A biomimetic modular high-power pem electrolyzer

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of bionic modularization high-power PEM electrolytic cell, including electrolytic cell main body, it includes by base plate splicing outer frame, the outer side wall of outer frame is arranged with several electrolytic cell subsets in the way of annular array by mounting interface, form the bionic structure similar to corn, the inside surrounded by outer frame is pipeline cavity, centrally integrated unit is provided in it, the centrally integrated unit includes water inlet unit, water outlet / oxygen unit and set-up unit connected with electrolytic cell subset, for centralized distribution fluid, the application is distributed in the skeleton periphery by bionic space layout, multiple electrolytic cell subsets are arranged in high density, distributed, structure rigidity is strong, power density is high;Meanwhile, through centrally integrated unit, the efficient distribution and management of fluid are realized, and the maintainability of each electrolytic cell subset is improved, and it is suitable for megawatt-level hydrogen production application under multiple environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrolytic cell technology, and in particular to a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen energy is an important clean energy carrier. PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production technology is considered one of the important technical routes for achieving green hydrogen production due to its advantages such as high current density, fast response speed and strong adaptability to renewable energy fluctuations.

[0003] With the expansion of hydrogen production scale, existing high-power PEM electrolyzers typically integrate multiple electrolysis units in a linear stack. While this increases power, it also introduces significant drawbacks. When a unit in the stack fails, its tightly encapsulated nature and rigid connection to adjacent units via complex piping make individual disassembly and replacement difficult, often requiring large-scale disassembly of the entire system. This severely impacts system maintainability, operational continuity, and overall lifecycle costs. To address this issue, patent document CN114481153A discloses a PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production electrolyzer and a method for water electrolysis hydrogen production. Its integration method employs parallel integration and single-sided insertion. Specifically, the individual electrolyzer cells (blade-type) are inserted from one side of the tank, with all interfaces (water, oxygen, hydrogen) concentrated on one side of the cell, connecting to interfaces on the tank's back plate. This integration method, similar to a "drawer pull," offers good performance in terms of maintainability, cost, and scalability. However, it's important to note the following shortcomings of this approach: (1) Although this “drawer-type (or blade-type)” structure allows each unit to be closely arranged to achieve efficient use of space, it is difficult to expand and arrange in three-dimensional space (i.e., the space utilization rate is limited). (2) This “drawer-type” structure is mostly long and narrow after combination and integration, resulting in limited structural strength and seismic resistance. It is not suitable for extreme environments and ultra-large-scale applications (high power), such as offshore wind power hydrogen production platforms and distributed energy stations. Therefore, there is a need for a PEM electrolyzer structure that can achieve a denser arrangement of multiple electrolyzer sub-units and a more stable structure under high power. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to propose a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer, which improves the structural strength and space utilization efficiency while ensuring the reliability and independence of fluid supply and discharge of each unit, and realizes a high-density array arrangement of multiple electrolysis sub-units.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: This invention provides a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer, comprising an electrolyzer body, the electrolyzer body including a polygonal outer frame formed by splicing several substrates, and several electrolyzer subsets uniformly arranged along the length direction on the outer side wall of the substrates. These electrolyzer subsets are arranged in a ring array on the outer side wall of the outer frame via mounting interfaces. The outer frame encloses a pipe cavity, within which a central integrated unit, cooperating with the electrolyzer subset, is arranged along its axis. The central integrated unit includes an inlet unit providing deionized water to the electrolyzer subset, an outlet / oxygen unit cooperating with the electrolyzer subset to collect generated oxygen and residual circulating water after electrolysis, and a hydrogen collection unit cooperating with the electrolyzer subset to collect generated hydrogen. The inlet of the electrolyzer subset is connected to the inlet unit, the outlet / oxygen port of the electrolyzer subset is connected to the outlet / oxygen unit, and the hydrogen outlet of the electrolyzer subset is connected to the hydrogen collection unit. Preferably, the installation interface is located at... The outer wall of the outer frame has several fixing bolts that mate with the electrolytic cell subset. These fixing bolts are fixedly connected to the base plate. The fixing bolts are evenly distributed around the circumference of the electrolytic cell subset. The electrolytic cell subset has pre-drilled fixing holes that mate with the fixing bolts. The central integrated unit is a three-layer nested piping system. The water inlet unit, the water / oxygen outlet unit, and the hydrogen collection unit are coaxially nested water inlet cylinder, water / oxygen outlet cylinder, and hydrogen collection cylinder, respectively, from the inside out. The hydrogen outlet, water / oxygen outlet, and water inlet on the electrolytic cell subset are respectively connected to the hydrogen collection cylinder, water / oxygen outlet cylinder, and water inlet cylinder through pipes.

[0006] Each of the electrolyzer subsets is an independent PEM electrolysis unit module internally integrated with a proton exchange membrane and related membrane electrode assemblies. Each electrolyzer subset is equipped with a water inlet, a hydrogen outlet, and a water / oxygen outlet for a gas-liquid mixture. A check valve is also installed inside the water inlet. The shell of each electrolyzer subset is also equipped with terminals electrically connected to the current collector of the membrane electrode assembly. These terminals include positive and negative terminals for connecting to an external DC power supply. Several electrolyzer subsets arranged in a ring array on the outer wall of the outer frame are divided into several electrolysis layers along the axial direction of the outer frame body. Several contact rings that mate with the electrolysis layers are fixed axially on the outer wall of the outer frame. Several contact ports that mate with the terminals of the electrolyzer subsets are arranged on the contact rings along the circumference of the outer frame. The contact ports are snap-fitted to the terminals and are equipped with elastic sealing plates to close when not electrically connected to the terminals.

[0007] Spatially, the electrolytic cell body comprises several, and the several electrolytic cell bodies are connected in a matrix layout through a connecting structure to form a single-layer electrolytic stack array. The connecting structure includes flange connection, tenon and mortise connection and snap-fit ​​connection. The single-layer electrolytic stack array continues to be stacked layer by layer along the axial direction of the outer frame to form a multi-layer three-dimensional electrolytic stack array.

[0008] Another pre-installation method is also included, wherein the installation interface includes a U-shaped support plate fixed on the substrate as a pre-installation step, and clamping nuts that cooperate with the sides of the electrolytic cell subset are provided on both sides of the U-shaped support plate. A clamping washer that is rotatably connected is provided at the end of the clamping nut near the electrolytic cell subset. An embedded nut is fixed on the back of the electrolytic cell subset to form a pre-installation module that can cooperate with the U-shaped support plate. After the electrolytic cell subset assembled with the embedded nut is placed on the U-shaped support plate, the clamping nut is rotated so that the clamping washer clamps the electrolytic cell subset.

[0009] The central integration unit also includes another structure, which is a spiral pipeline system. The hydrogen collection unit, the water / oxygen outlet unit, and the water inlet unit are respectively a hydrogen collection pipe, a water / oxygen outlet pipe, and a water inlet pipe. The hydrogen collection pipe, the water / oxygen outlet pipe, and the water inlet pipe are three independent spiral pipes that are coiled in parallel along the axial direction of the outer frame. The hydrogen outlet, water / oxygen outlet, and water inlet on the electrolytic cell subset are respectively connected to the hydrogen collection pipe, the water / oxygen outlet pipe, and the water inlet pipe via connecting hoses.

[0010] A biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer installation method, for installing a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer as described above, includes the following steps: S00: Arrange the outer frame and the central integration unit, connect several substrates to form a polygonal closed-loop outer frame, and install the prefabricated central integration unit into the pipe cavity enclosed by the outer frame. Between the central integration unit and the inner wall of the outer frame, a radial branch pipe interface corresponding to each electrolytic cell subset is reserved. S10: Implant the electrolyzer subset, prefabricate and assemble the required number of electrolyzer subsets, install the electrolyzer subsets to the corresponding positions on the outer side wall of the outer frame, and connect the water inlet, hydrogen outlet, and water / oxygen outlet of the electrolyzer subset to the branch pipe interface corresponding to the central integrated unit respectively. S20: Inspect the sealing of electrical wiring and structure, and connect the end-user hydrogen collection system and water circulation system.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: (1) By mimicking the biomimetic structure of corn, the present invention arranges multiple electrolyzer subsets in a ring array on the outer side wall of the outer frame in a high density. This distributed layout breaks the limitations of traditional planar stacking or strip arrangement, integrates more electrolysis units in the same area, significantly improves the power density of the electrolyzer, and achieves true three-dimensional capacity expansion by expanding in two dimensions: radial (increasing the number of substrates or the number of units per plate) and axial (multi-layer stacking), solving the problem of single space utilization and enabling the construction of a hydrogen production system with higher power density. (2) The polygonal outer frame spliced ​​from the substrate serves as the core support skeleton. All the electrolyzer subsets are evenly arranged around the "core tube", which is balanced in force and has strong anti-torsion ability. This significantly improves the overall structural rigidity and resistance to dynamic loads. In addition, the axially arranged power connection rings not only provide power but also act as reinforcing rings, further enhancing the structural strength of the outer frame. This enables the entire electrolyzer to withstand complex and harsh environments, which is very suitable for extreme application scenarios such as offshore wind power hydrogen production platforms. (3) The three main pipelines responsible for transporting deionized water, water-oxygen mixture and hydrogen are integrated into a central integrated unit and placed in the pipeline cavity inside the outer frame. The nested pipeline and spiral pipeline in this case have achieved a high degree of integration of fluid channels, reduced the complexity of external pipelines, and reduced the risk of leakage and pressure loss. The nested pipeline design uses the high-temperature outlet water / oxygen mixture to preheat the low-temperature deionized water in the center. The waste heat recovery is realized in the pipeline, which reduces the preheating energy consumption in the electrolytic cell subset and improves the overall electrical efficiency of the system. (4) Each electrolytic cell subset is an independent power unit. It is mechanically fixed and electrically connected through the installation interface and the contact ring. All electrolytic cell subsets are fully exposed on the operating surface. When any unit fails, it can be quickly disassembled and repaired without shutting down the whole machine, which greatly improves the continuity of system operation. At the same time, the parallel power supply design of the contact ring and the contact bar further ensures that the disassembly and assembly of a single unit does not affect the normal power supply of other units. (5) The structure of the present invention makes power expansion extremely simple. By copying and pasting standard electrolyzer subset units and adjusting the length of the outer frame and the central integrated unit accordingly, hydrogen production systems of different power levels can be constructed linearly like building blocks. For example, the matrix connection and stacking of multiple electrolyzer bodies can further realize flexible and linear expansion from kilowatt level to megawatt level. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the central integration unit provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (for clarity, only the cooperation of a main pipe and an electrolytic cell subset is shown, indicating the location of the central integration unit to which each interface of the electrolytic cell subset is connected). Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation interface provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (only fixing bolts are shown). Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting interface provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (the electrolytic cell subset has been assembled onto the substrate). Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the installation interface provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention (the electrolytic cell subset is not shown). Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the installation interface provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention (the electrolytic cell subset has been assembled onto the U-shaped support plate). Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell provided in Embodiment 3 of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the central integration unit provided in Embodiment 3 of the present invention (for clarity, the main tube is not drawn; only the positions of the central integration unit to which each interface of the electrolytic cell subset is connected are shown).

[0013] In the picture: 1. Electrolytic cell body; 11. Substrate; 12. Piping cavity; 2. Outer frame; 3. Electrolyzer Subset; 31. Water Inlet; 32. Water / Oxygen Outlet; 33. Hydrogen Outlet; 4. Installation interface; 41. Fixing bolts; 42. U-shaped support plate; 43. Clamping nut; 44. Clamping washer; 5. Central integrated unit; 51. Water inlet unit; 52. Water / oxygen outlet unit; 53. Hydrogen collection unit; 51a. Water inlet cylinder; 52a. Water / oxygen outlet cylinder; 53a. Hydrogen collection cylinder; 51b. Water inlet pipe; 52b. Water / oxygen outlet pipe; 53b. Hydrogen collection pipe; 6. Electrolytic layer; 7. Connecting ring; 71. Connecting port; 8. Electrical connection strip. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0015] To construct a PEM electrolyzer structure that allows for denser placement of multiple electrolytic sub-units and a more stable structure under high power conditions in extreme environments and ultra-large-scale applications, this invention provides a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer resembling an arborescent corn cob, based on a biomimetic structural concept. Compared to the modular and parallel integration ideas in existing technologies (such as the prior art document 1 in the background), the core concept of this invention is to further emphasize the layout of multiple electrolytic sub-units (i.e., the electrolyzer subset 3 below) in macroscopic space by combining the structure of a biomimetic arborescent corn cob, forming a distributed, high-density arrangement scheme. Through the biomimetic spatial structure and pipeline distribution, the independence of each electrolytic sub-unit and the maintainability of each part of the electrolyzer are further enhanced.

[0016] Example 1: As Figures 1-4 As shown, this example proposes a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer, which will be described below from the perspectives of "external appearance" and "internal structure": (1) In terms of appearance, it includes an electrolytic cell body 1 (similar to a corn cob). The electrolytic cell body 1 includes a polygonal outer frame 2 (similar to the core of a corn cob) formed by splicing several substrates 11. The polygon can be hexagonal, octagonal, etc. (hexagonal is used as an example in this case, and the same applies below). Several electrolytic cell subsets 3 (similar to corn kernels growing on the core of a corn cob) are evenly arranged on the outer side wall of the substrate 11 along the length direction. The core of the corn cob provides physical support and arrangement structure for the corn kernels. Thus, the several electrolytic cell subsets 3 are arranged in a ring array on the outer side wall of the outer frame 2 through the mounting interface 4 (similar to the ear stalk at the base of the corn kernel used to attach and fix it to the core). In this way, the outer frame 2 provides a solid physical support structure for the installation of multiple electrolytic cell subsets 3, serving as a skeleton to protect the electrolytic cell subsets 3 arranged on it. All electrolytic cell subsets 3 are arranged around the outer frame 2 as the core cylinder, resulting in uniform stress distribution, strong torsional resistance, and significantly improved structural rigidity and dynamic load resistance. This is very suitable for application scenarios in some extreme environments, such as offshore wind power hydrogen production platforms. In this embodiment, it is set to a scenario where welding is allowed. In this case, the installation interface 4 consists of several fixing bolts 41 set on the outer wall of the outer frame 2 and cooperating with the electrolytic cell subsets 3. The fixing bolts 41 are fixedly connected to the base plate 11, that is, the axis of the fixing bolts 41 is perpendicular to the base plate 11. 1. The surface is welded and positioned on the substrate 11. Several fixing bolts 41 are evenly distributed circumferentially along the electrolytic cell subset 3. The electrolytic cell subset 3 has pre-drilled fixing holes to mate with the fixing bolts 41, so that the electrolytic cell subset 3 can be fitted onto the fixing bolts 41 along the fixing holes, and then fixed with nuts, etc. This annular array structure design allows the entire PEM electrolytic cell to be expanded radially and axially in the electrolytic cell body 1. Radially, when power needs to be increased, it can be achieved by increasing the side length of the outer frame 2 (i.e., increasing the number of substrates 11) or increasing the number of electrolytic cell subsets 3 on each substrate 11; axially, multiple such annular arrays can be expanded. The main body 1 of the electrolytic cells in the array is stacked along the axial direction (similar to multiple ring washers stacked together) to achieve a three-dimensional capacity expansion effect, thereby effectively solving the problem of single space utilization and realizing multi-dimensional power expansion. At the same time, the electrolytic cell subset 3 is located on the outside of the outer frame and is fully exposed to the operating surface (i.e., the outer side of the outer frame 2). Maintenance personnel do not need to go deep into the equipment and can operate directly from the outside. When a certain electrolytic cell subset 3 fails, it is only necessary to remove the electrolytic cell subset 3 from the outer frame 2 for repair without affecting the operation of other electrolytic cell subset 3. In this way, the modular advantages of "drawer type" are retained in terms of maintainability, while avoiding disassembly and difficulties caused by tight arrangement.

[0017] (2) Internally, for the electrolysis of water in the electrolytic cell subset 3 (equivalent to the normal growth and development of corn kernels), it is necessary to supply deionized water for electrolysis to the electrolytic cell subset 3 (equivalent to supplying nutrients to each corn kernel) and collect the hydrogen and water-oxygen mixture generated after electrolysis. The interior enclosed by the outer frame 2 is a pipe cavity 12. A central integrated unit 5 (similar to the nutrient supply system for developing corn kernels in the core) is set along the axis in the pipe cavity 12 to cooperate with the electrolytic cell subset 3. The central integrated unit 5 serves as a common channel. Specifically, the central integrated unit 5 includes a nutrient supply system for the electrolytic cell subset 3. The system includes a deionized water inlet unit 51, an outlet / oxygen unit 52 (which works with the electrolyzer subset 3 to collect the generated oxygen and residual circulating water after electrolysis), and a hydrogen collection unit 53 (which works with the electrolyzer subset 3 to collect the generated hydrogen). Therefore, the inlet unit 51 needs to be connected to an external water circulation system. Under the action of the water circulation system, deionized water is continuously transported through the inlet unit 51 to each of the electrolyzer subsets 3 installed on the outer frame 2. The water / oxygen unit 52 collects the gas-liquid mixture of oxygen and unelectrolyzed water generated after water electrolysis in the electrolyzer subset 3. After external gas-liquid separation, further treatment is performed so that the unelectrolyzed water is added back to the water circulation system. In this system, the hydrogen collection unit 53 is connected to an external hydrogen collection and purification device. The external treatment of electrolysis products is not the core content of this case and will not be elaborated upon here. The inlet 31 of the electrolytic cell subset 3 is connected to the inlet unit 51. Preferably, a check valve is also installed in the inlet 31 to prevent backflow of deionized water that has entered the electrolytic cell subset 3. The outlet / oxygen port 32 of the electrolytic cell subset 3 is connected to the outlet / oxygen unit 52, and the outlet hydrogen port 33 of the electrolytic cell subset 3 is connected to the hydrogen collection unit 53. In this embodiment, the central integrated unit 5 is a three-layer nested piping system, with the hydrogen collection unit 53, outlet / oxygen unit 52, and inlet unit 51 connected from... From the inside out, there are three coaxially nested structures: a water inlet cylinder 51a, a water / oxygen outlet cylinder 52a, and a hydrogen collection cylinder 53a (the three are not interconnected). The hydrogen outlet 33, water / oxygen outlet 32, and water inlet 31 on the electrolytic cell subset 3 are respectively connected to the hydrogen collection cylinder 53a, water / oxygen outlet cylinder 52a, and water inlet cylinder 51a through pipes. In actual implementation, the hydrogen collection cylinder 53a, water / oxygen outlet cylinder 52a, and water inlet cylinder 51a are all made of corrosion-resistant pipes (such as stainless steel pipes). The coaxiality of each cylinder is ensured by precision machining, and they are radially positioned and fixed to the inner wall of the outer frame 2 through annular end plates or spokes to form a stable nested structure.This nested sleeve structure has the following advantages: First, it integrates three independent large fluid channels (deionized water, water-oxygen mixture, and hydrogen) into a coaxial whole, greatly saving the internal space of the pipe cavity 12. Compared with arranging three large pipes side by side, this nested structure allows for a slight increase in the diameter of the central integrated unit 5, but a significant reduction in the equivalent cross-sectional area occupied by the overall space. This allows the outer frame 2 to be made smaller, or, with the same outer frame size, to leave more installation space for the peripheral electrolytic cell subset 3, thereby improving the overall power density. Second, when performing electrolysis in the PEM electrolytic cell, the suitable operating temperature is usually 60-80°C. Within this range, increased temperature can reduce electrolysis voltage and improve electrolysis efficiency. Thus, in this case, the innermost layer contains lower-temperature deionized water (inlet cylinder 51a), the middle layer contains a high-temperature effluent / oxygen mixture with a large amount of reaction heat (outlet / oxygen cylinder 52a), and the outermost layer contains the produced hydrogen gas (hydrogen collection cylinder 53a). Through the nested design of the coaxial tube walls, the heat from the middle layer is transferred inward to the innermost layer of cold water, achieving waste heat recovery. This is equivalent to integrating a tubular heat exchanger inside the delivery pipeline to preheat the lower-temperature deionized water entering the electrolysis cell subset 3. This reduces the energy consumption required for preheating the cold water inside the electrolysis cell subset 3, improving the overall electrical efficiency of the system, while ensuring a consistent water temperature entering each electrolysis cell subset 3. Thirdly, because the central integrated unit 5 is a concentric structure, the pipes leading out from the outer electrolysis cell subset 3 can be connected in a uniform radial direction. The hydrogen outlet 33, water / oxygen outlet 32, and inlet 31 of each electrolysis cell subset 3 are fixed in spatial position. Therefore, when connected to the corresponding hydrogen collection cylinder 53a, water / oxygen outlet cylinder 52a, and water inlet cylinder 51a, as follows: Figure 2 As shown, three main pipes are led out from the water inlet cylinder 51a, the water / oxygen outlet cylinder 52a, and the hydrogen collection cylinder 53a respectively. During installation, the main pipes are simply welded to the corresponding concentric cylinders according to their length and angle, without the need for complex pipe winding operations in a confined space. Then, multiple sub-pipes are branched off from the main pipes and connected to the corresponding interfaces on the electrolytic cell subsets 3 at different heights (the main pipes are provided with multiple ports for connecting to the sub-pipes). The sub-pipes can use connecting hoses. This scheme has a relatively compact structure and low fluid resistance, making it suitable for fixed installations and applications requiring long-term maintenance-free operation. Preferably, if the entire electrolytic cell body 1 is large in volume (or radially wide), it is difficult for a single main pipe to match the electrolytic cell subsets 3 on multiple substrates 11. Therefore, in this case, the corresponding main pipe can be configured for each substrate 11 for connection as described above, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0018] In summary, by arranging multiple electrolytic cell subsets 3 in an array around the outer side of the outer frame 2, more electrolytic cell subsets 3 can be integrated within the same floor space, achieving a power density far exceeding that of traditional strip or planar stacked designs. All gas-liquid main pipelines (i.e., the central integration unit 5) are concentrated within the central pipeline cavity 12, cooperating with multiple electrolytic cell subsets 3 through a common channel pipeline system (central integration unit 5). The electrolytic cell subsets 3 are connected to the central integration unit 5 via the shortest path, thus achieving centralized management and efficient distribution of multiple fluid streams, significantly reducing the amount of complex external piping and lowering costs. This design eliminates leakage risks and reduces pipeline pressure loss. Each electrolyzer subset 3 is connected in parallel to the central integration unit 5 along the fluid path. This architecture allows the system to operate continuously without a complete shutdown when some units are shut down for maintenance, greatly improving the system's operational continuity. Furthermore, the electrolyzer subset 3 can be designed as a standard power unit. By copying and pasting these standard units and correspondingly growing the central integration unit, hydrogen production systems of different power levels can be quickly constructed like building blocks, reducing the manufacturing cost of large-scale production. These are all extensions of the structure in this case, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0019] Preferably, to further explain the power connection for each electrolyzer subset 3, each electrolyzer subset 3 is an independent PEM electrolysis unit module internally integrated with a proton exchange membrane and related membrane electrode assemblies. Each electrolyzer subset 3 is equipped with a water inlet 31, a hydrogen outlet 33, and a water / oxygen outlet 32 ​​for a gas-liquid mixture. The shell of each electrolyzer subset 3 is also equipped with terminals electrically connected to the current collector of the membrane electrode assemblies. These terminals include positive and negative terminals for connecting to external... DC power supply; Since there are a large number of electrolytic cell subsets 3 on the outer wall of the outer frame 2, the several electrolytic cell subsets 3 arranged in a ring array on the outer wall of the outer frame 2 are divided into several electrolytic layers 6 along the axial direction of the outer frame 2 body. Then, a power supply interface is provided for the electrolytic cell subsets 3 in each electrolytic layer 6. Specifically, the outer frame 2 has several connecting rings 7 fixed along the axial direction on its outer wall, which cooperate with the several electrolytic layers 6. The connecting rings 7 have several terminals along the circumference of the outer frame 2 that cooperate with the wiring terminals of the electrolytic cell subsets 3. The power connection port 71 is a pre-installed connection port 71 at each electrolytic cell subset 3 of the electrolysis layer 6. The power connection port 71 is snap-fitted to the terminal block (or other methods can be used, such as standard threaded post or other quick-connect interfaces, etc.). An elastic sealing sheet is provided inside the power connection port 71 to seal it when not electrically connected to the terminal block, preventing short circuits and environmental corrosion. The side wall of the outer frame 2 is also provided with power strips 8 that mate with several power rings 7. Thus, the several power rings 7 are connected to the power strips 8 in parallel. The connecting strip 8 is then connected to an external circuit (or external power source), thus completing the power supply to each electrolytic cell subset 3. Moreover, the power supply to other electrolytic cell subsets 3 is not affected when disassembling or assembling them, greatly improving the independence and maintainability of the electrolytic cell subsets 3. In addition, while the connecting ring 7 is responsible for powering the electrolytic cell subsets 3, it is also equivalent to adding multiple reinforcing rings along the axial direction to the outer frame 2, further enhancing its structural strength and enabling it to be used more effectively in complex and harsh environments.

[0020] Example 2: As Figures 5-6As shown in Embodiment 1, in an environment where welding is permitted, the fixing bolts 41 can be used to fix the electrolytic cell subset 3. In a scenario where welding is not permitted, the mounting interface 4 includes a U-shaped support plate 42 fixed on the substrate 11 as a pre-assembly step. The two sides of the U-shaped support plate 42 are provided with clamping nuts 43 that cooperate with the sides of the electrolytic cell subset 3. The clamping nut 43 is provided with a rotatably connected clamping washer 44 at the end near the electrolytic cell subset 3. An embedded nut is fixed on the back of the electrolytic cell subset 3 to form a pre-assembly module that can cooperate with the U-shaped support plate 42. After the electrolytic cell subset 3 assembled with the embedded nut is placed on the U-shaped support plate 42, the clamping nut 43 is rotated so that the clamping washer 44 clamps the electrolytic cell subset 3; thus, the electrolytic cell subset 3 can be quickly assembled and sealed.

[0021] Example 3: As Figures 7-8 As shown, unlike the sleeve-embedded design of the central integrated unit 5 in Implementation 1, the central integrated unit 5 in this example is a spiral pipeline system. The hydrogen collection unit 53, the water / oxygen outlet unit 52, and the water inlet unit 51 are respectively the hydrogen collection pipe 53b, the water / oxygen outlet pipe 52b, and the water inlet pipe 51b. The hydrogen collection pipe 53b, the water / oxygen outlet pipe 52b, and the water inlet pipe 51b are three independent spiral pipes that are coiled in parallel along the axial direction of the outer frame 2. The hydrogen outlet 33, the water / oxygen outlet 32, and the water inlet 31 on the electrolytic cell subset 3 are respectively connected to the hydrogen collection pipe 53b, the water / oxygen outlet pipe 52b, and the water inlet pipe 51b via connecting hoses. The spiral path achieves uniform fluid distribution. Specifically, compared with the sleeve-embedded design of the central integrated unit 5 in Implementation 1, the spiral pipeline system design in this example has the following advantages: First Compared to nested rigid welded structures, the spiral pipe system is easier to manufacture and maintain. The three spiral pipes can be independently wound on specialized equipment and then coaxially assembled, eliminating the need for complex multi-layer concentric sleeve processing and sealing. It can also be radially positioned and fixed to the inner wall of the outer frame 2 using annular end plates or spokes. Secondly, for the inlet pipe 51b of multiple parallel electrolytic cell subsets 3, the spiral structure can produce a uniform distribution of friction resistance along the pipe, which helps prevent some electrolytic cell subsets 3 closer to the inlet of the inlet pipe 51b from "stealing water" while those further away from the inlet are "lacking water." Thirdly, using connecting hoses to connect the electrolytic cell subsets 3 to the three spiral pipes decouples the mechanical vibration between the electrolytic cell subsets 3 and the central main pipeline, significantly improving the system's reliability in dynamic environments to suit extreme conditions.

[0022] Example 4: The electrolytic cell body 1 comprises several units, which are connected in a matrix layout through a connection structure to form a single-layer electrolytic stack array. The connection structure includes flange connection, tenon and mortise connection, and snap-fit ​​connection. The single-layer electrolytic stack array continues to be stacked layer by layer along the axial direction of the outer frame 2 to form a multi-layer three-dimensional electrolytic stack array. Thus, the power of a single electrolytic cell subset 3 can be adjusted by the internal stack size. On the other hand, the outer frame 2 can be expanded in the horizontal direction or stacked in the vertical direction to form a multi-layer three-dimensional array. This enables flexible and linear capacity expansion from kilowatt to megawatt level, greatly improving the adaptability of engineering applications.

[0023] Example 5: A method for installing a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer, used for installing the above-mentioned biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolyzer, includes the following steps: S00: Arrange the outer frame 2 and the central integration unit 5, connect several substrates 11 to form a polygonal closed-loop outer frame 2, and install the prefabricated central integration unit 5 into the pipe cavity 12 enclosed by the outer frame 2. A radial branch pipe interface corresponding to each electrolytic cell subset 3 is reserved between the central integration unit 5 and the inner wall of the outer frame 2. The main purpose of this step is to construct the central core and basic frame, specifically, it is carried out in the following steps: S01: The substrate 11 is spliced ​​and the outer frame 2 is formed. Several prefabricated substrates 11 (hexagonal / octagonal, etc. according to the design) are hoisted to the installation platform. Then, the substrates 11 are connected by high-precision positioning pins and bolts, or by welding, to form a polygonal closed-loop outer frame 2. It is important to check the diagonal error to ensure the overall rigidity of the outer frame 2, so as to provide a precise installation reference for the subsequent ring array of electrolytic cell subset 3, and reserve independent through holes that cooperate with the water inlet 31, hydrogen outlet 33, and water / oxygen outlet 32 ​​of electrolytic cell subset 3. S02: Central integrated unit 5 hoisting and fixing: The prefabricated central integrated unit 5 (which integrates water inlet unit 51, water outlet / oxygen unit 52, and hydrogen collection unit 53) is hoisted into the pipe cavity 12 enclosed by the outer frame 2, and the position of the central integrated unit 5 is adjusted so that its axis coincides with the geometric center of the outer frame 2. Finally, the central integrated unit 5 is fixed by the support structure inside the outer frame 2 (such as radial support rods or ring brackets) to ensure its stability during subsequent installation and maintenance. S03: Pre-connection of core pipelines. Within the pipeline cavity 12, the water inlet unit 51, water / oxygen outlet unit 52, and hydrogen collection unit 53 of the central integrated unit 5 are initially connected to the external source (pure water machine, gas-liquid separator, etc.) using flanges or quick-connect fittings. If the central integrated unit 5 adopts a three-layer nested coaxial pipeline structure, it is necessary to lead out the main pipeline (including the main water inlet pipe, the main water / oxygen outlet pipe, and the main hydrogen collection pipe, which is suitable for welding; attention should be paid to sealing during welding) that will cooperate with multiple electrolyzer subsets 3. The main pipeline has multiple branch interfaces reserved to connect with the corresponding interfaces in the subsequent electrolyzer subsets 3 through pipelines (such as connecting hoses). If the central integrated unit 5 adopts a spiral pipeline system, connecting hoses that cooperate with the interfaces of each electrolyzer subset 3 are laid out. S10: Implanting the electrolyzer subset 3, prefabricating and assembling the required number of electrolyzer subsets 3, installing the electrolyzer subsets 3 to the corresponding positions on the outer wall of the outer frame 2, and connecting the water inlet 31, hydrogen outlet 33, and water / oxygen outlet 32 ​​of the electrolyzer subsets to the corresponding branch pipe interfaces of the central integrated unit 5; the main purpose of this step is to install the independent electrolyzer subsets 3 to the outside of the outer frame 2, mainly including: S11: Complete the assembly and airtightness test of electrolyzer subset 3 (including membrane electrode, bipolar plate, end plate, water inlet 31, hydrogen outlet 33, and water / oxygen outlet 32) to ensure that each electrolyzer subset 3 is independent and intact; S12: Install the electrolytic cell subset 3 to the designated mounting position of the outer frame 2, and align the water inlet 31, hydrogen outlet 33, and water / oxygen outlet 32 ​​of the electrolytic cell subset 3 with the corresponding independent through holes reserved in step S01 on the substrate 11 of the outer frame 2. These independent through holes are connected to the radial branch pipes of the central integrated unit 5 in step S03, such as the welding pipes and connecting hoses in step S03. S13: Connect the terminals on the electrolytic cell subset 3 to the contact ports 71 in the annular contact ring 7 on the side wall of the outer frame 2, and connect the external circuit or power supply through the contact bar 8 to supply power to each contact ring 7. This is something that can be easily done by those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here. S20: Inspect the sealing of electrical wiring and structure, and connect the end-user hydrogen collection system and water circulation system.

[0024] This invention has been described through preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes or equivalent substitutions can be made to these features and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. This invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein; other embodiments falling within the scope of the claims are also within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell, characterized in that, The device includes an electrolytic cell body (1), which comprises a polygonal outer frame (2) formed by splicing together several substrates (11). Several electrolytic cell subsets (3) are uniformly arranged along the length direction on the outer side wall of the substrates (11). The several electrolytic cell subsets (3) are arranged in a ring array on the outer side wall of the outer frame (2) through mounting interfaces (4). The outer frame (2) encloses a pipe cavity (12). A central integrated unit (5) cooperating with the electrolytic cell subset (3) is arranged along the axis inside the pipe cavity (12). The central integrated unit (5) includes an inlet unit (51) that provides deionized water to the electrolytic cell subset (3), an outlet / oxygen unit (52) that collects oxygen generated and residual circulating water after electrolysis in cooperation with the electrolytic cell subset (3), and a hydrogen collection unit (53) that collects hydrogen generated in cooperation with the electrolytic cell subset (3). The inlet (31) of the electrolytic cell subset (3) is connected to the inlet unit (51), the outlet / oxygen port (32) of the electrolytic cell subset (3) is connected to the outlet / oxygen unit (52), and the outlet (33) of the electrolytic cell subset (3) is connected to the hydrogen collection unit (53).

2. The biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the electrolyzer subsets (3) is an independent PEM electrolysis unit module that integrates a proton exchange membrane and related membrane electrode assemblies. The electrolyzer subsets (3) are provided with a water inlet (31), a hydrogen outlet (33), and a water / oxygen outlet (32) for a gas-liquid mixture. The housing of the electrolyzer subsets (3) is also provided with terminals that are electrically connected to the current collector of the membrane electrode assembly. The terminals include positive terminals and negative terminals for connecting to an external DC power supply.

3. The biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell according to claim 2, characterized in that, A plurality of electrolytic cell subsets arranged in a ring array on the outer side wall of the outer frame (2) are divided into a plurality of electrolytic layers (6) along the axial direction of the main body of the outer frame (2). A plurality of electrical rings (7) that cooperate with the plurality of electrolytic layers (6) are fixed on the outer side wall of the outer frame (2) along the axial direction. A plurality of electrical ports (71) that cooperate with the terminals of the electrolytic cell subsets (3) are arranged on the electrical rings (7) along the circumference of the outer frame (2). The electrical ports (71) are snapped together with the terminals. An elastic sealing sheet is provided in the electrical ports (71) to close when not electrically connected to the terminals. A power strip (8) that cooperates with the plurality of electrical rings (7) is also provided on the side wall of the outer frame (2). The plurality of electrical rings (7) are connected to the power strip (8) in parallel. The power strip (8) is then connected to an external circuit.

4. The biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell according to claim 2, characterized in that, A check valve is also installed inside the water inlet (31).

5. A biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell according to claim 4, characterized in that, The electrolytic cell body (1) includes several, and the several electrolytic cell bodies (1) are connected and combined in a matrix layout through a connection structure to form a single-layer electrolytic stack array. The connection structure includes flange connection, tenon and mortise connection and snap-fit ​​connection. The single-layer electrolytic stack array continues to be stacked layer by layer along the axial direction of the outer frame (2) to form a multi-layer three-dimensional electrolytic stack array.

6. A biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mounting interface (4) consists of several fixing bolts (41) set on the outer side wall of the outer frame (2) and cooperating with the electrolytic cell subset (3). The fixing bolts (41) are fixedly connected to the substrate (11). The several fixing bolts (41) are evenly distributed along the circumference of the electrolytic cell subset (3). The electrolytic cell subset (3) has a fixing hole reserved to cooperate with the fixing bolts (41).

7. A biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mounting interface (4) includes a U-shaped support plate (42) fixed on the substrate (11) as a pre-installation step. The U-shaped support plate (42) has clamping nuts (43) on both sides that cooperate with the side of the electrolytic cell subset (3). The clamping nut (43) has a rotatably connected clamping washer (44) near the end of the electrolytic cell subset (3). The back of the electrolytic cell subset (3) is fixed with an embedded nut to form a pre-installation module that can cooperate with the U-shaped support plate (42). After the electrolytic cell subset (3) assembled with the embedded nut is placed on the U-shaped support plate (42), the clamping nut (43) is rotated so that the clamping washer (44) clamps the electrolytic cell subset (3).

8. A biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that, The central integration unit (5) is a three-layer nested pipeline system. The water inlet unit (51), the water outlet / oxygen unit (52) and the hydrogen collection unit (53) are coaxially nested water inlet cylinder (51a), water outlet / oxygen cylinder (52a) and hydrogen collection cylinder (53a) from the inside to the outside. The hydrogen outlet (33), water outlet / oxygen outlet (32) and water inlet (31) on the electrolytic cell subset (3) are respectively connected to the hydrogen collection cylinder (53a), water outlet / oxygen cylinder (52a) and water inlet cylinder (51a) through pipelines.

9. A biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that, The central integration unit (5) is a spiral pipeline system. The hydrogen collection unit (53), the water / oxygen outlet unit (52), and the water inlet unit (51) are respectively the hydrogen collection pipe (53b), the water / oxygen outlet pipe (52b), and the water inlet pipe (51b). The hydrogen collection pipe (53b), the water / oxygen outlet pipe (52b), and the water inlet pipe (51b) are three independent spiral pipes that are coiled in parallel along the axial direction of the outer frame (2). The hydrogen outlet (33), the water / oxygen outlet (32), and the water inlet (31) on the electrolytic cell subset (3) are respectively connected to the hydrogen collection pipe (53b), the water / oxygen outlet pipe (52b), and the water inlet pipe (51b) through connecting hoses.

10. A method for installing a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell, used for installing a biomimetic modular high-power PEM electrolytic cell as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S00: Arrange the outer frame (2) and the central integration unit (5), connect several substrates (11) to form a polygonal closed-loop outer frame (2), and install the prefabricated central integration unit (5) into the pipe cavity (12) enclosed by the outer frame (2). Between the central integration unit (5) and the inner wall of the outer frame (2), a radial branch pipe interface corresponding to each electrolytic cell subset (3) is reserved. S10: Implant the electrolytic cell subset (3), prefabricate and assemble the required number of electrolytic cell subsets (3), install the electrolytic cell subset (3) to the corresponding position on the outer side wall of the outer frame (2), and connect the water inlet (31), hydrogen outlet (33), and water / oxygen outlet (32) of the electrolytic cell subset (3) to the corresponding branch pipe interface of the central integrated unit (5) respectively. S20: Inspect the sealing of electrical wiring and structure, and connect the end-user hydrogen collection system and water circulation system.

Images