Electrolytic tank structure with dual-mode control system
The electrolyzer structure with a dual-mode control system enables flexible switching of the electrolyzer's power supply mode, solving the adaptability problem of traditional electrolyzers under renewable energy power fluctuations, extending equipment life and optimizing economic efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CRRC CHANGCHUN RAILWAY VEHICLES CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-15
AI Technical Summary
Traditional alkaline electrolyzer control systems have limited functionality and cannot adapt to fluctuations in renewable energy power, resulting in short equipment lifespan, poor economic efficiency, and a tendency for gas content to exceed standards at low loads.
The electrolytic cell structure adopts a dual-mode control system. Through the AC/DC rectifier module and the DC/DC control module, it realizes dynamic switching between full power and half power supply modes. Combined with power detection and safety monitoring modules, it ensures that the electrolytic cell operates efficiently under different operating conditions and extends the equipment life.
It achieves adaptive adjustment of the power supply mode of the electrolytic cell, avoids excessive gas content, extends equipment life by 30%-40%, reduces total life cycle cost by 20%-25%, and improves the safety and economy of equipment operation.
Smart Images
Figure CN122039084A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of electrolytic cell systems, and in particular relates to an electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system. Background Technology
[0002] Alkaline electrolyzers, as core equipment for large-scale green hydrogen production, are widely used in renewable energy hydrogen production and industrial hydrogen applications. However, the control systems of traditional alkaline electrolyzers are limited to a single function, only capable of providing a fixed power supply. This results in the electrolyzer operating in only one mode, failing to adapt to complex and changing operating conditions and presenting several technical challenges. 1. Poor load adaptability: Renewable energy sources (wind power, photovoltaic) are intermittent and fluctuating, and the input power is prone to large fluctuations. Traditional control systems cannot adjust the power supply mode according to power changes, causing the current density of the electrolyzer to deviate from the optimal efficiency range when the power input is low. This can easily lead to excessive oxygen content in hydrogen and hydrogen content in oxygen, triggering equipment alarms or emergency shutdowns.
[0003] 2. Limited equipment lifespan: Traditional control systems continuously supply power to the entire chamber of the electrolytic cell, and all components are subjected to electrochemical stress, bubble erosion and corrosion throughout the process. All components age and degrade synchronously, resulting in a relatively short overall service life.
[0004] 3. Insufficient economic efficiency: When faced with time-of-use pricing policies or grid frequency regulation requirements, traditional control systems cannot switch power supply modes according to electricity costs or dispatch instructions, resulting in serious energy waste when the electrolyzer is under low load and high operating costs during periods of high electricity prices.
[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, the industry urgently needs an electrolytic cell control system and supporting structure that features flexible power regulation, long lifespan, and excellent economic efficiency. Summary of the Invention
[0006] This invention aims to solve the technical problems of existing electrolytic cell control systems, such as limited functionality, poor load adaptability, short lifespan, insufficient safety, and poor economic efficiency. It provides an electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system. This invention can dynamically switch between full-power and half-power power supply modes to adapt to different input power conditions, driving flexible operation of the electrolytic cell; it avoids excessive gas content during low-load operation, improving equipment safety; and by switching the power supply object through the control system, it enables "rotational rest" of electrolytic cell components, extending equipment lifespan, reducing maintenance costs, and optimizing the overall life-cycle economics.
[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides an electrolyzer structure with a dual-mode control system, comprising an electrolyzer body and a novel water electrolyzer control system electrically connected to the electrolyzer body. The electrolytic cell body includes a positive end plate, an intermediate end plate, and a negative end plate arranged in sequence. An electrolytic chamber A is formed between the positive end plate and the intermediate end plate, and an electrolytic chamber B is formed between the intermediate end plate and the negative end plate. The positive end plate, the intermediate end plate, and the negative end plate are respectively connected to a positive end copper busbar transmission plate, an intermediate copper busbar transmission plate, and a negative end copper busbar transmission plate. The novel water electrolysis cell control system includes an AC / DC rectifier module, a DC / DC control module, and three DC output terminals DC-OUT-107, DC-OUT-108, and DC-OUT-109. The AC / DC rectifier module is connected to the DC / DC control module, and the DC / DC control module is connected to the three DC output terminals. Wherein, DC-OUT-107 is electrically connected to the positive copper busbar power supply board, DC-OUT-108 is electrically connected to the intermediate copper busbar power supply board, and DC-OUT-109 is electrically connected to the negative copper busbar power supply board; A first control switch QF1 and a second control switch QF2 are connected in series in the circuit between the DC / DC control module and the DC-OUT-107. A third control switch QF3 is provided on the circuit between the DC / DC control module and the DC-OUT-109; A fourth control switch QF4 and a fifth control switch QF5 are connected in series between the first control switch QF1 and the third control switch QF3, and the DC-OUT-108 is connected between the fourth control switch QF4 and the fifth control switch QF5. By controlling the on / off combinations of the first control switch QF1, the second control switch QF2, the third control switch QF3, the fourth control switch QF4, and the fifth control switch QF5, and adjusting the potential of the DC output terminal, the novel water electrolysis cell control system can operate in full-power power supply mode or half-power power supply mode. In the full-power supply mode, the electrolysis chamber A and the electrolysis chamber B operate in series. In the half-power supply mode, only the A-section electrolysis chamber or only the B-section electrolysis chamber operates independently.
[0008] Furthermore, in the full-power power supply mode, the first control switch QF1, the second control switch QF2, and the third control switch QF3 are closed, the fourth control switch QF4 and the fifth control switch QF5 are open, the DC-OUT-107 is used as the positive output, and the DC-OUT-109 is used as the negative output.
[0009] Furthermore, in the half-power supply mode, there are two operating conditions: Operating condition 1, only the A-section electrolysis chamber is working: the first control switch QF1, the second control switch QF2 and the fifth control switch QF5 are closed, the third control switch QF3 and the fourth control switch QF4 are open, the DC-OUT-107 is used as the positive output, and the DC-OUT-108 is used as the negative output; Operating condition 2, only the B-section electrolysis chamber is working: the first control switch QF1, the third control switch QF3 and the fourth control switch QF4 are closed, and the second control switch QF2 and the fifth control switch QF5 are open.
[0010] Furthermore, the novel water electrolysis cell control system is connected to the power detection module and the safety monitoring module via signal connection; The power detection module is used to monitor the power of the input power in real time. When the input power is lower than the set threshold, it triggers the new water electrolysis cell control system to switch to the half power supply mode. When the input power is higher than the set threshold, it triggers the new water electrolysis cell control system to switch to or maintain the full power supply mode. The safety monitoring module is used to detect the gas content of oxygen in hydrogen and hydrogen in oxygen in the electrolyzer in real time. When the detected value approaches or reaches the safety threshold, it triggers the control system of the new water electrolyzer to switch the power supply mode or issue an alarm.
[0011] Furthermore, the novel water electrolysis cell control system is configured to switch between operating conditions one and operating conditions two in the half-power power supply mode according to a preset cycle or conditions, so as to realize the rotation of the A-section electrolysis chamber and the B-section electrolysis chamber.
[0012] This invention has the following significant advantages and advancements compared to the prior art: 1. Adaptive adjustment of power supply mode: The innovative dual-mode water electrolyzer achieves switching between full power and half power supply modes, accurately adapting to the needs of multiple scenarios such as renewable energy power fluctuations, grid dispatch and time-of-use pricing. It avoids excessive gas content in the electrolyzer during low load and drives the electrolyzer to achieve maximum hydrogen production during high load.
[0013] 2. Extend equipment life: By controlling the rotational power supply logic of the control system, the non-working chambers are protected from electrochemical corrosion and bubble erosion, the aging rate of components is slowed down by more than 50%, and the overall service life of the electrolytic cell is extended by 30%-40%.
[0014] 3. Improved energy efficiency and safety: In half-power supply mode, the working chamber still maintains operation close to the rated optimal current density, and the system energy efficiency remains in the high-efficiency range; the safety monitoring module and control system are linked to further improve the safety of equipment operation.
[0015] 4. Economic optimization: The full-life cycle cost is reduced by 20% - 25%; the control system can respond to grid auxiliary service instructions, helping users obtain peak shaving compensation and significantly reducing electricity expenses in time-of-use electricity price scenarios.
[0016] 5. Wide applicability: It is applicable to various application scenarios such as photovoltaic power plants, wind farms, industrial hydrogen production enterprises, and hydrogen refueling stations, compatible with the renovation and new construction projects of alkaline electrolyzers with different hydrogen production requirements, with strong adaptability between the control system and the electrolyzer structure, and high promotion value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Figure 1 is the front view of the conventional electrolyzer structure; Figure 2 is the top view of the conventional electrolyzer structure; Figure 3 is the side view of the conventional electrolyzer structure; Figure 4 is the circuit schematic diagram of the conventional electrolyzer control system; Figure 5 is the front view of the electrolyzer structure supporting the present invention; Figure 6 is the top view of the electrolyzer structure supporting the present invention; Figure 7 is the side view of the electrolyzer structure supporting the present invention; Figure 8 is the circuit schematic diagram of the new water electrolyzer control system of the present invention; Figure 9 is the front view of the conventional bipolar plate; Figure 10 is the front view of the intermediate plate of the present invention; Figure 11 is the side view of the conventional bipolar plate; Figure 12 is the side view of the intermediate plate of the present invention; Figure 13 is the schematic diagram of the current flow when the conventional electrolyzer is operating at full power; Figure 14 is for Figure 13 the corresponding circuit state diagram of the conventional control system; Figure 15 is the schematic diagram of the current flow of the electrolyzer of the present invention in the full-power supply mode; Figure 16 is for Figure 15 the corresponding circuit state diagram of the control system of the present invention in the full-power mode; Figure 17 is the schematic diagram of the current flow of the electrolyzer of the present invention in the half-power supply mode (operating condition 1, section A working); Figure 18 is for Figure 17 The corresponding circuit state diagram of the control system of the present invention in operating condition one mode; Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the current flow of the electrolytic cell of the present invention in half-power supply mode (condition 2, section B operation); Figure 20 To and Figure 19 The corresponding circuit state diagram of the control system of this invention in operating mode two; Wherein: 1-Conventional positive electrode plate; 2-Conventional negative electrode plate; 3-Conventional working chamber; 4-Conventional water electrolysis cell control system; 5-Conventional positive copper busbar transmission plate; 6-Conventional negative copper busbar transmission plate; 7-Conventional bipolar plate; 101-Positive electrode plate; 102-Intermediate electrode plate; 103-Negative electrode plate; 104-Section A electrolysis chamber; 105-Section B electrolysis chamber; 106-New type of water electrolysis cell control system; 107-Positive copper busbar transmission plate; 108-Intermediate copper busbar transmission plate; 109-Negative copper busbar transmission plate. Detailed Implementation
[0018] To better understand the purpose, structure, and function of this invention, the following detailed description of an electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0019] The electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system provides adaptation support for the stable operation of the control system. The control system realizes multi-mode operation of the electrolytic cell and component "rotation" through precise power supply control.
[0020] (1) Conventional structure and control system like Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figures 3, 4, 13, and 14, the working part of a conventional electrolytic cell mainly consists of a conventional positive electrode plate 1, a conventional negative electrode plate 2, and a conventional working chamber 3. Its matching conventional water electrolytic cell control system 4 has only one built-in control switch, QF1, which is connected to the conventional positive copper busbar transmission board 5 and the conventional negative copper busbar transmission board 6 through two output terminals, OUT-DC5 and OUT-DC6, respectively, thereby supplying power to the conventional positive electrode plate 1 and the conventional negative electrode plate 2. The conventional working chamber 3 is fully connected to the circuit throughout the entire process, and power regulation and component rotation are not possible.
[0021] (2) Electrolytic cell structure of the present invention The supporting electrolytic cell structure includes a positive end plate, an intermediate end plate, and a negative end plate. The intermediate end plate divides the electrolytic cell into two independent electrolysis chambers, section A and section B. The intermediate end plate has the functions of power transmission, gas separation, and conduction, providing a structural basis for the multi-mode power supply of the control system.
[0022] like Figure 5 ,6 As shown in Figure 7, the working part of the electrolytic cell body consists of an A-section electrolytic chamber 104 formed between the positive electrode plate 101 and the intermediate electrode plate 102, and a B-section electrolytic chamber 105 formed between the intermediate electrode plate 102 and the negative electrode plate 103. Both chambers are equipped with electrodes, diaphragms and electrolyte flow structures typical of alkaline electrolytic cells to ensure electrolysis efficiency when operating independently under different power supply modes of the control system.
[0023] like Figure 9 , 10 As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the intermediate electrode plate 102, as the core adapter component, uses the same conductive material as the positive electrode plate 101 and the negative electrode plate 103. The intermediate electrode plate 102 adds a power transmission plate structure, and the electrode plate thickness is designed to meet the welding requirements of the power transmission plate. Apart from the thickness and the ability to receive power from the external control system, its structure and function are similar to those of the conventional bipolar plate 7, retaining the flow channel, small chamber space, manifold, electrode mounting position, diaphragm mounting position, sealing water line, and other structures to ensure the stability of the power supply connection with the control system and the smoothness of the electrolysis process.
[0024] (3) Water electrolysis cell control system of the present invention The novel water electrolysis cell control system is the core invention. Through its cooperation with the multi-plate structure of the electrolysis cell body, it enables switching between two power supply modes: full power (two chambers connected in series) and half power (single chamber powered). The specific circuit connection and working principle are as follows: like Figure 8 In the new water electrolysis cell control system 106, the AC / DC rectifier module is connected to the DC / DC control module. The DC / DC control module has three DC output terminals: DC-OUT-107, DC-OUT-109, and DC-OUT-108. The DC / DC control module and the DC output terminal DC-OUT-107 are connected in series with a first control switch QF1 and a second control switch QF2. A third control switch QF3 is connected between the DC / DC control module and the DC output terminal DC-OUT-109. A fourth control switch QF4 and a fifth control switch QF5 are connected in series between the first control switch QF1 and the third control switch QF3. The DC output terminal DC-OUT-108 is connected between the fourth control switch QF4 and the fifth control switch QF5. The three DC output terminals, DC-OUT-107, DC-OUT-109, and DC-OUT-108, are respectively connected to the positive copper busbar transmission board 107, the negative copper busbar transmission board 109, and the intermediate copper busbar transmission board 108 to supply power to the positive electrode plate 101, the negative electrode plate 103, and the intermediate electrode plate 102. The control system can realize different power supply modes by controlling the on / off combination of the control switches and the voltage control of the output terminals.
[0025] ① Full power supply mode like Figure 15 , 16 When the electrolyzer needs to operate at full power, control switches QF1, QF2, and QF3 in the new water electrolyzer control system 106 are closed, while QF4 and QF5 are open. At this time, DC-OUT-107 acts as the positive electrode, supplying power to the positive electrode plate 101 through the positive copper busbar transmission plate 107, and DC-OUT-109 acts as the negative electrode, supplying power to the negative electrode plate 103 through the negative copper busbar transmission plate 109. DC-OUT-108 is not connected to the circuit, and no current flows through the intermediate copper busbar transmission plate 108. At this time, the positive electrode plate 101 in the electrolyzer is the positive electrode, the negative electrode plate 103 is the negative electrode, and there is no external potential applied to the intermediate electrode plate 102. The current flows sequentially through the positive electrode plate 101, the A-section electrolysis chamber 104, the intermediate electrode plate 102, the B-section electrolysis chamber 105, and the negative electrode plate 103, forming a series circuit. The A-section and B-section chambers work synchronously, and the hydrogen production reaches the rated maximum value.
[0026] ② Half-power supply mode When the input power decreases or the electrolyzer needs to operate at a low load, the new water electrolyzer control system 106 can switch to a half-power supply mode, which has two operating conditions: • Operating Condition 1 (Section A Chamber Operation): For example... Figure 17 , 18 Control switches QF1, QF2, and QF5 are closed, while QF3 and QF4 are open. DC-OUT-107 acts as the positive terminal, supplying power to the positive electrode plate 101 through the positive copper busbar transmission plate 107. DC-OUT-108 acts as the negative terminal, supplying power to the intermediate electrode plate 102 through the intermediate copper busbar transmission plate 108. DC-OUT-109 does not supply power externally and connects the circuit; no current flows through the negative copper busbar transmission plate 109. At this time, the positive electrode plate 101 in the electrolytic cell is the positive terminal, and the intermediate electrode plate 102 is the negative terminal. Current flows through the positive electrode plate 101, the A-section electrolytic chamber 104, and the intermediate electrode plate 102, forming an independent circuit. The A-section chamber operates efficiently at near-optimal current density, while the B-section chamber enters a silent dormant state.
[0027] • Operating Condition Two (B-section chamber operation): For example... Figure 19 , 20 Control switches QF1, QF3, and QF4 are closed, while QF2 and QF5 are open. By adjusting the output potential and power supply path, the current flows through the intermediate electrode plate 102, the B-section electrolysis chamber 105, and the negative electrode plate 103, forming an independent circuit. The B-section chamber operates efficiently, while the A-section chamber enters a silent dormant state.
[0028] (4) Cooperative control logic The power detection module of the water electrolysis hydrogen production unit monitors the power changes of the input power in real time. The new water electrolyzer control system (106) is connected to the power detection module and the safety monitoring module. When the power is higher than 60% of the rated value, the new water electrolyzer control system maintains the full power supply mode; when the power is lower than 60% of the rated value, it automatically switches to the half power supply mode. The safety monitoring module monitors the oxygen content in hydrogen and the hydrogen content in oxygen in the electrolyzer in real time. When the detected value approaches the safety threshold, it triggers the control system to switch the power supply mode or issue an alarm. At the same time, by periodically switching between the half power supply mode in operating conditions one and two, the A and B sections of the chamber can be rotated, extending the overall service life of the electrolyzer.
[0029] The novel water electrolysis cell control system of this invention, through its multi-switch and multi-output terminal design, combined with the modular structure of the electrolysis cell's dual chambers, enables flexible switching of power supply modes and solves many drawbacks of traditional technologies.
Claims
1. An electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system, characterized in that, A novel water electrolysis cell control system (106) includes an electrolysis cell body and an electrolysis cell body electrically connected to the electrolysis cell body. The electrolytic cell body includes a positive end plate (101), an intermediate end plate (102), and a negative end plate (103) arranged in sequence. An A-section electrolytic chamber (104) is formed between the positive end plate (101) and the intermediate end plate (102), and a B-section electrolytic chamber (105) is formed between the intermediate end plate (102) and the negative end plate (103). The positive end plate (101), the intermediate end plate (102), and the negative end plate (103) are respectively connected to a positive end copper busbar transmission plate (107), an intermediate copper busbar transmission plate (108), and a negative end copper busbar transmission plate (109). The novel water electrolysis cell control system (106) includes an AC / DC rectifier module, a DC / DC control module, and three DC output terminals DC-OUT-107, DC-OUT-108, and DC-OUT-109. The AC / DC rectifier module is connected to the DC / DC control module, and the DC / DC control module is connected to the three DC output terminals. Among them, DC-OUT-107 is electrically connected to the positive end copper busbar power transmission board (107), DC-OUT-108 is electrically connected to the intermediate copper busbar power transmission board (108), and DC-OUT-109 is electrically connected to the negative end copper busbar power transmission board (109); A first control switch QF1 and a second control switch QF2 are connected in series in the circuit between the DC / DC control module and the DC-OUT-107. A third control switch QF3 is provided on the circuit between the DC / DC control module and the DC-OUT-109; A fourth control switch QF4 and a fifth control switch QF5 are connected in series between the first control switch QF1 and the third control switch QF3, and the DC-OUT-108 is connected between the fourth control switch QF4 and the fifth control switch QF5. By controlling the on / off combinations of the first control switch QF1, the second control switch QF2, the third control switch QF3, the fourth control switch QF4 and the fifth control switch QF5, and adjusting the potential of the DC output terminal, the novel water electrolysis cell control system (106) can operate in full power supply mode or half power supply mode. In the full power supply mode, the A-section electrolysis chamber (104) and the B-section electrolysis chamber (105) operate in series; In the half-power supply mode, only the A-section electrolysis chamber (104) or only the B-section electrolysis chamber (105) operates alone.
2. The electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the full power supply mode, the first control switch QF1, the second control switch QF2 and the third control switch QF3 are closed, the fourth control switch QF4 and the fifth control switch QF5 are open, the DC-OUT-107 is used as the positive output and the DC-OUT-109 is used as the negative output.
3. The electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the half-power supply mode, there are two operating conditions: Operating condition 1, only the electrolysis chamber (104) of section A is working: the first control switch QF1, the second control switch QF2 and the fifth control switch QF5 are closed, the third control switch QF3 and the fourth control switch QF4 are open, the DC-OUT-107 is used as the positive output, and the DC-OUT-108 is used as the negative output; Condition 2, only the B-section electrolysis chamber (105) is working: the first control switch QF1, the third control switch QF3 and the fourth control switch QF4 are closed, and the second control switch QF2 and the fifth control switch QF5 are open.
4. The electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The novel water electrolysis cell control system (106) is connected to the power detection module and the safety monitoring module via signal connection; The power detection module is used to monitor the power of the input power in real time. When the input power is lower than the set threshold, the novel water electrolysis cell control system (106) is triggered to switch to the half power supply mode. When the input power is higher than the set threshold, the novel water electrolysis cell control system (106) is triggered to switch to or maintain the full power supply mode. The safety monitoring module is used to detect the oxygen content in hydrogen and the hydrogen content in oxygen in the electrolyzer in real time. When the detected value approaches or reaches the safety threshold, it triggers the new water electrolyzer control system (106) to switch the power supply mode or issue an alarm.
5. The electrolytic cell structure with a dual-mode control system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The novel water electrolysis cell control system (106) is configured to switch between working condition one and working condition two in the half-power power supply mode according to a preset cycle or condition, so as to realize the rotation of the A-section electrolysis chamber (104) and the B-section electrolysis chamber (105).