Modularized electrolytic cell

Abstract

The invention discloses a modularized electrolytic cell, and belongs to the technical field of electrolytic hydrogen production. The electrolytic bath comprises a plurality of detachable electrolytic units, an anode chamber and a cathode chamber in each electrolytic unit are provided with independent tabs, liquid inlets and liquid outlets, the liquid inlets supply liquid through electromagnetic valves, and the tabs supply power through control switches; and the electromagnetic valve and the control switch are electrically connected to a central control unit. According to the design of the modularized electrolysis unit, flexible and accurate adjustment of power supply and liquid supply can be achieved, meanwhile, mounting and dismounting are convenient, and maintenance is easier and more convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen production by electrolyzing water, and more specifically to a modular electrolyzer. Background Art

[0002] At present, under the trend of the integrated development of renewable energy and electrolyzers, traditional electrolyzers have many drawbacks:

[0003] Poor control flexibility. Traditional electrolyzers mostly adopt centralized control and cannot perform refined independent regulation on individual electrolysis units. It is difficult to flexibly and precisely adjust their own operating states according to the supply changes of renewable energy and actual hydrogen production requirements, resulting in low energy utilization efficiency;

[0004] Low operation and maintenance efficiency. The integrated structure of the electrolysis unit requires the entire unit to be shut down for maintenance when a fault occurs, greatly increasing the maintenance cost and seriously restricting the large-scale application process of electrolytic hydrogen production technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, in order to at least partially solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a detachable modular electrolyzer, aiming to improve energy utilization efficiency, reduce ineffective utilization rate, and reduce maintenance costs through flexible control.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A modular electrolyzer includes a plurality of detachable electrolysis units. In each electrolysis unit, the anode chamber and the cathode chamber have independent earthing lugs, liquid inlets, and liquid outlets. The liquid inlets are supplied with liquid through solenoid valves, and the earthing lugs are powered through control switches; the solenoid valves and the control switches are electrically connected to a central control unit.

[0008] Preferably, an electrolytic solution is supplied to the liquid inlets of the anode chambers of all electrolysis units through an anode inlet pipe, and an electrolytic solution is supplied to the liquid inlets of the cathode chambers of all electrolysis units through a cathode inlet pipe;

[0009] The anode inlet pipe and the cathode inlet pipe are jointly connected to an alkali solution tank through an electrolytic solution circulation pump.

[0010] Preferably, the liquid outlets of each electrolysis unit are connected to an electrolytic solution outlet pipe through a gas-liquid separator;

[0011] The gas-liquid separator is used to separate the gas generated by the electrolysis reaction and the remaining electrolytic solution. The separated gas is discharged through a hydrogen outlet pipe and an oxygen outlet pipe respectively after secondary separation; the separated remaining electrolytic solution is transported to a circulation system through the electrolytic solution outlet pipe.

[0012] Preferably, in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber of the electrolysis unit, there are the same first grooves and second grooves,

[0013] Inside the first groove, nipples and electrodes matching its contour are arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside, so as to improve the electrolysis efficiency.

[0014] The second groove is located outside the first groove and is used for diaphragm limiting. The second groove in the anode chamber and the second groove in the cathode chamber form a diaphragm installation inner cavity through alignment.

[0015] Preferably, the caliber of the second groove is larger than that of the first groove.

[0016] Preferably, the outside of the second groove in the anode chamber has a triangular convex welding rib, and the outside of the second groove in the cathode chamber has a triangular concave welding rib matching the triangular convex welding rib;

[0017] Or the outside of the second groove in the anode chamber has a triangular concave welding rib, and the outside of the second groove in the cathode chamber has a triangular convex welding rib matching the triangular concave welding rib.

[0018] The outer contour of the triangular convex welding rib / triangular concave welding rib is larger than that of the second groove.

[0019] Preferably, the electrolysis unit integrates dual-redundancy sensors, including a current sensor, a voltage sensor, a temperature sensor, and a concentration sensor.

[0020] Preferably, the central control unit is used to judge whether there is an abnormality according to the data collected by the sensors, and adjust the operating parameters of the corresponding electrolysis unit through a solenoid valve or a control switch according to the degree of abnormality, or isolate the corresponding electrolysis unit and enable the standby electrolysis unit.

[0021] Preferably, the power supply modes of each electrolysis unit include energy storage power supply, wind-solar power supply, and grid power supply.

[0022] Preferably, the power supply mode is switched through the central control unit; the switching principles include:

[0023] When the wind-solar power generation is sufficient, the wind-solar power supply is preferably adopted, and if there is surplus power, it is stored in the energy storage system;

[0024] When the wind-solar power generation is insufficient, it is judged whether the grid is in the low electricity price period and the energy is sufficient. If so, the grid power supply is preferably adopted, otherwise the energy storage power supply is switched and called;

[0025] When the energy storage power is lower than the preset threshold, the hydrogen fuel cell is used for reverse power supply.

[0026] The present invention discloses a modular electrolytic cell. Compared with the prior art, the design of the modular electrolysis unit can realize flexible and precise adjustment of power supply and liquid supply, and at the same time is convenient for installation and disassembly, making maintenance more convenient.

[0027] In addition, through multi - energy collaborative power supply, this application can achieve full - load operation of all electrolysis cells, fully absorb and convert renewable energy, and flexibly and quickly adjust the operating state of the electrolyzer according to the supply of renewable energy, maximizing the hydrogen production and significantly improving the comprehensive energy efficiency ratio. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only the embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained according to the provided drawings without creative efforts.

[0029] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the electrolysis unit provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the electrolyzer provided by the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the electrolysis unit provided by the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0032] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] The embodiments of the present invention disclose a modular electrolyzer. The modular design and independent control function endow each electrolysis unit with the ability to operate and monitor independently. At the same time, the detachable structure design of the electrolysis unit can significantly reduce the equipment maintenance and replacement costs.

[0034] In some embodiments, the electrolysis unit includes an anode chamber and a cathode chamber. The outer shells of the anode chamber / cathode chamber are made of highly corrosion - resistant materials to provide reliable protection for the internal components.

[0035] At the same time, referring to Figure 1 , the same side of the anode chamber and the cathode chamber respectively has independent liquid outlets 1, ear tabs 3 and liquid inlets 5. As a preference, the liquid outlets 1, ear tabs 3 and liquid inlets 5 are located in the same plane of the outer shell of the anode chamber / cathode chamber;

[0036] Among them, the liquid outlet 1 is used to discharge the mixed liquid after the electrolysis reaction; the tab 3 is stably connected to the DC power supply in a series-parallel manner, and is used to conduct current to the electrode, so as to supply power to the electrolysis unit and ensure stable current input; the liquid inlet 5 is used to input the electrolyte into the electrolysis unit to ensure that the electrolyte concentration is maintained within the set range.

[0037] Furthermore, the liquid inlet 5 supplies liquid through the solenoid valve 4, and the tab 3 is powered through the control switch 2. The solenoid valve 4 works in coordination with the liquid inlet to dynamically adjust the electrolyte supply and effectively improve the electrolysis reaction efficiency; the control switch 2 is used to control the power input of the electrolysis unit according to instructions to control its on or off.

[0038] In a preferred solution, the solenoid valve 4 and the control switch 2 are electrically connected to the central control unit to achieve precise adjustment or shutdown of the power supply and liquid supply of the electrolysis unit through the central control unit, thereby avoiding ineffective consumption of the electrolyte, saving the electrolyte cost to the greatest extent, reducing the idling loss of the equipment, and extending the service life of the equipment.

[0039] This application supports the cluster control of more than 1000 electrolysis modules and is applicable to GW-level hydrogen production projects.

[0040] In some embodiments, the electrolytic cell structure formed by multiple electrolysis units refers to Figure 2 ;

[0041] In this embodiment, multiple electrolysis units are arranged side by side in rows and can be set in multiple rows according to requirements. At the same time, it is ensured that the tabs, liquid inlets and liquid outlets of each electrolysis unit are in the same plane, so as to facilitate the delivery of electrolyte to the liquid inlets of the anode chambers of all electrolysis units through the anode inlet pipe 6, and the delivery of electrolyte to the liquid inlets of the cathode chambers of all electrolysis units through the cathode inlet pipe 7;

[0042] In this embodiment, the anode inlet pipe 6 and the cathode inlet pipe 7 are further connected to the alkali tank 9 through the electrolyte circulation pump 8. The electrolyte circulation pump 8 is used to drive the electrolyte to circulate in the system to maintain uniform electrolyte concentration; the alkali tank 9 is used to store the supplementary alkaline electrolyte (such as KOH solution) to ensure stable electrolyte supply.

[0043] To further optimize the above technical solution, the liquid outlet 1 of each electrolysis unit is connected to the electrolyte outlet pipe 11 through the gas-liquid separator 10;

[0044] The gas-liquid separator 10 is used to separate the gas and the remaining electrolyte generated by the electrolysis reaction. After secondary separation, the separated gas is discharged through the hydrogen gas outlet pipe 12 and the oxygen gas outlet pipe 13 respectively. In this embodiment, the hydrogen gas is transported to the subsequent purification system to meet the requirements of industrial production for the purity of hydrogen gas, and the oxygen gas is safely discharged to the designated discharge device to ensure the safety of the production environment. The separated remaining electrolyte is transported to the circulation system through the electrolyte outlet pipe 11 to realize the recycling of the electrolyte.

[0045] Preferably, an electrolysis unit handle 14 is installed on the side of the electrolysis unit opposite to the plane where the liquid outlet 1, the tab 3, and the liquid inlet 5 are located, so as to facilitate the operation of the electrolysis unit during installation and maintenance.

[0046] The electrolytic cell of the present application realizes the efficient separation of gas and liquid through the gas-liquid separator, and the circulation pump and the liquid inlet pipe ensure the continuous and stable supply of the electrolyte. At the same time, the modular design of the electrolysis unit makes the installation, disassembly, and maintenance of the electrolytic cell more convenient. When a certain electrolysis module fails, the module can be repaired or replaced separately without shutting down the entire electrolytic cell for maintenance, which greatly shortens the maintenance time.

[0047] Whether it is a distributed energy hydrogen production project in remote areas or a large-scale centralized hydrogen production plant, the modular electrolytic cell of the present application can show good adaptability, providing strong support for the wide application and development of the hydrogen energy industry in different fields.

[0048] In some embodiments, the internal structure of the electrolysis unit refers to Figure 3 , in which the anode chamber and the cathode chamber have the same first groove 15 and second groove 16.

[0049] Inside the first groove 15, a nipple 17 and an electrode 18 matching its contour are arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside. The nipple 17 serves as an electrode contact point, which can ensure the uniform distribution of current to the electrode surface and improve the current conduction efficiency. The electrode 18 is made of a high-performance corrosion-resistant alloy (such as a nickel-based alloy) to significantly improve the durability of the electrode.

[0050] The second groove 16 is located outside the first groove 15 and is used for limiting the diaphragm 19. The diaphragm 19 is used to accurately separate the anode and cathode regions, thereby effectively preventing the mixing of hydrogen and oxygen gases and allowing ions to migrate smoothly.

[0051] In the present application, the second groove 16 in the anode chamber and the second groove 16 in the cathode chamber are combined to form an inner cavity to accommodate the diaphragm 19.

[0052] In this embodiment, the diameter of the second groove 16 is larger than that of the first groove 15 to ensure that the size of the diaphragm 19 is larger than that of the electrode, so as to achieve a better separation effect.

[0053] Further, on the outer side of the second groove 16 in the anode chamber, there is a triangular convex welding rib 20, and on the outer side of the second groove 16 in the cathode chamber, there is a triangular concave welding rib 21 that matches the triangular convex welding rib 20; or on the outer side of the second groove 16 in the anode chamber, there is a triangular concave welding rib 21, and on the outer side of the second groove 16 in the cathode chamber, there is a triangular convex welding rib 20 that matches the triangular concave welding rib 21. The outer contour of the triangular convex welding rib 20 / triangular concave welding rib 21 is larger than that of the second groove 16. This is used to enhance the structural stability of the anode chamber and the cathode chamber and effectively prevent the misalignment of the anode and cathode plates.

[0054] In this embodiment, the diaphragm can accurately separate the anode and cathode regions, and the ear and the nipple can cooperate to ensure efficient current conduction.

[0055] In some embodiments, the electrolysis unit integrates dual-redundancy sensors, including a current sensor, a voltage sensor, a temperature sensor, and a concentration sensor.

[0056] In this embodiment,

[0057] 1. Current sensor

[0058] Installation location: The current sensor is installed near the ear of the electrolysis unit, close to the connection between the electrode and the ear.

[0059] Installation method: Adopt a Hall effect sensor and directly embed it into the insulating layer of the ear to ensure that the sensor is in close contact with the current path; two current sensors are installed in each electrolysis unit, respectively on both sides of the ear, to achieve a redundant design; the sensors are connected to the central control unit through corrosion-resistant wires.

[0060] 2. Voltage sensor

[0061] Installation location: The voltage sensor is installed at both ends of the electrode of the electrolysis unit, close to the area where the electrode contacts the electrolyte.

[0062] Installation method: Adopt a high-precision voltage sensor and directly connect it in parallel at both ends of the electrode; two voltage sensors are installed in each electrolysis unit, respectively at both ends of the anode and cathode electrodes; the sensors are connected to the central control unit through a shielded cable to reduce electromagnetic interference.

[0063] 3. Temperature sensor

[0064] Installation location: The temperature sensor is installed in the electrolyte flow path of the electrolysis unit, close to the electrolysis reaction area.

[0065] Installation method: Use a thermocouple or a thermistor and embed it in the inner wall of the shell of the electrolysis unit to ensure that the sensor is in direct contact with the electrolyte; install two temperature sensors in each electrolysis unit, near the inlet and outlet of the electrolyte respectively; connect the sensors to the central control unit through high-temperature-resistant wires.

[0066] 4. Concentration sensor

[0067] Installation location: The concentration sensor is installed in the electrolyte flow path of the electrolysis unit, near the electrolysis reaction area.

[0068] Installation method: Use a conductivity sensor or an optical sensor and embed it in the inner wall of the shell of the electrolysis unit to ensure that the sensor is in direct contact with the electrolyte; install two concentration sensors in each electrolysis unit, near the inlet and outlet of the electrolyte respectively; connect the sensors to the central control unit through corrosion-resistant wires.

[0069] For each parameter (current, voltage, temperature, concentration) in this application, two sensors are equipped to ensure that when the main sensor fails, the backup sensor can immediately take over. At the same time, the central control unit compares the data of the two sensors in real time. If it is found that the data difference exceeds the preset threshold, it is determined that the main sensor is abnormal and automatically switches to the backup sensor.

[0070] The central control unit is used to judge whether the electrolysis unit is abnormal according to the key parameters such as current, voltage, temperature, and electrolyte concentration of the electrolysis module monitored by the sensors in real time. When the main sensor or the backup sensor is abnormal, the central control unit will trigger an alarm and record the fault information for subsequent maintenance. At the same time, according to the degree of abnormality, adjust the operating parameters of the corresponding electrolysis unit through the solenoid valve or the control switch, or isolate the corresponding electrolysis unit and enable the backup electrolysis unit, so as to effectively ensure the stable operation of the system, reduce the downtime caused by faults, and thus improve the production continuity and reliability.

[0071] In some embodiments, the power supply methods of each electrolysis unit include energy storage power supply, wind-solar power supply, and grid power supply.

[0072] The power supply method is switched through the central control unit; the switching principles include:

[0073] When the wind-solar power generation is sufficient, give priority to using wind-solar power supply, and if there is surplus power, store it in the energy storage system;

[0074] When the wind-solar power generation is insufficient, judge whether the grid is in the low electricity price period and the energy is sufficient. If so, preferably use grid power supply, otherwise switch to call energy storage power supply;

[0075] When the energy storage power is lower than the preset threshold, use the hydrogen fuel cell to supply power reversely.

[0076] In a specific embodiment, energy input is first carried out, and then it is judged whether the energy is sufficient. If the energy is sufficient, all electrolysis modules are started, and the excess electric energy is stored in the energy storage system; if the energy is insufficient, some modules are closed according to the preset, and the voltage and flow rate of the remaining modules are optimized;

[0077] Then it enters the operation monitoring stage, that is, according to the real-time acquisition data of the sensors, the central control unit judges whether there is an abnormality in the electrolysis unit. If an abnormality occurs in the electrolysis unit, an alarm is triggered and the parameters are automatically adjusted. Specifically, for the module with an abnormality during operation, it is judged whether the fault is serious. If the fault is serious, the faulty module is isolated and the standby module is enabled; if the fault is not serious, the module parameters are automatically adjusted. Then the operation monitoring continues.

[0078] For the multi-energy collaborative management, preferably, the present application uses the LSTM model to predict the wind-solar power generation and electricity price fluctuations, and makes decisions according to the predicted electricity price and energy conditions. Specifically, it includes:

[0079] If the wind-solar power generation is sufficient, the wind-solar power generation is preferentially utilized, and it is judged whether there is surplus electricity. If there is surplus electricity, it is stored in the composite energy storage system; when the power supply is insufficient, it is judged whether the electricity price is at the trough and whether the grid energy is sufficient. If it is satisfied, the grid power supply is preferentially used, and the surplus electric energy is used for hydrogen production and storage; if there is no surplus electricity, the energy storage power supply is called.

[0080] The present application further provides an emergency treatment method: after calling the energy storage power, check whether the energy storage power is less than 20%. If it is less than 20%, the hydrogen fuel cell is enabled to supply power for electrolysis; if it is not less than, the energy management continues.

[0081] Through the above power supply method, when the wind-solar resources are sufficient during the day, it is possible to realize the full-load operation of all electrolysis cells, fully absorb and convert renewable energy, and maximize the hydrogen production. At the same time, the excess electric energy is efficiently collected and stored in the energy storage system, effectively reducing the phenomenon of abandoned wind and abandoned electricity; at night or when the wind-solar resources are insufficient, the energy storage or grid power supply is used to continue to maintain production. When the energy supply is unstable or fluctuates, the system can quickly respond and timely adjust the working quantity and parameters of the electrolysis unit to ensure the stable progress of the hydrogen production process.

[0082] The multi-energy collaborative power supply mode provided by the present application can flexibly and quickly adjust the operation state of the electrolyzer according to the supply situation of renewable energy, and significantly improve the comprehensive energy efficiency ratio.

[0083] In the present specification, the various embodiments are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. For the same or similar parts among the various embodiments, reference can be made to each other. For the devices disclosed in the embodiments, since they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple. For the relevant parts, reference can be made to the description in the method part.

[0084] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to practice or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily 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 invention. Therefore, the present invention will not be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A modular electrolytic cell, characterized in that, It includes multiple detachable electrolysis units. In each electrolysis unit, the anode chamber and the cathode chamber have independent ear tabs, liquid inlets and liquid outlets. The liquid inlets are supplied with liquid through solenoid valves, and the ear tabs are powered through control switches. The solenoid valves and the control switches are electrically connected to the central control unit.

2. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrolyte is conveyed to the liquid inlets of the anode chambers of all electrolysis units through the anode liquid inlet pipe, and the electrolyte is conveyed to the liquid inlets of the cathode chambers of all electrolysis units through the cathode liquid inlet pipe. The anode liquid inlet pipe and the cathode liquid inlet pipe are jointly connected to the lye tank through an electrolyte circulation pump.

3. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid outlets of each electrolysis unit are connected to the electrolyte outlet pipe through a gas-liquid separator. The gas-liquid separator is used to separate the gas generated by the electrolysis reaction and the remaining electrolyte. The separated gas is discharged through the hydrogen outlet pipe and the oxygen outlet pipe respectively after secondary separation. The separated remaining electrolyte is conveyed to the circulation system through the electrolyte outlet pipe.

4. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein In the anode chamber and the cathode chamber of the electrolysis unit, there are the same first grooves and second grooves. Inside the first groove, there are nipples and electrodes that match its contour arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside. The second groove is located outside the first groove and is used for diaphragm limiting. The second groove in the anode chamber and the second groove in the cathode chamber form a diaphragm installation inner cavity through alignment.

5. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 4, characterized in that, The caliber of the second groove is larger than that of the first groove.

6. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 4, characterized in that, On the outside of the second groove in the anode chamber, there is a triangular convex welding rib, and on the outside of the second groove in the cathode chamber, there is a triangular concave welding rib that matches the triangular convex welding rib. Or on the outside of the second groove in the anode chamber, there is a triangular concave welding rib, and on the outside of the second groove in the cathode chamber, there is a triangular convex welding rib that matches the triangular concave welding rib.

7. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrolysis unit integrates dual-redundancy sensors, including a current sensor, a voltage sensor, a temperature sensor and a concentration sensor.

8. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 7, wherein The central control unit is used to judge whether it is abnormal according to the data collected by the sensors, and adjust the operation parameters of the corresponding electrolysis unit through the solenoid valve or the control switch according to the degree of abnormality, or isolate the corresponding electrolysis unit and enable the standby electrolysis unit.

9. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 1, wherein The power supply methods of each electrolysis unit include energy storage power supply, wind-solar power supply and grid power supply.

10. The modular electrolytic cell according to claim 9, wherein The power supply method is switched through the central control unit. The switching principles include: When the wind-solar power generation is sufficient, the wind-solar power supply is preferred, and if there is surplus power, it is stored in the energy storage system. When the wind-solar power generation is insufficient, it is judged whether the grid is in the low electricity price period and the energy is sufficient. If so, the grid power supply is preferably adopted, otherwise the energy storage power supply is switched and called. When the energy storage power is lower than the preset threshold, the hydrogen fuel cell is used for reverse power supply.

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