch 7 can accurately control the flow of the electrolyte, avoid the reduction of electrolysis efficiency or damage to the equipment caused by excessive or insufficient flow, and improve the running stability and safety of the electrolytic cell. The rotary switch 7 adjusts the flow size by rotating, so that the operator can conveniently manually adjust the flow without the need for complex control equipment or tools, reducing the operation difficulty and cost and improving the ease of use of the equipment. The rotary switch 7 is an existing switch, as long as it can realize opening and closing and size adjustment by rotation.

[0062] To further optimize the above technical solution, the gas-liquid separator 8 is connected at the liquid outlet 28, and the gas-liquid separator 8 is connected with the liquid outlet pipe 9 and the exhaust pipe 10.

[0063] To further optimize the above technical solution, the side wall of the anode plate 21 and the cathode plate 25 is provided with a sliding groove 214, and the inner wall of the installation cavity is provided with a sliding rail 11 at the position corresponding to the sliding groove 214; the sliding rail 11 is further provided with a moving buckle 12, and the sliding groove 214 is provided with a clamping groove corresponding to the moving buckle 12. The position of the sliding rail 11 on the frame 1 is provided with a knob, and the lifting of the moving buckle 12 is controlled by twisting the knob 14. When the electrolytic unit 2 needs to be locked, the moving buckle 12 is extended and clamped in the clamping groove of the cathode plate 25 or the anode plate 21, and when the electrolytic unit 2 needs to be removed, the moving buckle 12 is retracted by rotating the knob 14.

[0064] In order to further optimize the above technical scheme, the position corresponding to the lug 29 on the frame 1 is provided with a power supply socket 13, and the power supply socket 13 comprises a fixed frame 131, a spring 132 and a terminal post 133; the fixed frame 131 is embeddedly installed in the frame 1, the spring 132 and the terminal post 133 are located in the fixed frame 131, one end of the spring 132 is connected with the fixed frame 131, the other end is connected with the terminal post 133, the lug 29 is inserted between the two terminal posts 133, and the terminal post 133 is connected with the wire 011.

[0065] The various embodiments in the specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the difference from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0066] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables a person skilled in the art to implement or use the present application. Various modifications to the embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application will not be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but will conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A non-sealed, modular square alkaline electrolytic cell, characterized in that, include: frame, An electrolysis unit is provided on the frame, and the electrolysis unit is installed in the mounting cavity; The electrolysis unit includes: an anode plate, an anode electrode, a diaphragm, a cathode electrode, and a cathode plate; electrolysis cavities are formed on the surfaces of both the anode plate and the cathode plate; the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are respectively disposed within the electrolysis cavities of the anode plate and the cathode plate; the diaphragm is placed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode; the sides of the anode plate and the cathode plate with electrolysis cavities are interlocked, and the anode plate and the cathode plate are fused together using a hot pressing process; the surfaces of both the anode plate and the cathode plate are provided with an inlet and an outlet that communicate with the electrolysis cavities. The mounting cavities are arranged in an array, and each mounting cavity has an opening at its end for mounting an electrolysis unit. The electrolysis unit has a handle on one side of the opening end of the mounting cavity. The electrolytic cell is also equipped with an inlet pipe, which includes a main inlet pipe and branch inlet pipes. A flow valve for detecting the flow rate of the branch inlet pipe and a rotary switch for controlling the flow rate of the branch inlet pipe are provided at the connection between the branch inlet pipe and the main inlet pipe. Multiple inlets are connected to the branch inlet pipes. The anode plate and cathode plate are provided with sliding grooves on their side walls, and the inner wall of the mounting cavity is provided with a slide rail at the position corresponding to the sliding groove; the slide rail is also provided with a movable buckle, and the sliding groove is provided with a slot that engages with the movable buckle.

2. The unsealed, modular square alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are provided with tabs. The anode plate and the cathode plate are provided with mounting grooves at positions corresponding to the tabs, and the tabs are placed in the mounting grooves.

3. The unsealed, modular square alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrolysis chamber has protrusions on the sidewall opposite to the anode or cathode electrode.

4. The unsealed, modular square alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anode plate and cathode plate are respectively provided with positioning holes and positioning posts on their interlocking sides. When the anode plate and cathode plate are interlocked, the positioning posts are inserted into the positioning holes.

5. The unsealed, modular square alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, A gas-liquid separator is connected to the liquid outlet, and the gas-liquid separator is connected to a liquid outlet pipe and a vent pipe.

6. The unsealed, modular square alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 2, characterized in that, A power socket is provided on the frame at a position corresponding to the electrode tab. The power socket includes a fixed frame, a spring, and a terminal block. The fixed frame is embedded in the frame. The spring and the terminal block are located inside the fixed frame. One end of the spring is connected to the fixed frame, and the other end is connected to the terminal block. The electrode tab is inserted between the two terminal blocks, and the terminal block is connected to a wire.

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