Novel alkaline electrolytic bath

Abstract

The invention discloses a novel alkaline electrolytic cell which comprises a left end pressing plate, a right end pressing plate, a tensioning screw rod and a plurality of small electrolysis chambers, and each small electrolysis chamber is formed by stacking an electrodeless frame integrated stamping polar plate, a hydrogen side sealing gasket, a cathode electrode, a diaphragm, an anode electrode and an oxygen side sealing gasket; sealing waterlines and protruding structures are arranged on the two sides of the polar plates, the sealing waterlines are matched with the sealing gaskets to achieve sealing, and the protruding structures support the electrodes and optimize the reaction space; the left end pressing plate is respectively provided with a hydrogen side alkali liquor inlet, an oxygen side alkali liquor inlet, a drainage groove and a gas-liquid outlet, the right end pressing plate is provided with a drainage groove, and a hydrogen-oxygen side independent circulation channel is formed by combining a radial inflow / outflow channel of the sealing gasket and an axial hole of the polar plate, so that whole-course separation of alkali liquor and gas is realized. Through structure simplification and process optimization, the polar plate cost is reduced, the highest current density is improved to 1.5 A / cm or above, the hydrogen and oxygen purity reaches 99.95%, the system efficiency is improved by 15%-20%, and an efficient, safe and economical technical scheme is provided for hydrogen production from renewable energy sources.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen production by electrolysis of water, and in particular to a novel alkaline electrolyzer. Background Art

[0002] While alkaline water electrolysis has become a mainstream hydrogen production solution due to its cost advantages, it still faces challenges such as high energy consumption, low material utilization, bulky size, and poor adaptability to intermittent operation. Existing electrolyzer plates often utilize a split-electrode frame design, which is complex and costly to manufacture. Furthermore, the mixing and circulation of alkaline solution and gas on the hydrogen and oxygen sides can lead to a decrease in purity, compromising system safety. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an alkaline electrolyzer with a simplified structure, low cost, and the ability to achieve independent circulation of the hydrogen and oxygen sides. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a novel alkaline electrolytic cell, which solves the problems raised in the background art by means of a pole-less integral stamped plate, an optimized sealing structure and an independent circulation channel.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a novel alkaline electrolytic cell, comprising a left-end pressing plate, a right-end pressing plate, a tightening screw, at least one electrolysis chamber, and a negative electrode terminal plate and a positive electrode terminal plate disposed on the left-end pressing plate and the right-end pressing plate; The left end pressure plate and the right end pressure plate are connected by a tightening screw, and both are provided with a through hole to accommodate the tightening screw for tightening the components between the two; Each of the electrolysis cells is composed of two plates, one of which is shared by adjacent electrolysis cells, and a hydrogen side sealing gasket, a cathode electrode, a diaphragm, an anode electrode and an oxygen side sealing gasket are sequentially arranged between the two plates of each electrolysis cell; The hydrogen side sealing gasket is close to the left end pressure plate, and the oxygen side sealing gasket is close to the right end pressure plate; The electrode plate 2 is an integral stamped structure without a pole frame, with a thickness of 0.1 mm to 10 mm. A sealing waterline 18 and a protrusion structure 31 are provided on both sides thereof. The sealing waterline 18 cooperates with the hydrogen side sealing gasket 3 and the oxygen side sealing gasket 7 to achieve sealing. The protrusion structure 31 is used to support the cathode electrode 4 and the anode electrode 6 to form a hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution space. The left end pressing plate is provided with a hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet, a hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage trough, a first hydrogen and alkali liquid outlet and a second hydrogen and alkali liquid outlet, an oxygen side alkali liquid inlet, a first oxygen and alkali liquid outlet and a second oxygen and alkali liquid outlet, and the right end pressing plate is provided with an oxygen side alkali liquid drainage trough; The hydrogen side sealing gasket is provided with a radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet channel and a radial hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel, and the oxygen side sealing gasket is provided with a radial oxygen side alkali liquid inlet channel and a radial oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel; the radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet channel of the hydrogen side sealing gasket is connected with the axial alkali liquid hole of the electrode plate, and the hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage groove is connected with the radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet channel through the axial alkali liquid hole of the electrode plate; the radial oxygen side alkali liquid inlet channel of the oxygen side sealing gasket is connected with the axial alkali liquid hole of the electrode plate, and the oxygen side alkali liquid drainage groove is connected with the radial oxygen side alkali liquid inlet channel through the axial alkali liquid hole of the electrode plate; the hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel and the oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel are connected with the corresponding hydrogen and alkali liquid drainage groove and oxygen and alkali liquid drainage groove respectively through the axial hydrogen and alkali liquid hole and axial oxygen and alkali liquid hole of the electrode plate, thereby forming independent alkali liquid and gas circulation channels on the hydrogen side and the oxygen side to realize separation circulation.

[0005] Preferably, the hydrogen side circulation channel includes a hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet, a hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage groove, a radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet channel of the hydrogen side sealing gasket, an axial alkali liquid hole of the electrode plate, a hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel, a hydrogen and alkali liquid hole, a hydrogen and alkali liquid drainage groove, which are connected in sequence, and finally the hydrogen and alkali liquid are discharged through the first outlet and the second outlet.

[0006] Preferably, the oxygen side circulation channel includes an oxygen side alkali liquid inlet, an oxygen side alkali liquid drainage groove, a radial oxygen side alkali liquid inflow channel of the oxygen side sealing gasket, an axial alkali liquid hole of the electrode plate, an oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel, an oxygen and alkali liquid hole, an oxygen and alkali liquid drainage groove, which are connected in sequence, and finally the oxygen and alkali liquid are discharged through the first outlet and the second outlet.

[0007] Preferably, the protrusion structure of the electrode plate is a grid-shaped or strip-shaped protrusion formed by stamping, which is used to fix the distance between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode and optimize the gas-liquid flow path of the electrolysis reaction.

[0008] Preferably, the diaphragm is a porous ceramic or composite polymer material with a pore size ranging from 10 μm to 200 μm, which is used to block the mixing of hydrogen and oxygen gases and allow ion conduction.

[0009] The working process of the present invention is: When the electrolyzer is started, the positive and negative terminals of the external DC power supply are connected to the positive terminal block on the right and negative terminals on the left pressure plate, respectively. A 30% KOH solution is injected into the electrolyzer, entering the hydrogen and oxygen circulation channels through the hydrogen and oxygen inlets on the left pressure plate, respectively. The hydrogen solution is guided through the hydrogen drainage trough, through the radial hydrogen flow channels of the hydrogen gasket, and through the axial flow holes in the electrode plates, into the electrolysis chamber. The oxygen solution then flows through the oxygen drainage trough, the radial oxygen flow channels of the oxygen gasket, and the axial flow holes in the electrode plates into the corresponding chamber.

[0010] When power is applied, a hydrogen evolution reaction occurs on the cathode electrode surface to produce hydrogen, while an oxygen evolution reaction occurs on the anode electrode surface to produce oxygen. The hydrogen and alkali mixture flows through the radial hydrogen and alkali outflow channels of the hydrogen-side gasket and the axial hydrogen and alkali holes of the electrode plate, leading to the first and second hydrogen and alkali outlets via the hydrogen and alkali drainage grooves. The oxygen and alkali mixture flows through the radial oxygen and alkali outflow channels of the oxygen-side gasket and the axial oxygen and alkali holes of the electrode plate, leading to the first and second oxygen and alkali outlets via the oxygen and alkali drainage grooves. The two gas-liquid mixtures enter the external gas-liquid separation system. The separated hydrogen and oxygen enter the purification stage, while the alkali is reinjected into the electrolyzer through the corresponding inlet for recycling. The protrusions of the electrode plate support the electrodes and optimize the gas-liquid flow path. The diaphragm prevents hydrogen and oxygen from mixing. The sealing waterline and gasket work together to ensure the system's tightness. A tensioning screw, inserted through the through-hole, compresses the components, ensuring the structural stability of the electrolyzer under high pressure.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: (1) The electrode plate of the present invention adopts an integrated stamping structure without an electrode frame, which eliminates the complex assembly process of the traditional split electrode frame and significantly improves the material utilization rate. At the same time, the stamping process simplifies the manufacturing process, further reduces the manufacturing cost of the electrode plate, and makes it easier to achieve large-scale production.

[0012] (2) In the present invention, the spacing between the electrolytic chambers is reduced to 3mm-5mm by optimizing the protruding structure of the electrode plate, effectively shortening the ion migration path. Combined with the optimization of the gas-liquid flow in the independent circulation channel on the hydrogen and oxygen sides, the current density of the electrolytic cell is increased to above 1.5A / cm², further improving the overall hydrogen production efficiency of the system.

[0013] (3) In the present invention, the hydrogen side and the oxygen side are designed with independent flow channels through the sealing gasket to achieve dual-circulation separation of alkali solution and gas. There is no cross-mixing of hydrogen and oxygen gases throughout the process, and the gas purity reaches more than 99.95%. At the same time, the diaphragm accurately blocks the interpenetration of hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogen content in oxygen is less than 0.05%, which significantly reduces the risk of explosion. The stability and safety of the system in intermittent power supply scenarios are greatly improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the electrolytic cell; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the stacked structure of electrolysis chambers; Figure 3 The left and right end pressure plate flow channel layout diagram; Figure 4 Detailed diagram of the hydrogen side and oxygen side sealing gasket channels; Figure 5 This is an enlarged view of the plate surface structure; In the figure: 1, left end pressure plate, 2, plate, 3, hydrogen side sealing gasket, 4, cathode electrode, 5, diaphragm, 6, anode electrode, 7, oxygen side sealing gasket, 8, tightening screw, 9, right end pressure plate, 10, hydrogen side alkali solution inlet, 11, oxygen side alkali solution inlet, 12, hydrogen and alkali solution first outlet, 13, hydrogen and alkali solution second outlet, 14, oxygen and alkali solution first outlet, 15, oxygen and alkali solution second outlet, 16, through hole, 17, oxygen and alkali solution Liquid drainage groove, 18. Sealing water line, 19. Hydrogen and alkali liquid drainage groove, 20. Positive terminal plate, 21. Oxygen side alkali liquid drainage groove, 22. Hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage groove, 23. Negative terminal plate, 24. Oxygen and alkali liquid hole, 25. Hydrogen and alkali liquid hole, 26. Hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel, 27. Oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel, 28. Alkali liquid hole, 29. Oxygen side alkali liquid inflow channel, 30. Hydrogen side alkali liquid inflow channel, 31. Protrusion structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] like Figure 1-5The novel alkaline electrolytic cell shown in the figure includes a left-end pressing plate 1, a right-end pressing plate 9, a tightening screw 8, at least one electrolysis chamber, and a negative terminal plate 23 and a positive terminal plate 20 arranged on the left-end pressing plate 1 and the right-end pressing plate 9; the left-end pressing plate 1 and the right-end pressing plate 9 are connected by a tightening screw 8, and both are provided with a through hole 16 to accommodate the tightening screw 8 for compressing the components therebetween; each electrolysis chamber is composed of two electrode plates 2, and adjacent electrolysis chambers share one of the electrode plates 2, and a hydrogen side sealing gasket 3, a cathode electrode 4, and a diaphragm 5 are sequentially arranged between the two electrode plates 2 of each electrolysis chamber. , anode electrode 6 and oxygen side sealing gasket 7; hydrogen side sealing gasket 3 is close to the left end pressure plate 1, and oxygen side sealing gasket 7 is close to the right end pressure plate 9; the plate 2 is an integral stamping structure without a pole frame, with a thickness of 0.1mm to 10mm, and a sealing waterline 18 and a protrusion structure 31 are provided on both sides thereof, and the sealing waterline 18 cooperates with the hydrogen side sealing gasket 3 and the oxygen side sealing gasket 7 to achieve sealing, and the protrusion structure 31 is used to support the cathode electrode 4 and the anode electrode 6 to form a hydrogen and oxygen evolution space; the left end pressure plate 1 is provided with a hydrogen side alkali solution inlet 10, a hydrogen side alkali solution drainage groove 22, a first hydrogen and alkali solution outlet 12 and a second hydrogen and alkali solution outlet The outlet 13, the oxygen side alkali liquid inlet 11, the oxygen and alkali liquid first outlet 14 and the oxygen and alkali liquid second outlet 15, the right end pressure plate 9 is provided with an oxygen side alkali liquid drainage groove 21; the hydrogen side sealing gasket 3 is provided with a radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet channel 30 and a radial hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel 26, the oxygen side sealing gasket 7 is provided with a radial oxygen side alkali liquid inlet channel 29 and a radial oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel 27; the radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet channel 30 of the hydrogen side sealing gasket 3 is connected to the axial alkali liquid hole 28 of the electrode plate 2, and the hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage groove 22 is connected to the radial hydrogen side alkali liquid flow through the axial alkali liquid hole 28 of the electrode plate 2. The oxygen-side alkali liquid inlet channel 29 of the oxygen-side sealing gasket 7 is connected to the axial alkali liquid hole 28 of the electrode plate 2, and the oxygen-side alkali liquid drainage groove 21 is connected to the radial oxygen-side alkali liquid inlet channel 29 through the axial alkali liquid hole 28 of the electrode plate 2. The hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel 26 and the oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel 27 are connected to the corresponding hydrogen and alkali liquid drainage groove 19 and oxygen and alkali liquid drainage groove 17 through the axial hydrogen and alkali liquid hole 25 and axial oxygen and alkali liquid hole 24 of the electrode plate 2, respectively, thereby forming independent alkali liquid and gas circulation channels on the hydrogen side and oxygen side, achieving separation and circulation. The diaphragm 5 is a porous ceramic or composite polymer material with a pore size range of 10μm to 200μm, which is used to prevent hydrogen and oxygen gas mixing and allow ion conduction.

[0017] The hydrogen side circulation channel includes a hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet 10, a hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage groove 22, a radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet channel 30 of the hydrogen side sealing gasket 3, an axial alkali liquid hole 28 of the electrode plate 2, a hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel 26, a hydrogen and alkali liquid hole 25, and a hydrogen and alkali liquid drainage groove 19, which are connected in sequence, and are finally discharged through the hydrogen and alkali liquid first outlet 12 and the second outlet 13.

[0018] The oxygen side circulation channel includes the oxygen side alkali liquid inlet 11, the oxygen side alkali liquid drainage groove 21, the radial oxygen side alkali liquid inlet channel 29 of the oxygen side sealing gasket 7, the axial alkali liquid hole 28 of the electrode plate 2, the oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel 27, the oxygen and alkali liquid hole 24, and the oxygen and alkali liquid drainage groove 17, which are connected in sequence, and finally discharged through the oxygen and alkali liquid first outlet 14 and the second outlet 15.

[0019] The protrusion structure 31 of the electrode plate 2 is a grid-shaped or strip-shaped protrusion formed by stamping, which is used to fix the distance between the cathode electrode 4 and the anode electrode 6 and optimize the gas-liquid flow path of the electrolysis reaction.

[0020] The working process of the present invention is: When the electrolytic cell is started, the positive and negative poles of the external DC power supply are connected to the positive terminal block 20 of the right-end pressure plate 9 and the negative terminal block 23 of the left-end pressure plate 1, respectively. A 30% KOH solution is injected into the electrolytic cell and enters the hydrogen and oxygen circulation channels through the hydrogen and oxygen inlets 10 and 11 of the left-end pressure plate 1, respectively. The hydrogen solution is guided through the hydrogen solution drainage groove 22, through the radial hydrogen solution inflow channel 30 of the hydrogen side sealing gasket 3, and the axial solution hole 28 of the electrode plate 2, into the electrolysis chamber. The oxygen solution then enters the corresponding chamber through the oxygen solution drainage groove 21, the radial oxygen solution inflow channel 29 of the oxygen side sealing gasket 7, and the axial solution hole 28 of the electrode plate 2.

[0021] After power is applied, a hydrogen evolution reaction occurs on the surface of the cathode electrode 4 to generate hydrogen, and an oxygen evolution reaction occurs on the surface of the anode electrode 6 to generate oxygen. The hydrogen and alkali mixture flows through the radial hydrogen and alkali outflow channel 26 of the hydrogen-side sealing gasket 3 and the axial hydrogen and alkali holes 25 of the electrode plate 2, and is directed to the first hydrogen and alkali outlet 12 and the second hydrogen and alkali outlet 13 through the hydrogen and alkali drainage groove 19. The oxygen and alkali mixture flows through the radial oxygen and alkali outflow channel 27 of the oxygen-side sealing gasket 7 and the axial oxygen and alkali holes 24 of the electrode plate 2, and is directed to the first oxygen and alkali outlet 14 and the second oxygen and alkali outlet 15 through the oxygen and alkali drainage groove 17. The two gas-liquid mixtures enter the external gas-liquid separation system respectively. The separated hydrogen and oxygen enter the purification stage, and the alkali is returned to the electrolytic cell through the corresponding inlet for recycling. The protrusion structure 31 of the electrode plate 2 supports the electrode and optimizes the gas-liquid flow path. The diaphragm 5 blocks the mixing of hydrogen and oxygen. The sealing waterline 18 cooperates with the sealing gasket to ensure the sealing of the system. The tightening screw 8 presses the components through the through hole 16 to ensure the structural stability of the electrolytic cell under high pressure.

[0022] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, under the technical enlightenment provided by the present invention, as common knowledge in the art, other equivalent variations and improvements can be made, which should also be considered as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A novel alkaline electrolytic cell, characterized in that: It comprises a left end pressing plate (1), a right end pressing plate (9), a tightening screw (8), at least one electrolysis chamber, and a negative electrode terminal plate (23) and a positive electrode terminal plate (20) arranged on the left end pressing plate (1) and the right end pressing plate (9); The left end pressure plate (1) and the right end pressure plate (9) are connected via a tightening screw (8), and both are provided with a through hole (16) to accommodate the tightening screw (8) for tightening the components therebetween; Each of the electrolysis chambers is composed of two electrode plates (2), and adjacent electrolysis chambers share one of the electrode plates (2). A hydrogen side sealing gasket (3), a cathode electrode (4), a diaphragm (5), an anode electrode (6), and an oxygen side sealing gasket (7) are sequentially arranged between the two electrode plates (2) of each electrolysis chamber. The hydrogen side sealing gasket (3) is close to the left end pressure plate (1), and the oxygen side sealing gasket (7) is close to the right end pressure plate (9); The electrode plate (2) is an integral stamped structure without a polar frame and has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 10 mm. A sealing waterline (18) and a protrusion structure (31) are provided on both sides thereof. The sealing waterline (18) cooperates with the hydrogen side sealing gasket (3) and the oxygen side sealing gasket (7) to achieve sealing. The protrusion structure (31) is used to support the cathode electrode (4) and the anode electrode (6) to form a hydrogen evolution space and an oxygen evolution space. The left end pressing plate (1) is provided with a hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet (10), a hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage trough (22), a hydrogen gas and alkali liquid first outlet (12), a hydrogen gas and alkali liquid second outlet (13), an oxygen side alkali liquid inlet (11), an oxygen gas and alkali liquid first outlet (14), and an oxygen gas and alkali liquid second outlet (15), and the right end pressing plate (9) is provided with an oxygen side alkali liquid drainage trough (21); The hydrogen side sealing gasket (3) is provided with a radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inflow channel (30) and a radial hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel (26), and the oxygen side sealing gasket (7) is provided with a radial oxygen side alkali liquid inflow channel (29) and a radial oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel (27); the radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inflow channel (30) of the hydrogen side sealing gasket (3) is connected to the axial alkali liquid hole (28) of the electrode plate (2), and the hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage groove (22) is connected to the radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inflow channel (30) through the axial alkali liquid hole (28) of the electrode plate (2); the radial oxygen side alkali liquid inflow channel (29) of the oxygen side sealing gasket (7) is connected to the radial oxygen side alkali liquid inflow channel (29) of the oxygen side sealing gasket (7). The channel (29) is connected to the axial alkali liquid hole (28) of the electrode plate (2), and the oxygen side alkali liquid drainage groove (21) is connected to the radial oxygen side alkali liquid inflow channel (29) through the axial alkali liquid hole (28) of the electrode plate (2); the hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel (26) and the oxygen and alkali liquid outflow channel (27) are respectively connected to the corresponding hydrogen and alkali liquid drainage groove (19) and oxygen and alkali liquid drainage groove (17) through the axial hydrogen and alkali liquid hole (25) and the axial oxygen and alkali liquid hole (24) of the electrode plate (2), thereby forming independent alkali liquid and gas circulation channels on the hydrogen side and the oxygen side, thereby realizing separate circulation.

2. A novel alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hydrogen side circulation channel comprises a hydrogen side alkali liquid inlet (10), a hydrogen side alkali liquid drainage groove (22), a radial hydrogen side alkali liquid inflow channel (30) of the hydrogen side sealing gasket (3), an axial alkali liquid hole (28) of the electrode plate (2), a hydrogen and alkali liquid outflow channel (26), a hydrogen and alkali liquid hole (25), and a hydrogen and alkali liquid drainage groove (19), which are connected in sequence, and is finally discharged through the hydrogen and alkali liquid first outlet (12) and the second outlet (13).

3. A novel alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The oxygen side circulation channel comprises an oxygen side alkali solution inlet (11), an oxygen side alkali solution drainage groove (21), a radial oxygen side alkali solution inflow channel (29) of the oxygen side sealing gasket (7), an axial alkali solution hole (28) of the electrode plate (2), an oxygen and alkali solution outflow channel (27), an oxygen and alkali solution hole (24), and an oxygen and alkali solution drainage groove (17), which are connected in sequence, and finally the oxygen and alkali solution are discharged through a first oxygen and alkali solution outlet (14) and a second oxygen and alkali solution outlet (15).

4. A novel alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 3, characterized in that: The protrusion structure (31) of the electrode plate (2) is a grid-shaped or strip-shaped protrusion formed by stamping, which is used to fix the distance between the cathode electrode (4) and the anode electrode (6) and optimize the gas-liquid flow path of the electrolysis reaction.

5. A novel alkaline electrolytic cell according to claim 4, characterized in that: The diaphragm (5) is a porous ceramic or composite polymer material with a pore size ranging from 10 μm to 200 μm, and is used to block the mixing of hydrogen and oxygen gases and allow ion conduction.

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