PEM electrolytic bath

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment, and particularly relates to a PEM electrolytic bath which comprises a cathode end plate and an anode end plate, a cathode water inlet is formed in one side of the cathode end plate, and a hydrogen outlet is formed in the other side of the cathode end plate; a moist air inlet is formed in one side of the anode end plate, an oxygen outlet is formed in the other side of the anode end plate, and moist air is used for purging; an anode sealing diaphragm, an anode plate, a membrane electrode assembly, a cathode plate and a cathode sealing diaphragm are sequentially arranged on one side, close to the cathode end plate, of the anode end plate in the flowing direction of the wet air. According to the utility model, a traditional anode water inlet mode is abandoned, and a novel mode of cathode water inlet and anode wet air purging is adopted, so that the overall cost of the PEM electrolytic bath is reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model belongs to PEM electrolytic water hydrogen equipment technical field, especially, relate to a kind of PEM electrolytic cell. BACKGROUND

[0002] Hydrogen is a clean, efficient energy carrier, with very high energy density, and only produce water when burning, without greenhouse gases and pollutants such as carbon dioxide, so it is considered an important part of future energy systems. PEM electrolytic cell as the core equipment of water electrolysis hydrogen, because it has excellent start-stop ability and high electric density becomes the mainstream technology at present.

[0003] However, as a key component of PEM electrolytic cell, the high price of proton exchange membrane has become a major factor restricting the development of electrolytic cell. To prevent hydrogen and oxygen mixing, proton exchange membrane usually uses a larger thickness, which not only increases the ohmic resistance of the equipment, but also further increases the overall cost of the electrolysis equipment. After research, it is found that the way of water feeding from cathode and air blowing from anode can significantly reduce the thickness of proton exchange membrane, therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a PEM electrolytic cell with water feeding from cathode and anode blowing to solve the above technical problems. SUMMARY

[0004] The utility model aims at providing a kind of PEM electrolytic cell to solve the above problems.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the utility model provides the following scheme:

[0006] A kind of PEM electrolytic cell, comprising: cathode end plate, anode end plate, the cathode end plate one side is equipped with cathode water inlet, the other side is equipped with hydrogen outlet;

[0007] The anode end plate one side is equipped with humid air inlet, the other side is equipped with oxygen exhaust port, and humid air is used for blowing;

[0008] The anode end plate is close to the cathode end plate one side and is equipped with anode sealing diaphragm, anode plate, membrane electrode assembly, cathode plate, cathode sealing diaphragm along the flow direction of humid air in sequence.

[0009] Preferably, a plurality of cathode bolt holes are formed in the cathode end plate, a plurality of anode bolt holes are formed in the anode end plate, and the cathode bolt holes and the anode bolt holes are vertically corresponding.

[0010] Preferably, the membrane electrode assembly comprises sealing gasket, gas diffusion layer and membrane electrode arranged in sequence from the cathode end plate to the anode end plate.

[0011] Preferably, the membrane electrode comprises a cathode catalyst layer, a proton exchange membrane, and an anode catalyst layer, which are sequentially arranged from the cathode end plate to the anode end plate.

[0012] Preferably, a matrix flow channel is engraved on the surface of the anode plate, and a positive electrode wiring hole and a positive electrode wiring clamp are provided on the upper end of the anode plate.

[0013] Preferably, first positioning holes are opened on both sides of the sealing gasket, and second positioning holes are opened on both sides of the membrane electrode, and the first positioning hole, the second positioning hole, the cathode bolt hole and the anode bolt hole are vertically correspondingly arranged.

[0014] Preferably, the thickness of the gas diffusion layer is 0.5-3 mm.

[0015] Preferably, the thickness of the proton exchange membrane is 10-30 μm.

[0016] Preferably, the thickness of the anode plate and the cathode plate is 1-10 mm.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and technical effects:

[0018] The flow direction of electrolyzed water in the present invention is that water enters the cathode and reaches the cathode side of the membrane electrode, and is discharged from the water outlet on the cathode side together with hydrogen. A very small part of the water reaching the cathode side of the membrane electrode will permeate the proton exchange membrane and reach the anode side for reaction, and then produce oxygen and discharge. Therefore, 99% of the water is discharged from the cathode side, and humidified air is blown at the same time. The traditional anode water inlet method is abandoned, and a new cathode water inlet and anode purging humidified air method is adopted. While ensuring that the hydrogen in oxygen index is normal, the thickness of the proton exchange membrane is greatly reduced, and the resistance is reduced, the electrolysis efficiency is improved, and the overall cost of the PEM electrolyzer is reduced, which is of great significance to promoting the further development of the PEM electrolyzer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. 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 inventive work:

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 It is the front view of cathode end plate;

[0022] Figure 3This is the left view of the cathode end plate;

[0023] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of membrane electrode structure;

[0024] Among them, 1. cathode end plate; 2. cathode sealing diaphragm; 3. membrane electrode assembly; 4. anode plate; 5. anode end plate; 11. cathode bolt hole; 12. cathode water inlet; 13. hydrogen outlet; 31. sealing gasket; 32. gas diffusion layer; 33. membrane electrode; 331. cathode catalyst layer; 332. proton exchange membrane; 333. anode catalyst layer; 41. positive electrode wiring hole; 42. positive electrode wiring clamp; 51. humidified air inlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0027] Reference Figures 1 to 4 The utility model discloses a PEM electrolyzer, comprising: a cathode end plate 1, an anode end plate 5, wherein a cathode water inlet 12 is provided on one side of the cathode end plate 1, and a hydrogen outlet 13 is provided on the other side;

[0028] A moist air inlet 51 is provided on one side of the anode end plate 5, and an oxygen exhaust port is provided on the other side. The moist air is used for purging.

[0029] On one side of the anode end plate 5 close to the cathode end plate 1 , an anode sealing diaphragm, an anode plate 4 , a membrane electrode assembly 3 , a cathode plate, and a cathode sealing diaphragm 2 are sequentially provided along the flow direction of the humid air.

[0030] Unlike conventional electrolyzers, where water enters the anode to remove a mixture of oxygen and water, and the cathode removes hydrogen, the utility model allows water to enter the cathode to remove a mixture of hydrogen and water, while the anode is purged with moist air to remove the mixed gas. Oxygen is no longer collected but is directly discharged. This has the advantage of reducing the thickness of the proton exchange membrane (because the anode is purged with moist air, hydrogen permeates the anode and is quickly diluted, eliminating the need to increase the thickness of the proton exchange membrane to reduce the risk of hydrogen and oxygen crosstalk).

[0031] The flow direction of electrolyzed water in the present invention is that water enters the cathode and reaches the cathode side of the membrane electrode, and is discharged from the water outlet on the cathode side together with hydrogen. A very small part of the water reaching the cathode side of the membrane electrode will permeate the proton exchange membrane and reach the anode side for reaction, and then produce oxygen and discharge. Therefore, 99% of the water is discharged from the cathode side, and humidified air is blown at the same time. The traditional anode water inlet method is abandoned, and a new cathode water inlet and anode purging humidified air method is adopted. While ensuring that the hydrogen in oxygen index is normal, the thickness of the proton exchange membrane is greatly reduced, and the resistance is reduced, the electrolysis efficiency is improved, and the overall cost of the PEM electrolyzer is reduced, which is of great significance to promoting the further development of the PEM electrolyzer.

[0032] According to a further optimized solution, a plurality of cathode bolt holes 11 are provided on the cathode end plate 1, and a plurality of anode bolt holes are provided on the anode end plate 5, and the cathode bolt holes 11 are arranged vertically corresponding to the anode bolt holes one by one.

[0033] The cathode end plate 1 , the anode end plate 5 and the intermediate component can be connected and fixed by tightening the bolts.

[0034] According to a further optimized solution, the membrane electrode assembly 3 includes a sealing gasket 31 , a gas diffusion layer 32 , and a membrane electrode 33 , which are sequentially arranged from the cathode end plate 1 to the anode end plate 5 .

[0035] The sealing gasket 31 can prevent liquid or gas leakage and enhance the physical stability of the entire membrane electrode assembly 3; the gas diffusion layer 32 is adjacent to the sealing gasket and is specially designed to optimize the diffusion and collection of gas. Its good contact with the membrane electrode 33 helps to quickly conduct the gas generated by the reaction, reduce resistance, and increase gas production and purity; the ordered layered structure helps to evenly conduct and dissipate heat, avoid local overheating, protect sensitive membrane electrode materials, thereby extending the service life and improving the overall thermal stability of the system.

[0036] According to a further optimized solution, the membrane electrode 33 includes a cathode catalyst layer 331 , a proton exchange membrane 332 , and an anode catalyst layer 333 , which are sequentially arranged from the cathode end plate 1 to the anode end plate 5 .

[0037] By directly contacting cathode catalyst layer 331 and anode catalyst layer 333 with proton exchange membrane 332, the efficiency of the electrochemical reaction can be greatly improved. The presence of the catalyst layer effectively reduces the reaction activation energy, accelerates charge transfer, and accelerates the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen.

[0038] According to a further optimized solution, a matrix flow channel is engraved on the surface of the anode plate 4 , and a positive electrode wiring hole 41 and a positive electrode wiring clamp 42 are provided on the upper end of the anode plate 4 .

[0039] The matrix flow channel design effectively manages the flow of electrolyte or gas across the anode surface, increasing the contact area between the fluid and the electrode surface, thereby improving reaction efficiency. This structure reduces fluid resistance, allowing the reaction medium to be distributed more evenly and quickly, enhancing mass and heat transfer.

[0040] The arrangement of the positive electrode connection hole 41 and the positive electrode connection clamp 42 directly and firmly connects the anode plate 4 to the external circuit, ensuring efficient current transmission. This design reduces contact resistance and increases current density.

[0041] According to a further optimization scheme, first positioning holes are opened on both sides of the sealing gasket 31, and second positioning holes are opened on both sides of the membrane electrode 33. The first positioning hole, the second positioning hole, the cathode bolt hole 11, and the anode bolt hole are vertically correspondingly arranged.

[0042] By fixing with bolts passing through the first positioning hole, the second positioning hole and the cathode and anode bolt holes, a strong three-dimensional connection is formed, which enhances the mechanical stability of the membrane electrode assembly under working conditions, especially in high pressure or vibration environments, and can effectively prevent interlayer dislocation or falling off.

[0043] According to a further optimized solution, the thickness of the gas diffusion layer 32 is 0.5-3 mm.

[0044] According to a further optimization scheme, the thickness of the proton exchange membrane 332 is 10-30 μm.

[0045] According to the further optimized solution, the thickness of the anode plate 4 and the cathode plate is 1-10 mm.

[0046] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "transverse", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0047] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit of the present invention, various modifications and improvements to the technical solutions of the present invention made by ordinary technicians in this field should fall within the scope of protection determined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A PEM electrolyzer, characterized in that: include: A cathode end plate (1) and an anode end plate (5), wherein one side of the cathode end plate (1) is provided with a cathode water inlet (12) and the other side is provided with a hydrogen outlet (13); The anode end plate (5) is provided with a moist air inlet (51) on one side and an oxygen exhaust port on the other side, and the moist air is used for purging; An anode sealing diaphragm, an anode plate (4), a membrane electrode assembly (3), a cathode plate, and a cathode sealing diaphragm (2) are sequentially provided on one side of the anode end plate (5) close to the cathode end plate (1) along the flow direction of the humid air.

2. A PEM electrolyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cathode end plate (1) is provided with a plurality of cathode bolt holes (11), and the anode end plate (5) is provided with a plurality of anode bolt holes, wherein the cathode bolt holes (11) are arranged vertically corresponding to the anode bolt holes one by one.

3. A PEM electrolyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The membrane electrode assembly (3) comprises a sealing gasket (31), a gas diffusion layer (32), and a membrane electrode (33) which are sequentially arranged between the cathode end plate (1) and the anode end plate (5).

4. A PEM electrolyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that: The membrane electrode (33) comprises a cathode catalyst layer (331), a proton exchange membrane (332), and an anode catalyst layer (333) which are sequentially arranged between the cathode end plate (1) and the anode end plate (5).

5. A PEM electrolyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that: A matrix flow channel is engraved on the surface of the anode plate (4), and a positive electrode wiring hole (41) and a positive electrode wiring clamp (42) are provided at the upper end of the anode plate (4).

6. A PEM electrolyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that: First positioning holes are provided on both sides of the sealing gasket (31), and second positioning holes are provided on both sides of the membrane electrode (33). The first positioning hole, the second positioning hole, the cathode bolt hole (11), and the anode bolt hole are vertically correspondingly arranged.

7. A PEM electrolyzer according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thickness of the gas diffusion layer (32) is 0.5-3 mm.

8. A PEM electrolyzer according to claim 4, characterized in that: The thickness of the proton exchange membrane (332) is 10-30 μm.

9. A PEM electrolyzer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the anode plate (4) and the cathode plate is 1-10 mm.

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