Water electrolysis reactor

Abstract

The utility model discloses a water electrolysis stack which comprises a membrane electrode, a polar plate assembly and a first sealing piece, the membrane electrode comprises a lower frame, a three-in-one assembly and an upper frame, the lower frame and the upper frame are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the three-in-one assembly, and a first sealing groove is formed in the top surface of the upper frame; the polar plate assembly comprises a lower polar plate and an upper polar plate, the lower polar plate is arranged on the bottom surface of the lower frame, and the upper polar plate is arranged on the top surface of the upper frame; the first sealing piece is arranged in the first sealing groove. The problem that in the prior art, positioning and limiting of the first sealing piece between the upper electrode plate and the membrane electrode cannot be achieved can be solved, and the assembling efficiency of the water electrolysis stack can be improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of electrolytic water, especially relates to a water electrolysis stack. BACKGROUND

[0002] Water electrolysis stack is a kind of energy conversion device that consumes water and electric energy, produces hydrogen and oxygen, its structure mainly includes membrane electrode (MEA), diffusion layer, polar plate, insulating pad, end plate etc., water electrolysis stack is usually assembled from bottom to top when assembling, it can cause the sealing element between polar plate assembly and membrane electrode to be easy to shift misplacement, the prior art usually adopts the mode that engraves sealing groove on upper polar plate and lower polar plate respectively, places sealing element into sealing groove, to complete limiting and sealing.But when installing the sealing element between upper polar plate and membrane electrode, since sealing groove is arranged on the bottom surface of upper polar plate, this bottom-to-top installation mode cannot solve the positioning and limiting problem of the sealing element between upper polar plate and membrane electrode. SUMMARY

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a water electrolysis stack, which can solve the positioning and limiting problem of the sealing element between upper polar plate and membrane electrode.

[0004] A water electrolysis stack, comprising:

[0005] Membrane electrode, the membrane electrode includes lower frame, three-in-one component and upper frame, the lower frame and the upper frame are arranged on the opposite sides of the three-in-one component respectively, and the top surface of the upper frame is provided with a first sealing groove;

[0006] Polar plate assembly, the polar plate assembly includes lower polar plate and upper polar plate, the lower polar plate is arranged on the bottom surface of the lower frame, and the upper polar plate is arranged on the top surface of the upper frame;

[0007] First sealing element, the first sealing element is arranged in the first sealing groove.

[0008] Optionally, the bottom surface of the upper polar plate is provided with a second sealing groove, the second sealing groove and the first sealing groove are correspondingly arranged, and the top and bottom ends of the first sealing element are respectively in contact with the top end of the second sealing groove and the bottom end of the first sealing groove.

[0009] Optionally, the water electrolysis stack further comprises a second sealing element, the top surface of the lower polar plate is provided with a third sealing groove, and the second sealing element is arranged in the third sealing groove.

[0010] Optionally, the membrane electrode further comprises lower diffusion layer and upper diffusion layer, the lower diffusion layer is arranged between the three-in-one component and the lower polar plate, and the upper diffusion layer is arranged between the three-in-one component and the upper polar plate.

[0011] Optionally, the three-in-one assembly includes a lower catalytic layer, a proton exchange membrane and an upper catalytic layer, the lower catalytic layer is arranged between the lower diffusion layer and the proton exchange membrane, and the upper catalytic layer is arranged between the proton exchange membrane and the upper diffusion layer.

[0012] Optionally, the water electrolysis stack further includes an end plate assembly, the end plate assembly includes a lower end plate and an upper end plate, the lower end plate is arranged on the bottom surface of the lower pole plate, and the upper end plate is arranged on the top surface of the upper pole plate.

[0013] Optionally, the water electrolysis stack further includes two insulating pads, one of the two insulating pads is arranged between the lower end plate and the lower pole plate, and the other of the two insulating pads is arranged between the upper end plate and the upper pole plate.

[0014] Optionally, the water electrolysis stack further includes a fastener, the fastener is used to sequentially pass through the lower pole plate, the lower frame, the upper frame and the upper pole plate to fix the pole plate assembly and the membrane electrode.

[0015] Optionally, the water electrolysis stack is provided with a fixing hole, the fixing hole sequentially penetrates the lower pole plate, the lower frame, the upper frame and the upper pole plate, and the fastener is arranged in the fixing hole.

[0016] Optionally, the number of the fastener and the fixing hole is multiple, and the multiple fixing holes are arranged around the circumference of the water electrolysis stack.

[0017] The water electrolysis stack provided by the application can reduce the deviation of the placement of the first sealing piece during the assembly of the water electrolysis stack, thereby avoiding the problem that the positioning and limiting of the first sealing piece between the upper pole plate and the membrane electrode cannot be solved in the prior art, and improving the assembly efficiency of the water electrolysis stack. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can also be obtained according to the structures shown in these drawings without creative labor.

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic exploded view of a water electrolysis stack in an embodiment;

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic view of the structure of an upper bipolar plate of a water electrolysis stack in an embodiment;

[0021] Figure 3 is a schematic view of the structure of a lower bipolar plate in an embodiment; Figure 2 is a schematic view of a vertical cross-section at A;

[0022] Figure 4 is a schematic view of the structure of a lower bipolar plate in an embodiment;

[0023] Figure 5 is a schematic view of the structure of an upper bipolar plate in an embodiment; Figure 4 is a schematic view of a vertical cross-section at B.

[0024] 1. Membrane electrode; 11. Lower frame; 12. Three-in-one assembly; 121. Lower catalytic layer; 122. Proton exchange membrane; 123. Upper catalytic layer; 13. Upper frame; 14. First sealing groove; 15. Lower diffusion layer; 16. Upper diffusion layer; 17. Positioning hole; 2. Bipolar plate assembly; 21. Lower bipolar plate; 22. Upper bipolar plate; 23. Water gas passage; 24. Flow channel ridge; 25. Third sealing groove; 3. First sealing member; 4. Second sealing member; 5. End plate assembly; 51. Lower end plate; 52. Upper end plate; 6. Insulating pad; 7. Fastener; 8. Fixing hole.

[0025] The implementation, functional features and advantages of the utility model will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the utility model, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the protection scope of the utility model.

[0027] It should be noted that all the directionality indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the utility model are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, movement condition, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the drawings), and if the specific posture changes, the directionality indications will also change accordingly.

[0028] In addition, the description of "first", "second" and the like in the present application is only for the purpose of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features limited by "first", "second" can be explicitly or implicitly included at least one of the features. In addition, "and / or" in the full text includes three schemes, taking A and / or B as an example, including A technical scheme, B technical scheme, and A and B simultaneously meet the technical scheme; in addition, the technical schemes of each embodiment can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the realization of ordinary skilled in the art, when the combination of technical schemes appears contradictory or cannot be realized, it should be considered that the combination of technical schemes does not exist, also not in the protection scope required by the present application.

[0029] Reference Figures 1-3 The application provides a water electrolysis stack, which comprises a membrane electrode 1, a polar plate assembly 2 and a first sealing piece 3, the membrane electrode 1 comprises a lower frame 11, a three-in-one assembly 12 and an upper frame 13, the lower frame 11 and the upper frame 13 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the three-in-one assembly 12, and the lower frame 11 is located below the upper frame 13, a first sealing groove 14 is formed in the top surface of the upper frame 13, and the first sealing piece 3 is arranged in the first sealing groove 14; the polar plate assembly 2 comprises a lower polar plate 21 and an upper polar plate 22, the lower polar plate 21 is arranged on the bottom surface of the lower frame 11, and the upper polar plate 22 is arranged on the top surface of the upper frame 13.

[0030] The application provides a water electrolysis stack, which comprises a membrane electrode 1, a polar plate assembly 2 and a first sealing piece 3, the membrane electrode 1 comprises a lower frame 11, a three-in-one assembly 12 and an upper frame 13, the lower frame 11 and the upper frame 13 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the three-in-one assembly 12, and the lower frame 11 is located below the upper frame 13, a first sealing groove 14 is formed in the top surface of the upper frame 13, and the first sealing piece 3 is arranged in the first sealing groove 14; the polar plate assembly 2 comprises a lower polar plate 21 and an upper polar plate 22, the lower polar plate 21 is arranged on the bottom surface of the lower frame 11, and the upper polar plate 22 is arranged on the top surface of the upper frame 13.

[0031] In addition, the product structure of the three-in-one assembly 12 is low in strength, not easy to assemble and easy to be broken by high assembly pressure of the water electrolysis stack, the application seals the blank area of the three-in-one assembly 12, that is, the upper frame 13 and the lower frame 11 are arranged on the top and bottom sides of the three-in-one assembly 12 respectively, so that the overall structural strength of the membrane electrode 1 can be improved, the water electrolysis stack can be conveniently assembled, and the three-in-one assembly 12 can be prevented from being directly sheared by other components of the water electrolysis stack.

[0032] Specifically, reference Figure 4, the two sides of the lower pole plate 21 and the two sides of the membrane electrode 1 are provided with water vapor passages 23, and the water vapor passages 23 of the lower pole plate 21 are mirror-symmetric with the water vapor passages 23 on the side of the membrane electrode 1 and the lower pole plate 21, and the water vapor passages 23 of the upper pole plate 22 are mirror-symmetric with the water vapor passages 23 on the side of the membrane electrode 1 and the upper pole plate 22.

[0033] Further, the water vapor passage 23 is further provided with a flow channel ridge 24, which is used to guide and distribute the gas flow.

[0034] Reference Figure 3 The bottom surface of the upper pole plate 22 is provided with a second sealing groove, and the second sealing groove and the first sealing groove 14 are correspondingly arranged, and the top and bottom ends of the first sealing member 3 are respectively abutted with the top end of the second sealing groove and the bottom end of the first sealing groove 14, and the first sealing member 3 is used to realize the sealing between the upper pole plate 22 and the membrane electrode 1.

[0035] Specifically, the first sealing groove 14 is arranged around the circumference of the upper frame 13, and the second sealing groove is arranged around the circumference of the upper pole plate 22, and the first sealing groove 14 and the second sealing groove form a sealing cavity, and the first sealing member 3 is arranged in the sealing cavity, and the first sealing member 3 and the sealing cavity are matched.

[0036] Reference Figure 4 And Figure 5 The water electrolysis stack further comprises a second sealing member 4, and the top surface of the lower pole plate 21 is provided with a third sealing groove 25, and the second sealing member 4 is arranged in the third sealing groove 25, and the second sealing member 4 is used to realize the sealing between the lower pole plate 21 and the membrane electrode 1.

[0037] Specifically, the second sealing groove is arranged around the circumference of the lower pole plate 21, and the second sealing member 4 is matched with the second sealing groove. The membrane electrode 1 and the pole plate assembly 2 of the water electrolysis stack form a water vapor sealing cavity through the perfect matching of the sealing member and the sealing groove. It can improve the structural strength of the membrane electrode 1 and also improve the assembly efficiency and accuracy of the water electrolysis stack.

[0038] Specifically, the first sealing member 3 and the second sealing member 4 are sealing rubber rings.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 And Figure 3 The membrane electrode 1 further comprises a lower diffusion layer 15 and an upper diffusion layer 16, the lower diffusion layer 15 is arranged between the three-in-one assembly 12 and the lower pole plate 21, and the upper diffusion layer 16 is arranged between the three-in-one assembly 12 and the upper pole plate 22.

[0040] Reference Figure 3The three-in-one assembly 12 comprises a lower catalytic layer 121, a proton exchange membrane 122 and an upper catalytic layer 123, the lower catalytic layer 121 is arranged between the lower diffusion layer 15 and the proton exchange membrane 122, and the upper catalytic layer 123 is arranged between the proton exchange membrane 122 and the upper diffusion layer 16.

[0041] Specifically, the lower frame 11 and the upper frame 13 are arranged on opposite sides of the proton exchange membrane 122 respectively, the lower catalytic layer 121 and the lower diffusion layer 15 are arranged in alignment, the upper catalytic layer 123 and the upper diffusion layer 16 are arranged in alignment, and the lower frame 11 surrounds the lower catalytic layer 121 and the lower diffusion layer 15, and the upper frame 13 surrounds the upper catalytic layer 123 and the upper diffusion layer 16.

[0042] Specifically, the membrane electrode 1 is also provided with a positioning hole 17, the positioning hole 17 penetrates through the lower frame 11, the proton exchange membrane 122 and the upper frame 13, and the positioning hole 17 is used to realize the positioning between the lower frame 11, the three-in-one assembly 12 and the upper frame 13.

[0043] Specifically, the lower catalytic layer 121 is an anode catalytic layer, the upper catalytic layer 123 is a cathode catalytic layer, the lower pole plate 21 is an anode pole plate, the upper pole plate 22 is a cathode pole plate, the lower diffusion layer 15 is an anode diffusion layer, and the upper diffusion layer 16 is a cathode diffusion layer, or the lower catalytic layer 121 is a cathode catalytic layer, the upper catalytic layer 123 is an anode catalytic layer, the lower pole plate 21 is a cathode pole plate, the upper pole plate 22 is an anode pole plate, the lower diffusion layer 15 is a cathode diffusion layer, and the upper diffusion layer 16 is an anode diffusion layer.

[0044] Referring to Figure 1 The water electrolysis stack also comprises an end plate assembly 5, the end plate assembly 5 comprises a lower end plate 51 and an upper end plate 52, the lower end plate 51 is arranged on the bottom surface of the lower pole plate 21, and the upper end plate 52 is arranged on the top surface of the upper pole plate 22.

[0045] Referring to Figure 4 The water electrolysis stack also comprises two insulating pads 6, one of the insulating pads 6 is arranged between the lower end plate 51 and the lower pole plate 21, and the other insulating pad 6 is arranged between the upper end plate 52 and the upper pole plate 22.

[0046] Specifically, the insulating pad 6 is made of glass fiber resin and plays an insulating role.

[0047] Referring to Figure 1 The water electrolysis stack also comprises a fastener 7, the fastener 7 is used to sequentially pass through the lower end plate 51, the insulating pad 6, the lower pole plate 21, the lower frame 11, the upper frame 13, the upper pole plate 22, the insulating pad 6 and the upper end plate 52, so as to realize the connection and fixation of each component of the water electrolysis stack.

[0048] Referring to Figure 1The water electrolysis stack is further provided with fixing holes 8, which pass through the lower end plate 51, the insulating pad 6, the lower pole plate 21, the lower frame 11, the upper frame 13, the upper pole plate 22, the insulating pad 6 and the upper end plate 52 in sequence, and the fasteners 7 are arranged in the fixing holes 8.

[0049] The number of the fasteners 7 and the fixing holes 8 is multiple, and the multiple fixing holes 8 are arranged around the circumference of the water electrolysis stack, so that uniform fastening force is provided for the assembly of the water electrolysis stack.

[0050] The application further provides a preparation method of the membrane electrode 1, which comprises the following steps: cutting the lower frame 11 and the upper frame 13 respectively, and placing the lower frame 11 and the upper frame 13 into a positioning clamp, the positioning clamp is provided with positioning holes, the lower frame 11, the three-in-one assembly 12 and the upper frame 13 are positioned by positioning pins, and the lower frame 11 and the upper frame 13 are adhered to the proton exchange membrane 122 by an adhesive, and then the proton exchange membrane 122 is adhered to the lower frame 11 and the upper frame 13 by cold pressing or hot pressing. Then, a corresponding shape is cut on the top surface of the upper frame 13, the frame material at the first sealing groove 14 is removed by waste removal, and the required first sealing groove 14 is formed, the first sealing piece 3 is placed in the first sealing groove 14, and the first sealing piece 3 and the first sealing groove 14 can be further preliminarily adhered by brushing adhesive on the first sealing groove 14, so that the misalignment and deviation do not occur during positioning, and the assembly success rate of the water electrolysis stack is improved.

[0051] Specifically, the adhesive can be one or more of polyacrylic acid, polyolefin, silica gel, phenolic resin, polyester and polyurethane, and the lower frame 11 and the upper frame 13 can be one or more layers of polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, polyethylene naphthalate, polyether ether ketone, polyether imide and polyphenylene sulfide, and the thickness is 5-1000 microns.

[0052] In other embodiments, after the first sealing groove 14 is made, the island-shaped upper frame 13 with a hollow in the middle can be made into an upper frame 13 as a whole by using a composite frame. Specifically, the first frame and the second frame are first attached together, the first frame is located above the second frame, then the area of the first sealing groove 14 of the first frame is cut off and the waste is removed, and finally the first frame and the second frame are attached together by hot pressing through the positioning clamp, so as to form the upper frame 13.

[0053] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the utility model, and does not limit the patent range of the utility model, and any equivalent structural transformation made by using the utility model specification and the drawings, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields is included in the patent protection range of the utility model.

Claims

1. A water electrolysis stack, characterized in that, The water electrolysis stack comprises: a membrane electrode, which comprises a lower frame, a three-in-one assembly and an upper frame, the lower frame and the upper frame are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the three-in-one assembly, and a first sealing groove is formed in the top surface of the upper frame; a polar plate assembly, which comprises a lower polar plate and an upper polar plate, the lower polar plate is arranged on the bottom surface of the lower frame, and the upper polar plate is arranged on the top surface of the upper frame; a first sealing element arranged in the first sealing groove.

2. The water electrolysis stack of claim 1, characterized in that A second sealing groove is formed in the bottom surface of the upper polar plate, the second sealing groove and the first sealing groove are arranged correspondingly, and the top end and the bottom end of the first sealing element are respectively in abutment with the top end of the second sealing groove and the bottom end of the first sealing groove.

3. The water electrolysis stack of claim 1, characterized in that, The water electrolysis stack further comprises a second sealing element, a third sealing groove is formed in the top surface of the lower polar plate, and the second sealing element is arranged in the third sealing groove.

4. The water electrolysis stack of claim 1, characterized in that, The membrane electrode further comprises a lower diffusion layer and an upper diffusion layer, the lower diffusion layer is arranged between the three-in-one assembly and the lower polar plate, and the upper diffusion layer is arranged between the three-in-one assembly and the upper polar plate.

5. The water electrolysis stack of claim 4, characterized in that, The three-in-one assembly comprises a lower catalytic layer, a proton exchange membrane and an upper catalytic layer, the lower catalytic layer is arranged between the lower diffusion layer and the proton exchange membrane, and the upper catalytic layer is arranged between the proton exchange membrane and the upper diffusion layer.

6. The water electrolysis stack of claim 1, characterized in that, The water electrolysis stack further comprises an end plate assembly, the end plate assembly comprises a lower end plate and an upper end plate, the lower end plate is arranged on the bottom surface of the lower polar plate, and the upper end plate is arranged on the top surface of the upper polar plate.

7. The water electrolysis stack of claim 6, characterized in that The water electrolysis stack further comprises two insulating pads, one of the insulating pads is arranged between the lower end plate and the lower polar plate, and the other insulating pad is arranged between the upper end plate and the upper polar plate.

8. The water electrolysis stack of claim 1, characterized in that, The water electrolysis stack further comprises a fastener, the fastener is used to sequentially pass through the lower polar plate, the lower frame, the upper frame and the upper polar plate, so as to fix the polar plate assembly and the membrane electrode.

9. The water electrolysis stack of claim 8, characterized in that The water electrolysis stack further comprises a fixing hole, the fixing hole sequentially penetrates the lower polar plate, the lower frame, the upper frame and the upper polar plate, and the fastener is arranged in the fixing hole.

10. The water electrolysis stack of claim 9, characterized in that The number of the fastener and the fixing hole is multiple, and the multiple fixing holes are arranged around the circumference of the water electrolysis stack.

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