Electrolytic structure for electrolytic cell

Abstract

The embodiment of the present disclosure discloses an electrolysis structure applied to an electrolytic cell, the electrolysis structure comprising at least two electrolysis reaction assemblies and at least one metal plate, the electrolysis reaction assembly comprising a frame, a cathode electrolysis end, an anode electrolysis end and an exchange film; the frame comprising an inner annular structure and an outer annular structure, the width of the inner annular structure matching the width of a non-catalytic area of the exchange film; the metal plate being connected between every two adjacent electrolysis reaction assemblies, the electrolysis reaction assembly at the head end and the electrolysis reaction assembly at the tail end in the electrolysis structure being provided with a sealing line; the front surface of the inner annular structure and the front surface of the outer annular structure forming a stepped structure. The embodiment can reduce the creep deformation of the exchange film, reduce the falling and failure of the catalyst layer, and also reduce the assembly steps of the electrolysis structure, and reduce the time and human resources consumed in the assembly process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein relate to the field of water electrolysis, and more specifically to electrolysis structures applied to electrolyzers. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen energy, with its advantages of being clean, pollution-free, efficient, storable, and transportable, is considered the most ideal energy carrier. Electrolysis of water is currently the simplest method to obtain pure hydrogen. However, when traditional electrolyzers operate under the high-pressure environment of direct-filling high-pressure storage tanks at hydrogen refueling stations, the high pressure causes greater non-uniform stress at the sealing interfaces between the traditional series units. This can lead to hydrogen leakage, and when the hydrogen-oxygen mixture concentration reaches a threshold, the risk of explosion increases dramatically. Pressure equalization becomes extremely difficult, easily causing uneven flow and leading to localized overload of the electrolyzer structure, significantly shortening its lifespan. Therefore, a more efficient electrolyzer structure is needed. Currently, existing electrolyzer structures generally use a single-stack unit structure, where a single frame cannot simultaneously accommodate the reaction carriers at the anode and cathode electrolysis ends, requiring multiple independent unit structures to be vertically connected in series within the electrolyzer.

[0003] However, in practice, it has been found that when using traditional electrolysis structures applied to electrolytic cells, the following technical problems often arise:

[0004] Because the non-catalytic zone at the edge of traditional exchange membranes lacks rigid support, the membrane material is prone to creep deformation under high pressure, leading to excessive hydrogen permeability and catalyst layer detachment and failure, resulting in less hydrogen production from the electrolysis structure. Furthermore, the use of square-circumscribed insulating seals between traditional single-stack units causes a loss of effective reaction area in the catalyst layer, resulting in lower volumetric power density and consequently less hydrogen production. Finally, the need to seal each electrolysis reaction component against a pair of frames makes assembly complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive.

[0005] The information disclosed in this background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure concept, and therefore may contain information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The summary portion of this disclosure is intended to provide a brief overview of the concepts, which will be described in detail in the detailed description portion. This summary portion is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed technical solutions, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed technical solutions.

[0007] Some embodiments of this disclosure propose electrolytic structures for use in electrolytic cells to solve one or more of the technical problems mentioned in the background section above.

[0008] In a first aspect, some embodiments of this disclosure provide an electrolytic structure for use in an electrolytic cell, characterized in that the electrolytic structure includes at least two electrolytic reaction components and at least one metal plate, wherein each of the at least two electrolytic reaction components includes a frame, a cathode electrolytic terminal, an anode electrolytic terminal, and an exchange membrane; the frame includes an inner annular structure and an outer annular structure, the inner side of the inner annular structure is connected to the cathode electrolytic terminal, the front side of the inner annular structure is connected to the exchange membrane, the anode electrolytic terminal is connected to the exchange membrane, and the width of the inner annular structure is equal to the width of the outer annular structure. The width of the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane is matched; a metal plate is connected between each two adjacent electrolysis reaction components in the at least one electrolysis reaction component, one side of the metal plate is connected to the anode electrolysis end of the electrolysis reaction component, and the other side of the metal plate is connected to the cathode electrolysis end of the electrolysis reaction component; both the first and last electrolysis reaction components in the at least two electrolysis reaction components are provided with sealing lines; the reverse side of the inner annular structure and the reverse side of the outer annular structure are located on the same horizontal plane, and the front side of the inner annular structure and the front side of the outer annular structure form a stepped structure.

[0009] Optionally, a metal mesh is provided on the anode electrolysis end.

[0010] Optionally, the inner annular structure and the outer annular structure are manufactured by integral injection molding, and the difference between the front surface of the inner annular structure and the front surface of the outer annular structure is in the range of 0.4 to 0.6 mm.

[0011] Optionally, the metal plate is provided with a first group of connecting holes, and the outer annular structure is provided with a second group of connecting holes. The first group of connecting holes and the second group of connecting holes form a vertical fluid channel. The second connecting hole in the second group of connecting holes is a water injection hole or an air outlet hole. The air outlet hole and the water injection hole are both radially distributed along the frame.

[0012] Optionally, the front of the outer annular structure and both ends of the water injection hole are provided with rounded corners.

[0013] Optionally, a flow guiding structure is provided on the reverse side of the inner annular structure adjacent to the air outlet. The flow guiding structure includes a preset number of flow guiding columns. There is a flow guiding groove between each pair of adjacent flow guiding columns. Both ends of the flow guiding structure are arc-shaped.

[0014] Optionally, the sealing line of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end is located on the front side of the outer annular structure, and the sealing line of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end is located on the back side of the inner annular structure.

[0015] Optionally, the sealing line of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end includes a first inner ring sealing line located within the inner ring of the outer annular structure and a first outer ring sealing line located within the outer ring of the outer annular structure. The sealing line of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end includes a second outer ring sealing line located within the outer ring of the outer annular structure and a second inner ring sealing line located within the inner ring of the inner annular structure. The vent of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end is located between the first inner ring sealing line and the first outer ring sealing line. The water injection hole of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end is located inside the first inner ring sealing line. The vent of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end is located inside the second inner ring sealing line. The water injection hole of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end is located between the second inner ring sealing line and the second outer ring sealing line.

[0016] Optionally, a microporous diffusion layer is provided between the cathode electrolysis end and the exchange membrane, wherein the thickness of the microporous diffusion layer is in the range of 0.1-0.3 mm, the material of the microporous diffusion layer is carbon paper or titanium sintered layer, the pore size of the microporous diffusion layer is in the range of 10-50 μm, and a film-like thermal conductive layer is provided at the contact point between the cathode electrolysis end or the anode electrolysis end and the metal plate, wherein the material of the film-like thermal conductive layer is silicon carbide or graphene.

[0017] Optionally, the sealing line and the frame are integrally injection molded. The material of the sealing line includes a matrix material, filler, vulcanizing agent, active additive, accelerator, lubricant, and antioxidant. The matrix material includes FKM (65 phr) and TPU (35 phr), the coupling agent includes MAH (3-5 phr), the filler includes SiO2 (15 phr), the vulcanizing agent includes DCP (1-2 phr), the active additive includes TAIC (2-4 phr), the accelerator includes TMPTMA (1-2 phr), the lubricant includes zinc stearate (1 phr), and the antioxidant includes antioxidant 1010 (1 phr).

[0018] The various embodiments disclosed herein have the following beneficial effects: An electrolysis structure applied to an electrolyzer according to some embodiments of this disclosure can provide rigid support for the non-catalytic zone at the edge of the exchange membrane and reduce the shedding and failure of the catalyst layer of the exchange membrane, thereby simplifying the assembly process of the electrolysis structure, shortening the assembly time, and reducing the manpower required. Specifically, the reasons for the numerous technical problems of existing electrolysis structures are as follows: Because the non-catalytic zone at the edge of the traditional exchange membrane lacks rigid support, the material of the exchange membrane is prone to creep deformation under high pressure, leading to excessive hydrogen permeability and the shedding and failure of the catalyst layer, resulting in less hydrogen produced by the electrolysis structure; because the insulating seal between traditional single-stack units is in the form of a square circumscribed circle, the effective reaction area of ​​the exchange membrane catalyst layer is lost to a certain extent, resulting in a lower volumetric power density of the equipment, thus leading to less hydrogen produced by the electrolysis structure; because each group of electrolysis reaction components in the electrolysis structure needs to be sealed against a pair of frames, the assembly process of the electrolysis structure is cumbersome, resulting in a long assembly time and high manpower requirements. Based on this, an electrolysis structure for use in an electrolytic cell according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is characterized in that the electrolysis structure includes at least two electrolysis reaction components and at least one metal plate, wherein each of the at least two electrolysis reaction components includes a frame, a cathode electrolysis terminal, an anode electrolysis terminal, and an exchange membrane; the frame includes an inner annular structure and an outer annular structure, the inner side of the inner annular structure is connected to the cathode electrolysis terminal, the front side of the inner annular structure is connected to the exchange membrane, the anode electrolysis terminal is connected to the exchange membrane, and the width of the inner annular structure matches the width of the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane; a metal plate is connected between every two adjacent electrolysis reaction components in the at least one electrolysis reaction component, and the metal plate... One side of the metal plate is connected to the anode electrolysis terminal of the electrolysis reaction assembly, and the other side is connected to the cathode electrolysis terminal of the electrolysis reaction assembly. Both the first and last electrolysis reaction assemblies of the at least two electrolysis reaction assemblies are equipped with sealing lines. The reverse side of the inner annular structure is on the same horizontal plane as the reverse side of the outer annular structure, and the front side of the inner annular structure and the front side of the outer annular structure form a stepped structure. Because the inner annular structure and the outer annular structure form a stepped structure, and the front side of the inner annular structure is connected to the exchange membrane, the front side of the inner annular structure can provide rigid support for the exchange membrane within the electrolysis structure, thereby reducing creep deformation of the exchange membrane under high pressure.Furthermore, because a single frame can simultaneously accommodate the reaction carriers at both the anodic and cathodic electrolysis ends, and the design of a sealing line replaces traditional insulating seals, the catalytic area of ​​the exchange membrane is maximized through the aforementioned inner annular structure design. This maximizes the space utilization of the electrolysis structure and reduces the shedding and failure of the catalyst layer in the actual exchange membrane. Also, due to the sealing line design of the electrolysis structure, the water injection port and the gas outlet port do not interfere with each other. Simultaneously, a single frame can accommodate the reaction carriers at both the anodic and cathodic electrolysis ends, with a metal plate serving as a shared intermediate conductive partition sandwiched between the two electrolysis reaction components. This simplifies the assembly process of the electrolysis structure, shortens the assembly time, and reduces manpower consumption. Therefore, the aforementioned electrolysis structure applied to the electrolyzer provides rigid support for the non-catalytic zone at the edge of the exchange membrane, reducing the shedding and failure of the catalyst layer. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic, and elements are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0020] Figure 1 This is an exploded structural diagram of some embodiments of the electrolysis structure applied to an electrolytic cell according to the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a front view of the frame of the first-end electrolytic reaction assembly according to some embodiments of the electrolytic structure applied to an electrolytic cell in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a rear view of the frame of a tail-end electrolytic reaction assembly according to some embodiments of the electrolytic structure applied to an electrolytic cell in accordance with the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0024] It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other.

[0025] It should be noted that the concepts of "first" and "second" mentioned in this disclosure are used only to distinguish different devices, modules or units, and are not used to limit the order of functions performed by these devices, modules or units or their interdependencies.

[0026] It should be noted that the terms "a" and "a plurality of" used in this disclosure are illustrative rather than restrictive, and those skilled in the art should understand that, unless otherwise expressly indicated in the context, they should be understood as "one or more".

[0027] The names of messages or information exchanged between multiple devices in the embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of such messages or information.

[0028] This disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0029] Figure 1 This is an exploded structural diagram of some embodiments of the electrolytic structure applied to an electrolytic cell according to the present disclosure. Figure 1 It may include an anode electrolysis terminal 130, an exchange membrane 140, a cathode electrolysis terminal 120, a frame 110, a connecting hole 210, and a metal plate 200.

[0030] Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of some embodiments of the electrolytic reaction assembly at the front edge of the electrolytic structure applied to an electrolytic cell according to this disclosure. Figure 2 It may include an inner annular structure 111, an outer annular structure 112, a water injection hole 150, a rounded corner 151, an air outlet 160, and a sealing line 300.

[0031] Figure 3 These are schematic diagrams of some embodiments of the tail-end electrolytic reaction assembly of the electrolytic structure applied to an electrolytic cell according to the present disclosure. Figure 3 It may include a water injection hole 150, an air outlet 160, a guide groove 161, a guide column 162, an arc 163, and a sealing line 300.

[0032] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the electrolysis structure described above may include at least two electrolysis reaction components and at least one metal plate 200. The number of the at least two electrolysis reaction components may be two, and the number of the at least one metal plate 200 may be one less than the number of electrolysis reaction components. Here, the specific number of the at least two electrolysis reaction components and the specific number of the at least one metal plate 200 are not specifically limited. In use, the electrolysis reaction components can be used to produce hydrogen, and the metal plate 200 can be used to conduct electricity to connect adjacent electrolysis reaction components.

[0033] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, each of the at least two electrolysis reaction components may include a frame 110, a cathode electrolysis terminal 120, an anode electrolysis terminal 130, and an exchange membrane 140. The frame 110 may be made of PPSU. The material of the frame 110 is not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs. The cathode electrolysis terminal 120 and the anode electrolysis terminal 130 may both be made of titanium. The materials of the cathode electrolysis terminal 120 and the anode electrolysis terminal 130 are not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs. The cathode electrolysis terminal 120 and the anode electrolysis terminal 130 may both be circular, and the shape of the frame 110 may match the shapes of the cathode electrolysis terminal 120 and the anode electrolysis terminal 130. The shapes of the frame 110, the cathode electrolysis terminal 120, and the anode electrolysis terminal 130 are not specifically limited. The exchange membrane 140 may be made of proton exchange membrane 140. Here, the material of the aforementioned exchange membrane 140 is not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0034] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the frame 110 may include an inner annular structure 111 and an outer annular structure 112. The inner side of the inner annular structure 111 may be connected to the cathode electrolysis terminal 120, and the front side of the inner annular structure 111 may be connected to the exchange membrane 140. The anode electrolysis terminal 130 may be connected to the exchange membrane 140, and the width of the inner annular structure 111 may match the width of the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane 140. The connection between the inner side of the inner annular structure 111 and the cathode electrolysis terminal 120, the connection between the front side of the inner annular structure 111 and the exchange membrane 140, and the connection between the anode electrolysis terminal 130 and the exchange membrane 140 can all be achieved by adhesive bonding. Here, the connection methods between the inner side of the inner annular structure 111 and the cathode electrolysis terminal 120, the front side of the inner annular structure 111 and the exchange membrane 140, and the anode electrolysis terminal 130 and the exchange membrane 140 are not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs. It should be noted that the width of the inner annular structure 111 can be less than or equal to the width of the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane 140, and the adhesion point between the anode electrolysis terminal and the exchange membrane is the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane.

[0035] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in the at least one electrolytic reaction assembly described above, a metal plate 200 can be connected between each pair of adjacent electrolytic reaction assemblies. One side of the metal plate 200 can be connected to the anode electrolytic terminal 130 of the electrolytic reaction assembly, and the other side of the metal plate 200 can be connected to the cathode electrolytic terminal 120 of the electrolytic reaction assembly. The connection method between one side of the metal plate 200 and the anode electrolytic terminal 130 of the electrolytic reaction assembly, and between the other side of the metal plate 200 and the cathode electrolytic terminal 120 of the electrolytic reaction assembly, can be adhesive bonding. Here, the connection method between one side of the metal plate 200 and the anode electrolytic terminal 130 of the electrolytic reaction assembly, and between the other side of the metal plate 200 and the cathode electrolytic terminal 120 of the electrolytic reaction assembly, is not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0036] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, both the first and last electrolytic reaction components of the above-mentioned at least two electrolytic reaction components can be equipped with a sealing line 300.

[0037] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the reverse side of the inner annular structure 111 can be on the same horizontal plane as the reverse side of the outer annular structure 112, and the front side of the inner annular structure 111 and the front side of the outer annular structure 112 can form a stepped structure. The stepped structure formed by the front side of the inner annular structure 111 and the front side of the outer annular structure 112 supports the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane 140. The shape of the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane 140 is not limited; for example, the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane 140 can be annular.

[0038] Optionally, a metal mesh may be provided on the aforementioned anode electrolysis end 130. In use, the metal mesh supports the anode electrolysis end 130 and, through its mesh structure, reduces oxygen bubble blockage, thereby improving oxygen removal efficiency. The connection between the metal mesh and the anode electrolysis end 130 can be laser welding. The specific connection method between the metal mesh and the anode electrolysis end 130 is not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0039] Optionally, the inner annular structure 111 and the outer annular structure 112 can be integrally injection molded. The difference between the front surface of the inner annular structure 111 and the front surface of the outer annular structure 112 can be in the range of 0.4–0.6 mm. This difference in width provides good support. However, the difference in width between the front surface of the inner annular structure 111 and the outer annular structure 112 is not limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0040] Optionally, the metal plate 200 may be provided with a first group of connecting holes 210. The outer annular structure 112 may be provided with a second group of connecting holes 210. The first group of connecting holes 210 and the second group of connecting holes 210 may form a vertical fluid channel. The second connecting holes 210 within the second group of connecting holes 210 may be water injection holes 150 or air outlet holes 160. Both the air outlet holes 160 and the water injection holes 150 may be radially distributed along the frame 110. The first group of connecting holes in the metal plate 200 may be formed by boring. The second group of connecting holes in the outer annular structure 112 may be formed by integral injection molding. Here, the formation of the first group of connecting holes and the formation of the second group of connecting holes are not specifically limited and may be adjusted according to actual needs. In use, the water injection holes 150 may be symmetrically divided along any central axis of the electrolytic reaction structure, with one side of the central axis being a water injection hole 150 and the other side being a water outlet.

[0041] Optionally, a rounded corner 151 may be provided between the front side of the outer annular structure 112 and both ends of the water injection hole 150. In use, the rounded corner 151 allows the water injected into the water injection hole 150 to enter the anode electrolysis end 130 through the rounded corner 151, so that the water reacts with the catalyst layer electroplated on the exchange membrane 140.

[0042] Optionally, a flow guiding structure may be provided on the reverse side of the inner annular structure 111 adjacent to the air outlet 160. The flow guiding structure includes a predetermined number of flow guiding columns 162. A flow guiding groove 161 may be provided between each pair of adjacent flow guiding columns 162. Both ends of the flow guiding structure may be arc-shaped 163. The predetermined number of flow guiding columns 162 may be six. Here, the predetermined number of flow guiding columns 162 is not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0043] Optionally, the sealing line 300 of the electrolytic reaction assembly at the first end can be located on the front side of the outer annular structure 112. The sealing line 300 of the electrolytic reaction assembly at the tail end can be located on the back side of the inner annular structure 111.

[0044] Optionally, the electrolytic structure is an integrally packaged structure. The sealing line 300 of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end may include a first inner ring sealing line 300 located within the inner ring of the outer annular structure 112 and a first outer ring sealing line 300 located within the outer ring of the outer annular structure 112. The sealing line 300 of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end may include a second outer ring sealing line 300 located within the outer ring of the outer annular structure 112 and a second inner ring sealing line 300 located within the inner ring of the inner annular structure 111. The vent 160 of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end may be located between the first inner ring sealing line 300 and the first outer ring sealing line 300. The water injection hole 150 of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end may be located inside the first inner ring sealing line 300. The vent 160 of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end may be located inside the second inner ring sealing line 300. The water injection hole 150 of the aforementioned tail-end electrolytic reaction assembly can be located between the aforementioned second inner ring sealing line 300 and the aforementioned second outer ring sealing line 300. In the aforementioned head-end electrolytic reaction assembly, the vent 160 is located between the aforementioned first inner ring sealing line 300 and the aforementioned first outer ring sealing line 300, and the water injection hole 150 is located inside the aforementioned first inner ring sealing line 300. This allows the first inner ring sealing line 300 and the aforementioned first outer ring sealing line 300 to isolate the hydrogen gas discharged from the vent 160 of the head-end electrolytic reaction assembly, thereby isolating the hydrogen gas discharged from the vent 160 from the liquid and oxygen discharged from the water injection hole 150. In the aforementioned electrolytic reaction assembly at the tail end, the vent 160 is located inside the second inner ring sealing line 300, and the water injection hole 150 is located between the second inner ring sealing line 300 and the second outer ring sealing line 300. Thus, the second inner ring sealing line 300 can isolate the hydrogen gas discharged from the vent 160 of the electrolytic reaction assembly at the tail end, thereby isolating the hydrogen gas discharged from the vent 160 from the liquid and oxygen discharged from the water injection hole 150. This electrolytic structure can encapsulate at least two electrolytic reaction devices at once, thereby increasing the effective area of ​​the electrolytic structure.

[0045] In the process of adopting technical solutions to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the following technical problem two often arises: In the case of high-power hydrogen production in a multi-layer stacked structure, the increased hydrogen production at the cathode leads to hydrogen accumulation in some catalytic zones, resulting in a decrease in the effective reaction area utilization rate and an inability to fully utilize the hydrogen production potential of the multi-layer stack, thus resulting in less hydrogen produced by the electrolysis structure. Furthermore, during long-term operation of the electrolysis structure, the direct contact between the electrolysis reaction components and the metal plate causes localized overheating, leading to low efficiency and an inability to fully utilize the hydrogen production potential of the multi-layer stack, resulting in less hydrogen produced by the electrolysis structure. The conventional solution to this technical problem two is to design an independent cooling chamber inside the metal plate, introduce coolant, and increase the number of flow channels. However, considering the disadvantages of designing an independent cooling chamber inside the metal plate, introducing coolant, and increasing the number of flow channels, which can lead to the formation of cavities in the electrode plate and a reduction in strength, and also leveraging the advantages of the inventor's company in the research and development of electrolysis structures for electrolyzers, we have decided to adopt the following solution:

[0046] Optionally, a microporous diffusion layer is provided between the cathode electrolysis end 120 and the exchange membrane 140, wherein the thickness of the microporous diffusion layer can range from 0.1 to 0.3 mm. The material of the microporous diffusion layer can be carbon paper or sintered titanium plate. The pore size of the microporous diffusion layer can range from 10 to 50 μm. A film-like thermally conductive layer can be provided at the contact point between the cathode electrolysis end 120 or the anode electrolysis end 130 and the metal plate 200. The material of the film-like thermally conductive layer can be silicon carbide or graphene. The connection method between the microporous diffusion layer and the cathode electrolysis end 120 can be laser welding. The connection method between the film-like thermally conductive layer and the cathode electrolysis end 120 or the anode electrolysis end 130, and between the film-like thermally conductive layer and the metal plate 200, can all be adhesive bonding. The shape of the microporous diffusion layer can be a mesh structure. Here, the shape of the microporous diffusion layer is not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs. Here, the specific connection methods between the microporous diffusion layer and the cathode electrolysis terminal 120, the film-like thermally conductive layer and the cathode electrolysis terminal 120 or the anode electrolysis terminal 130, and the film-like thermally conductive layer and the metal plate 200 are not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs. In use, the micro-controlled diffusion layer can homogenize the current density and accelerate hydrogen removal, and the film-like thermally conductive layer can uniformly dissipate heat from the metal plate 200 to prevent local overheating and overload. The thickness of the microporous diffusion layer can be in the range of 0.1-0.3 mm, which does not affect the electrolysis reaction components. The pore size of the microporous diffusion layer can be in the range of 10-50 μm, providing good diffusion and support effects. Here, the thickness and pore size of the microporous diffusion layer are not limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0047] The above optional embodiments, as an inventive point of this disclosure, solve the technical problem of "causing hydrogen accumulation in some catalytic zones, leading to a decrease in the effective reaction area utilization rate; and the equipment being prone to local overheating, resulting in low working efficiency of the electrolysis structure." The specific factors causing hydrogen accumulation in some catalytic zones and a decrease in the effective reaction area utilization rate, as well as the factors causing local overheating and low working efficiency of the electrolysis structure, are as follows: In the case of high-power hydrogen production in a multi-layer stacked structure, the increased hydrogen production at the cathode of the multi-layer stacked structure causes hydrogen accumulation in some catalytic zones, leading to a decrease in the effective reaction area utilization rate and failing to fully utilize the hydrogen production potential of the multi-layer stack, thus resulting in less hydrogen produced by the electrolysis structure; During long-term operation of the electrolysis structure, the direct contact between the electrolysis reaction components and the metal plate causes local overheating, resulting in low working efficiency of the electrolysis structure and failing to fully utilize the hydrogen production potential of the multi-layer stack, thus resulting in less hydrogen produced by the electrolysis structure. If the above factors are addressed, the tendency for hydrogen accumulation in electrolytic structures used in electrolyzers can be reduced, the effective reaction area can be utilized efficiently, and localized overheating of the equipment can be minimized. To achieve this effect, the embodiments of this disclosure use a micro-controlled diffusion layer made of stable conductive materials such as carbon paper or sintered titanium plates, with a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 mm to avoid affecting the original electrolytic structure, and a pore size ranging from 10 to 50 μm to effectively prevent hydrogen accumulation. This reduces hydrogen accumulation in some catalytic zones and enhances the utilization rate of the effective reaction area. The film-like thermally conductive layer is made of highly efficient thermally conductive materials such as silicon carbide or graphene, which can effectively reduce localized overheating.

[0048] In the process of adopting technical solutions to address the aforementioned technical problems, the following technical problem three often arises: Under the high pressure of gas accumulation during electrolysis, external pressure can cause gaps in the soft seals, leading to hydrogen leakage. The conventional solution to this technical problem three is usually the use of multiple soft seals. However, considering the shortcomings of simply using multiple soft seals, and leveraging the advantages of our company in the research and development of electrolytic structures for electrolytic cells, we have decided to adopt the following solution:

[0049] Optionally, the sealing line 300 and the frame 110 can be integrally injection molded. The material of the sealing line 300 may include a matrix material, filler, vulcanizing agent, active agent, accelerator, lubricant, and antioxidant. The matrix material may be fluororubber FKM (65 phr) or thermoplastic polyurethane TPU (35 phr). The coupling agent may be maleic anhydride MAH (3-5 phr). The filler may be silica SiO2 (15 phr). The vulcanizing agent may be dicumyl peroxide DCP (1-2 phr). The active agent may be triallyl isocyanurate TAIC (2-4 phr). The accelerator may be trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate TMPTMA (1-2 phr). The lubricant may be zinc stearate (1 phr). The antioxidant may be antioxidant 1010 (1 phr). As shown in Table 1 below, Table 1 can include various sealing lines prepared by combining the above-mentioned fluororubber FKM (65 phr), thermoplastic polyurethane TPU (35 phr), maleic anhydride MAH (3-5 phr), silica SiO2 (15 phr), dicumyl peroxide DCP (1-2 phr), triallyl isocyanurate TAIC (2-4 phr), trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate TMPTMA (1-2 phr), zinc stearate (1 phr), and antioxidant 1010 (1 phr). In each 100 parts of the matrix material, the above-mentioned fluororubber FKM accounts for 65 parts, and the above-mentioned thermoplastic polyurethane TPU accounts for 35 parts per 100 parts of the matrix material. The above-mentioned fluororubber FKM and the above-mentioned thermoplastic polyurethane TPU are combined to form the matrix material. The maleic anhydride (MAH) is formulated as follows: 3-5 parts of the maleic anhydride (MAH) are added to every 100 parts of the matrix material composed of the fluororubber (FKM) and the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), where the maleic anhydride (MAH) serves as a coupling agent. The silica (SiO2) is formulated as follows: 15 parts of the silica (SiO2) are added to every 100 parts of the matrix material composed of the fluororubber (FKM) and the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), where the silica (SiO2) serves as a filler. The dicumyl peroxide (DCP) is formulated as follows: 1-2 parts of the dicumyl peroxide (DCP) are added to every 100 parts of the matrix material composed of the fluororubber (FKM) and the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), where the dicumyl peroxide (DCP) serves as a vulcanizing agent. The above-mentioned triallyl isocyanurate TAIC is formulated by adding 2 to 4 parts of the above-mentioned triallyl isocyanurate TAIC to every 100 parts of the matrix material composed of the above-mentioned fluororubber FKM and the above-mentioned thermoplastic polyurethane TPU. The above-mentioned triallyl isocyanurate TAIC is an active additive.The formulation of the aforementioned trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) is as follows: 1-2 parts of TMPTMA are added to every 100 parts of the matrix material composed of the aforementioned fluororubber FKM and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), where TMPTMA serves as an accelerator. The formulation of the aforementioned zinc stearate is as follows: 1 part of zinc stearate is added to every 100 parts of the matrix material composed of the aforementioned fluororubber FKM and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), where zinc stearate serves as a lubricant. The formulation of the aforementioned antioxidant 1010 is as follows: 1 part of antioxidant 1010 is added to every 100 parts of the matrix material composed of the aforementioned fluororubber FKM and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), where antioxidant 1010 serves as an antioxidant. It should be noted that the specific proportions of each material used in the preparation of the aforementioned sealing line 300 can improve the high-temperature resistance, high-pressure resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, and strength of the prepared sealing line 300.

[0050] Optionally, the specific process for preparing the material of the aforementioned sealing line 300 is as follows:

[0051] Step 1 (Material Preparation): Prepare in advance the following materials: fluororubber FKM (65 phr), thermoplastic polyurethane TPU (35 phr), maleic anhydride MAH (3-5 phr), silica SiO2 (15 phr), dicumyl peroxide DCP (1-2 phr), triallyl isocyanurate TAIC (2-4 phr), trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate TMPTMA (1-2 phr), zinc stearate (1 phr), and antioxidant 1010 (1 phr).

[0052] Step 2 (Internal Mixing): The aforementioned fluororubber FKM can be added to an internal mixer to perform internal mixing. The temperature range of the internal mixer is controlled below 95°C to reduce pre-crosslinking. The total mixing time using the internal mixer is approximately 3 minutes.

[0053] Step 3 (Mixing Process): First, after removing the internally mixed fluororubber FKM material, add the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and the internally mixed fluororubber FKM material together into a two-roll mill for approximately 2 minutes of plasticizing to form a mixed matrix material. Then, evenly divide the silica (SiO2) and zinc stearate into two portions, and add the two portions to the two-roll mill at a preset time interval, which can be 2 minutes, to ensure that the matrix material in the two-roll mill is fully wetted. Next, add the maleic anhydride (MAH) to the two-roll mill in small, multiple additions to ensure uniform dispersion of the maleic anhydride (MAH) during the mixing process. The temperature of the two-roll mill can be controlled at approximately 60°C, and the plasticizing time is approximately 3 minutes. Then, add dicumyl peroxide (DCP), triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC), trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA), and antioxidant 1010 sequentially. Next, the open mill is started for the initial mixing process. The temperature range of the open mill during the mixing process can be controlled between 50 and 70°C to reduce filler agglomeration and maintain a uniform rubber surface that does not stick to the rollers. The mixing time is not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs, as long as the rubber surface is uniform and does not stick to the rollers. Finally, the rubber is discharged immediately to avoid pre-vulcanization.

[0054] Step 4 (Vulcanization Stage): The vulcanization process can be divided into compression molding vulcanization and two-stage post-vulcanization. After the material is placed in the mold, compression molding vulcanization is performed. The temperature of the mold is raised to 160℃ for sheeting. The pressure range used for sheeting is 10-15 MPa, and the sheet thickness range is 4-6 mm. The specific shape of the mold used is not limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs. The time can be controlled at 10-15 minutes (adjusted appropriately depending on the sheet thickness). The material after compression molding vulcanization is removed for two-stage post-vulcanization. Two-stage post-vulcanization can be performed using a gradually increasing temperature forced-air vulcanization operation to obtain forced-air vulcanized material. (It should be noted that during forced-air vulcanization, the temperature is first controlled at 200℃ and held for 2 hours, then the temperature is increased to 220℃ and held for 2-4 hours. The total time is approximately 4-8 hours). This process eliminates residues, strengthens the cross-linking network, and improves compression recovery performance.

[0055] Step 5 (Post-processing stage): The obtained material can be trimmed and deburred to obtain the sealing line material.

[0056] Step 6 (Performance Testing Stage): Perform performance tests on the obtained sealing line material, and determine the sealing lines that pass the performance tests as the prepared sealing lines. Table 2 may include the performance test results of each sealing line in Table 1 above. The above performance test results may include tests on the sealing ring's Shore hardness A, hardness after aging (h), compression set (%), elongation at break (%), and elongation at break after aging (%).

[0057]

[0058] Table 1

[0059]

[0060] Table 2

[0061] The above-described optional embodiments, as an inventive point of this disclosure, solve the technical problem of "gap formation in soft seals leading to hydrogen leakage." The specific factors that cause gap formation in soft seals in electrolytic structures used in electrolytic cells, leading to hydrogen leakage, are as follows: Under high pressure conditions of gas accumulation during electrolysis, external pressure causes gaps in soft seals, resulting in hydrogen leakage. Solving these factors can reduce the likelihood of hydrogen leakage in electrolytic structures used in electrolytic cells under high-pressure environments. To achieve this effect, embodiments of this disclosure use a novel soft sealing material to prepare the sealing line. Because a vulcanizing agent (dicumyl peroxide DCP) is used, the sealing line maintains elasticity and sealing performance under high pressure and high temperature environments. The use of an active additive (tracene isocyanurate TAIC) significantly improves the material's durability and stability. The use of an accelerator (trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate TMPTMA) enhances the product's corrosion resistance, aging resistance, hardness, and heat resistance. The use of antioxidant 1010 ensures the aging resistance of polymer components such as plastics and rubber. The combined use of these materials significantly improves the overall performance of composite materials, particularly in terms of high-temperature resistance, high-pressure resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, and strength, offering broad application prospects.

[0062] The various embodiments disclosed herein have the following beneficial effects: An electrolysis structure applied to an electrolyzer according to some embodiments of this disclosure can provide rigid support for the non-catalytic zone at the edge of the exchange membrane and reduce the shedding and failure of the catalyst layer of the exchange membrane, thereby simplifying the assembly process of the electrolysis structure, shortening the assembly time, and reducing the manpower required. Specifically, the reasons for the numerous technical problems of existing electrolysis structures are as follows: Because the non-catalytic zone at the edge of the traditional exchange membrane lacks rigid support, the material of the exchange membrane is prone to creep deformation under high pressure, leading to excessive hydrogen permeability and the shedding and failure of the catalyst layer, resulting in less hydrogen produced by the electrolysis structure; because the insulating seal between traditional single-stack units is in the form of a square circumscribed circle, the effective reaction area of ​​the exchange membrane catalyst layer is lost to a certain extent, resulting in a lower volumetric power density of the equipment, thus leading to less hydrogen produced by the electrolysis structure; because each group of electrolysis reaction components in the electrolysis structure needs to be sealed against a pair of frames, the assembly process of the electrolysis structure is cumbersome, resulting in a long assembly time and high manpower requirements. Based on this, an electrolysis structure for use in an electrolytic cell according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is characterized in that the electrolysis structure includes at least two electrolysis reaction components and at least one metal plate, wherein each of the at least two electrolysis reaction components includes a frame, a cathode electrolysis terminal, an anode electrolysis terminal, and an exchange membrane; the frame includes an inner annular structure and an outer annular structure, the inner side of the inner annular structure is connected to the cathode electrolysis terminal, the front side of the inner annular structure is connected to the exchange membrane, the anode electrolysis terminal is connected to the exchange membrane, and the width of the inner annular structure matches the width of the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane; a metal plate is connected between every two adjacent electrolysis reaction components in the at least one electrolysis reaction component, and the metal plate... One side of the metal plate is connected to the anode electrolysis terminal of the electrolysis reaction assembly, and the other side is connected to the cathode electrolysis terminal of the electrolysis reaction assembly. Both the first and last electrolysis reaction assemblies of the at least two electrolysis reaction assemblies are equipped with sealing lines. The reverse side of the inner annular structure is on the same horizontal plane as the reverse side of the outer annular structure, and the front side of the inner annular structure and the front side of the outer annular structure form a stepped structure. Because the inner annular structure and the outer annular structure form a stepped structure, and the front side of the inner annular structure is connected to the exchange membrane, the front side of the inner annular structure can provide rigid support for the exchange membrane within the electrolysis structure, thereby reducing creep deformation of the exchange membrane under high pressure.Furthermore, because a single frame can simultaneously accommodate the reaction carriers at both the anode and cathode electrolysis ends, and the design of a sealing line replaces traditional insulating seals, the catalytic area of ​​the exchange membrane is maximized through the aforementioned inner annular structure design. This maximizes the space utilization of the electrolysis structure and reduces the shedding and failure of the catalyst layer in the actual exchange membrane. Also, due to the sealing line design of the electrolysis structure, the water injection hole and the gas outlet hole do not interfere with each other. Simultaneously, a single frame can accommodate the reaction carriers at both the anode and cathode electrolysis ends. The metal plate, acting as a shared intermediate conductive partition, is sandwiched between the two electrolysis reaction components, thereby simplifying the assembly process of the electrolysis structure, shortening the assembly time, and reducing manpower consumption. Therefore, the electrolysis structure applied to the electrolyzer can provide rigid support for the non-catalytic zone at the edge of the exchange membrane, reducing the shedding and failure of the catalyst layer. The above description is merely some preferred embodiments of this disclosure and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention involved in the embodiments of this disclosure is not limited to the technical solutions formed by specific combinations of the above-described technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the above-described inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above-described features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An electrolytic structure for use in an electrolytic cell, characterized in that, The electrolysis structure includes at least two electrolysis reaction components and at least one metal plate, wherein, Each of the at least two electrolysis reaction components includes a frame, a cathode electrolysis terminal, an anode electrolysis terminal, and an exchange membrane; The frame includes an inner annular structure and an outer annular structure. The inner side of the inner annular structure is connected to the cathode electrolysis terminal, and the front side of the inner annular structure is connected to the exchange membrane. The anode electrolysis terminal is connected to the exchange membrane. The width of the inner annular structure matches the width of the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane. The inner annular structure and the outer annular structure are integrally injection molded. The difference between the front side of the inner annular structure and the front side of the outer annular structure is in the range of 0.4~0.6mm. The width of the inner annular structure is less than or equal to the width of the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane. The adhesion point between the anode electrolysis terminal and the exchange membrane is the non-catalytic region of the exchange membrane. A metal plate is connected between each pair of adjacent electrolytic reaction components in the at least two electrolytic reaction components. One side of the metal plate is connected to the anode electrolytic terminal of the electrolytic reaction component, and the other side of the metal plate is connected to the cathode electrolytic terminal of the electrolytic reaction component. Both the first and last electrolytic reaction components of the at least two electrolytic reaction components are equipped with sealing lines. The reverse side of the inner ring structure and the reverse side of the outer ring structure are located on the same horizontal plane, and the front side of the inner ring structure and the front side of the outer ring structure form a stepped structure.

2. The electrolytic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, A metal mesh is provided on the anode electrolysis end.

3. The electrolytic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The metal plate is provided with a first group of connecting holes, and the outer annular structure is provided with a second group of connecting holes. The first group of connecting holes and the second group of connecting holes form a vertical fluid channel. The second connecting hole in the second group of connecting holes is a water injection hole or an air outlet hole. The air outlet hole and the water injection hole are both radially distributed along the frame.

4. The electrolytic structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer annular structure has rounded corners between its front side and both ends of the water injection hole.

5. The electrolytic structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, A flow guiding structure is provided on the reverse side of the inner annular structure adjacent to the air outlet. The flow guiding structure includes a preset number of flow guiding columns. There is a flow guiding groove between each pair of adjacent flow guiding columns. Both ends of the flow guiding structure are arc-shaped.

6. The electrolytic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing line of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end is located on the front side of the outer annular structure, and the sealing line of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end is located on the back side of the inner annular structure.

7. The electrolytic structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The electrolytic structure is an integrally packaged structure. The sealing line of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end includes a first inner ring sealing line located on the inner ring of the outer annular structure and a first outer ring sealing line located on the outer ring of the outer annular structure. The sealing line of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end includes a second outer ring sealing line located on the outer ring of the outer annular structure and a second inner ring sealing line located on the inner ring of the inner annular structure. The vent of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end is located between the first inner ring sealing line and the first outer ring sealing line. The water injection hole of the electrolytic reaction component at the first end is located inside the first inner ring sealing line. The vent of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end is located inside the second inner ring sealing line. The water injection hole of the electrolytic reaction component at the tail end is located between the second inner ring sealing line and the second outer ring sealing line.

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