Online monitoring system and method for hydrogen purity in electrolyzer

Abstract

This invention discloses an online hydrogen purity monitoring system and method for electrolyzers, belonging to the field of electrolytic hydrogen production. It includes a condenser dryer, a hydrogen-oxygen detector, a deoxygenator, a drying tower, a connector, valve one, valve two, a filter, and a hydrogen purity detector. The system performs online real-time monitoring of hydrogen purity before and after purification in the electrolyzer system. It can simultaneously evaluate the hydrogen-oxygen barrier performance of the electrolyzer and the effectiveness of downstream hydrogen treatment. Furthermore, it miniaturizes and integrates the equipment for hydrogen purity detection into the electrolyzer system. This invention enables rapid and accurate evaluation of hydrogen purity parameters in the electrolyzer system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrolytic hydrogen production, and more specifically, to an online monitoring system and method for hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen is widely regarded as a crucial carrier for the future clean energy transition. Its combustion product is water, and it produces virtually no greenhouse gases, giving it significant advantages in addressing climate change and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. To realize this potential, hydrogen purity is paramount. Firstly, hydrogen plays a key role in many industrial processes, such as hydrogenation, ammonia synthesis, and petroleum refining. Higher hydrogen purity improves reaction efficiency, reduces the risk of catalyst poisoning, and thus enhances product quality and yield. Insufficient purity can lead to product contamination and affect the stability of downstream processes. Hydrogen fuel cells are an important technology in clean energy applications, widely used in transportation and stationary power generation. Hydrogen purity directly impacts fuel cell performance and lifespan. Impurities such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and water vapor can poison the fuel cell catalyst, reducing efficiency and increasing costs. Furthermore, hydrogen is a highly flammable gas; low-purity hydrogen may contain explosive impurities. Ensuring high hydrogen purity not only improves performance but also enhances safety during use, reducing the risk of explosions and fires. Various countries have strict regulations and standards regarding the purity of hydrogen, with industrial hydrogen typically requiring a purity of 99.9% or higher. Currently, the main methods for hydrogen purity testing include gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy. These methods accurately determine hydrogen purity by passing the sample gas through specific instruments to analyze its components. However, these methods rely on bulky testing equipment, making rapid on-site sample testing difficult. This invention proposes a convenient on-site hydrogen purity testing method for rapid hydrogen purity detection in electrolytic cell hydrogen products. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an online monitoring system and method for hydrogen purity in electrolyzers, which can quickly and accurately assess hydrogen purity parameters of electrolyzer systems.

[0004] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following solution:

[0005] An online monitoring system for hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer includes:

[0006] Condensation dryer, hydrogen oxygen detector, deoxygenator, drying tower, connector, valve one, valve two, filter and hydrogen purity detector;

[0007] Hydrogen gas produced in the electrolyzer, carrying water molecules and alkaline droplets, enters the condenser dryer. After condensation in the condenser dryer, the liquid flows back into the electrolyzer. The hydrogen gas then enters the hydrogen oxygen detector. The upper part of the deoxygenator cools the hydrogen gas with cold water. Upon encountering the cold water in the upper part of the condenser dryer, the alkaline solution and some water vapor condense and flow back along the tank wall into the lower electrolyte storage section of the condenser dryer. The initially cooled hydrogen gas enters the hydrogen oxygen detector for further processing. Subsequently, the hydrogen gas enters the deoxygenator for heated deoxygenation to further remove oxygen impurities. The deoxygenated hydrogen gas has an increased moisture content and further enters the drying tower for hydrogen drying. The deoxygenated and dried hydrogen gas enters the connector. By adjusting the opening of valves one and two, the flow ratio of hydrogen gas entering the product hydrogen path and the detection gas path is controlled. The hydrogen gas entering the detection gas path undergoes further gas filtration through a filter. Finally, the hydrogen gas enters the hydrogen purity detector for final hydrogen purity testing to obtain the final product hydrogen purity.

[0008] Furthermore, the connector includes a tee connector.

[0009] Furthermore, the valve includes a ball valve.

[0010] Furthermore, the hydrogen oxygen detector uses a chemical cell as a sensor to measure trace amounts of oxygen in hydrogen, and consists of electrodes, an electrolyte, and a circuit. When the gas to be tested comes into contact with the electrode surface, an oxidation-reduction reaction occurs where oxygen in the hydrogen reacts with copper oxide to generate Cu2O, producing changes in current or potential signals. These signals are then converted into corresponding oxygen gas concentration values.

[0011] Furthermore, the hydrogen entering the detection gas path will undergo further gas filtration through a filter to remove solid impurities.

[0012] A method for online monitoring of hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer includes the following steps:

[0013] Step 1: Test the hydrogen purity before and after hydrogen deoxygenation to evaluate the system's ability to separate hydrogen and oxygen in the electrolyzer. At the same time, test the hydrogen purity after deoxygenation and drying to evaluate the system's hydrogen deoxygenation effect and whether there are side reactions at the hydrogen evolution reaction electrode that produce impurity gases, thereby reducing hydrogen purity.

[0014] Step two: After electrolyzing water in the electrolytic cell to produce hydrogen, it undergoes preliminary condensation and drying. Then, the hydrogen enters a hydrogen oxygen detector to monitor the oxygen content of the hydrogen before it has undergone deoxygenation treatment. After the first detection, the hydrogen enters a deoxygenator for heated deoxygenation. The moisture content of the deoxygenated hydrogen increases, so it further enters a heated dryer for hydrogen drying. The deoxygenated and dried hydrogen enters a connector. By adjusting the opening of two valves, the flow ratio of hydrogen entering the product hydrogen path and the detection gas path is controlled. The hydrogen entering the detection gas path undergoes further gas filtration to remove solid impurities. Subsequently, the hydrogen enters a hydrogen purity detector for final hydrogen purity testing to obtain the final product hydrogen purity.

[0015] Furthermore, the valve includes an electromagnetically controlled valve.

[0016] Furthermore, the valve includes a pneumatically controlled valve.

[0017] Furthermore, the valve includes a manually controlled valve.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention include:

[0019] (1) Without the need for complex and bulky testing instruments such as chromatography, the present invention can test the purity of hydrogen in the electrolyzer before and after purification online in real time, so as to characterize the hydrogen and oxygen barrier effect of the electrolyzer itself and the effect of the hydrogen product purification process of the system, thereby quickly and accurately evaluating the hydrogen purity parameters of the electrolyzer system.

[0020] (2) This invention proposes an online monitoring method for hydrogen purity in electrolyzers, which analyzes the purity of hydrogen produced by water electrolyzers in real time and evaluates the system operation.

[0021] (3) This invention can be linked and integrated into the hydrogen production safety operation and maintenance system to provide real-time feedback on hydrogen purity in order to eliminate potential dangers.

[0022] (4) This invention greatly improves the efficiency of hydrogen purity monitoring and saves time in this process.

[0023] (5) This invention breaks through the complex process of sampling and even transportation equipment required for traditional gas detection, greatly reducing the costs of operation, manpower, and maintenance.

[0024] (6) This invention can be used in other scenarios that require hydrogen purity detection, thus broadening the purity detection scheme for hydrogen energy applications. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of the online hydrogen purity monitoring system for the electrolyzer in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] In the diagram, 1-condenser dryer, 2-oxygen detector in hydrogen, 3-deoxygenator, 4-drying tower, 5-connector, 6-valve one, 7-valve two, 8-filter, 9-hydrogen purity detector. Detailed Implementation

[0028] All features disclosed in all embodiments of this specification, or steps in all methods or processes implied in the disclosure, may be combined and / or extended or replaced in any way, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps.

[0029] The specific implementation process of this invention is as follows:

[0030] In this invention, the hydrogen purity before and after purification in the electrolyzer system is monitored online in real time, which can simultaneously evaluate the hydrogen and oxygen barrier performance of the electrolyzer and the working effect of the downstream hydrogen treatment; and it also enables the miniaturization of the equipment for detecting hydrogen purity in the electrolyzer and its integration into the electrolyzer system.

[0031] The technical concept of this invention is as follows: An online hydrogen purity monitoring method for electrolytic cells first tests the hydrogen purity before and after deoxygenation treatment to evaluate the electrolytic cell's ability to separate hydrogen and oxygen. Simultaneously, it tests the hydrogen purity after deoxygenation and drying to assess the system's deoxygenation effect and whether side reactions occur at the hydrogen evolution reaction electrode, producing impurity gases that could reduce hydrogen purity. After electrolyzing water to produce hydrogen, the hydrogen undergoes preliminary condensation and drying to remove most of the water and alkali. Then, the hydrogen enters a hydrogen-oxygen detector to monitor the oxygen content of the hydrogen before deoxygenation treatment. The hydrogen-oxygen detector uses a chemical cell as a sensor to measure trace oxygen in the hydrogen and consists of electrodes, electrolyte, and circuitry. When the gas to be tested comes into contact with the electrode surface, a redox reaction occurs, where oxygen in the hydrogen reacts with copper oxide to form Cu2O, generating a change in current or potential signal. These signals are converted into corresponding oxygen gas concentration values. After the first detection, the hydrogen enters a deoxygenator for heating and deoxygenation treatment to further remove oxygen impurities and improve hydrogen purity. After deoxygenation, the hydrogen contains more moisture, so it enters a heating dryer for further drying. The deoxygenated and dried hydrogen then enters a connector. By adjusting the opening of two valves, the flow rate of hydrogen entering the product hydrogen path and the detection gas path is controlled. The hydrogen entering the detection gas path undergoes further gas filtration to remove any solid impurities such as moisture absorbent particles and dust. Subsequently, the hydrogen enters a hydrogen purity detector for final hydrogen purity testing to obtain the final product hydrogen purity.

[0032] Combination Figure 1As shown, in the water electrolysis hydrogen production system, hydrogen gas produced by the electrolyzer carries water molecules and alkaline droplets into the condenser dryer 1. After condensation in the condenser dryer 1, the liquid flows back into the electrolyzer. The hydrogen gas then enters the hydrogen oxygen detector 2. The upper part of the condenser dryer 1 reaches a lower temperature due to cooling water in the deoxygenator 3. The hydrogen gas encounters cooling in the upper part of the condenser dryer 1, and the alkaline solution and some water vapor condense and flow back along the tank wall of the condenser dryer 1 into the lower electrolyte storage section. The preliminarily cooled hydrogen gas enters the hydrogen oxygen detector 2. The hydrogen oxygen detector 2 uses a chemical cell as a sensor to measure trace oxygen in hydrogen gas and consists of electrodes, electrolyte, and circuitry. When the gas to be tested comes into contact with the electrode surface, a redox reaction occurs where oxygen in the hydrogen gas reacts with copper oxide to form Cu2O, generating a change in current or potential signal. These signals are converted into corresponding oxygen gas concentration values. Subsequently, the hydrogen gas enters the deoxygenator 3 for heating and deoxygenation treatment to further remove oxygen impurities and improve hydrogen purity. The deoxygenated hydrogen has an increased moisture content and further enters the drying tower 4 for hydrogen drying. The deoxygenated and dried hydrogen enters the connector 5. By adjusting the opening of valve 6 and valve 7, the flow ratio of hydrogen entering the product hydrogen path and the detection gas path is controlled. The hydrogen entering the detection gas path will pass through filter 8 for further gas filtration to remove any possible moisture absorbent particles, dust, and other solid impurities. Subsequently, the hydrogen enters the hydrogen purity detector 9 for final hydrogen purity testing to obtain the final product hydrogen purity.

[0033] The present invention has the following advantages:

[0034] (1) This invention proposes an online monitoring method for hydrogen purity in electrolyzers, which analyzes the purity of hydrogen produced by water electrolyzers in real time and assesses the system operation. This invention can be linked and integrated into the hydrogen production safety operation and maintenance system to provide real-time feedback on hydrogen purity and eliminate potential hazards.

[0035] (2) This invention greatly improves the efficiency of hydrogen purity monitoring and saves time in this process.

[0036] (3) This invention breaks through the complex process of sampling and even transportation equipment required for traditional gas detection, greatly reducing the costs of operation, manpower, and maintenance.

[0037] (4) This invention can be used in other scenarios that require hydrogen purity detection, thus broadening the purity detection scheme for hydrogen energy applications.

[0038] It should be noted that, within the scope of protection defined in the claims of this invention, the following embodiments can be combined and / or extended or replaced in any logical manner from the above specific embodiments, such as the disclosed technical principles, disclosed technical features or implicitly disclosed technical features.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] An online monitoring system for hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer includes:

[0041] Condensation dryer 1, hydrogen oxygen detector 2, deoxygenator 3, drying tower 4, connector 5, valve one 6, valve two 7, filter 8 and hydrogen purity detector 9;

[0042] Hydrogen gas produced in the electrolyzer, carrying water molecules and alkaline droplets, enters the condenser dryer 1. After condensation in the condenser dryer 1, the liquid flows back into the electrolyzer. The hydrogen gas then enters the hydrogen oxygen detector 2. The upper part of the deoxygenator 3 cools the hydrogen gas, causing it to cool at the top of the condenser dryer 1. The alkaline solution and some water vapor condense and flow back along the tank wall of the condenser dryer 1 into the lower electrolyte storage section. The pre-cooled hydrogen gas enters the hydrogen oxygen detector 2 for further processing. Subsequently, the hydrogen gas enters the deoxygenator 3 for heating and deoxygenation to further remove oxygen impurities. The deoxygenated hydrogen gas has an increased moisture content and further enters the drying tower 4 for hydrogen drying. The deoxygenated and dried hydrogen gas enters the connector 5. By adjusting the opening of valve 6 and valve 7, the flow ratio of hydrogen gas entering the product hydrogen path and the detection gas path is controlled. The hydrogen gas entering the detection gas path passes through filter 8 for further gas filtration. Finally, the hydrogen gas enters the hydrogen purity detector 9 for final hydrogen purity testing to obtain the final product hydrogen purity.

[0043] Example 2

[0044] Based on Example 1, the connector includes a tee connector.

[0045] Example 3

[0046] Based on Example 1, the valve includes a ball valve.

[0047] Example 4

[0048] Based on Example 1, the hydrogen oxygen detector 2 uses a chemical cell as a sensor to measure trace oxygen in hydrogen, and consists of electrodes, electrolyte and circuit. When the gas to be tested comes into contact with the electrode surface, an oxidation-reduction reaction occurs where oxygen in hydrogen reacts with copper oxide to generate Cu2O, producing changes in current or potential signals. These signals are converted into corresponding oxygen gas concentration values.

[0049] Example 5

[0050] Based on Example 1, the hydrogen entering the detection gas path will pass through filter 8 for further gas filtration to remove solid impurities.

[0051] Example 6

[0052] A method for online monitoring of hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer includes the following steps:

[0053] Step 1: Test the hydrogen purity before and after hydrogen deoxygenation to evaluate the system's ability to separate hydrogen and oxygen in the electrolyzer. At the same time, test the hydrogen purity after deoxygenation and drying to evaluate the system's hydrogen deoxygenation effect and whether there are side reactions at the hydrogen evolution reaction electrode that produce impurity gases, thereby reducing hydrogen purity.

[0054] Step two: After electrolyzing water in the electrolytic cell to produce hydrogen, it undergoes preliminary condensation and drying. Then, the hydrogen enters a hydrogen oxygen detector to monitor the oxygen content of the hydrogen before it has undergone deoxygenation treatment. After the first detection, the hydrogen enters a deoxygenator for heated deoxygenation. The moisture content of the deoxygenated hydrogen increases, so it further enters a heated dryer for hydrogen drying. The deoxygenated and dried hydrogen enters a connector. By adjusting the opening of two valves, the flow ratio of hydrogen entering the product hydrogen path and the detection gas path is controlled. The hydrogen entering the detection gas path undergoes further gas filtration to remove solid impurities. Subsequently, the hydrogen enters a hydrogen purity detector for final hydrogen purity testing to obtain the final product hydrogen purity.

[0055] Example 7

[0056] Based on Example 6, the valve includes an electromagnetically controlled valve.

[0057] Example 8

[0058] Based on Example 6, the valve includes a pneumatically controlled valve.

[0059] Example 9

[0060] Based on Example 6, the valve includes a manually controlled valve.

[0061] The specific embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the methods described above. The above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. Various obvious changes, adjustments, and substitutions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Many other equivalent embodiments may be included without departing from the principles and concept of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An online monitoring system for hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer, characterized in that, include: Condenser dryer (1), hydrogen oxygen detector (2), deoxygenator (3), drying tower (4), connector (5), valve one (6), valve two (7), filter (8) and hydrogen purity detector (9); Hydrogen gas produced by the electrolyzer, carrying water molecules and alkaline droplets, enters the condenser dryer (1). After condensation in the condenser dryer (1), the liquid flows back into the electrolyzer. The hydrogen gas enters the hydrogen oxygen detector (2), where it is cooled by cold water in the deoxygenator (3) at the top. The hydrogen gas is cooled at the top of the condenser dryer (1), and the alkaline solution and some water vapor condense and flow back along the tank wall of the condenser dryer (1) into the electrolyte storage section at the bottom of the condenser dryer (1). The initially cooled hydrogen gas enters the hydrogen oxygen detector (2) for processing, and then enters the deoxygenator (3) for heating. Deoxygenation treatment is performed to further remove oxygen impurities. The moisture content of the deoxygenated hydrogen increases, and it is further dried in the drying tower (4). The deoxygenated and dried hydrogen enters the connector (5). By adjusting the opening of valve one (6) and valve two (7), the flow ratio of hydrogen entering the product hydrogen path and the detection gas path is controlled. The hydrogen entering the detection gas path will pass through the filter (8) for further gas filtration. Then the hydrogen enters the hydrogen purity detector (9) for final hydrogen purity detection to obtain the final product hydrogen purity.

2. The online monitoring system for hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connector includes a tee connector.

3. The online monitoring system for hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve includes a ball valve.

4. The online monitoring system for hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrogen oxygen detector (2) uses a chemical cell as a sensor to measure trace oxygen in hydrogen. It consists of electrodes, electrolyte and circuit. When the gas to be tested comes into contact with the electrode surface, an oxidation-reduction reaction occurs where oxygen in hydrogen reacts with copper oxide to generate Cu2O, producing changes in current or potential signals. These signals are then converted into corresponding oxygen gas concentration values.

5. The online monitoring system for hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hydrogen gas entering the detection gas path will pass through the filter (8) for further gas filtration to remove solid impurities.

6. A method for online monitoring of hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Test the hydrogen purity before and after hydrogen deoxygenation to evaluate the system's ability to separate hydrogen and oxygen in the electrolyzer. At the same time, test the hydrogen purity after deoxygenation and drying to evaluate the system's hydrogen deoxygenation effect and whether there are side reactions at the hydrogen evolution reaction electrode that produce impurity gases, thereby reducing hydrogen purity. Step two: After electrolyzing water in the electrolytic cell to produce hydrogen, it undergoes preliminary condensation and drying. Then, the hydrogen enters a hydrogen oxygen detector to monitor the oxygen content of the hydrogen before it has undergone deoxygenation treatment. After the first detection, the hydrogen enters a deoxygenator for heated deoxygenation. The moisture content of the deoxygenated hydrogen increases, so it further enters a heated dryer for hydrogen drying. The deoxygenated and dried hydrogen enters a connector. By adjusting the opening of two valves, the flow ratio of hydrogen entering the product hydrogen path and the detection gas path is controlled. The hydrogen entering the detection gas path undergoes further gas filtration to remove solid impurities. Subsequently, the hydrogen enters a hydrogen purity detector for final hydrogen purity testing to obtain the final product hydrogen purity.

7. The method for online monitoring of hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The valve includes an electromagnetically controlled valve.

8. The method for online monitoring of hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The valves include pneumatically controlled valves.

9. The method for online monitoring of hydrogen purity in an electrolyzer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The valves include manually controlled valves.

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