Device for generating electricity and water from hydrogen and oxygen and reversible

Abstract

An apparatus is described for generating DC electricity and water with supplied hydrogen and oxygen. The apparatus includes at least one bipolar battery pack (54) aligned with several cells, each with its own electrolytic membrane (4) in contact with a catalytic electrode (16) on each side. The apparatus further includes a rotating device (43) for rotating the battery pack as water is generated in the cells and discharged from the cells and through the channels (20, 21, 56, 57, 27) by a gland box (68) to the outlets (23, 24), and brushes (40) for contacting the electrodes with a junction circuit.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The following invention relates to an apparatus for the production of electricity and water production from added hydrogen and oxygen, such that the apparatus is capable of reversing the process of producing hydrogen and oxygen from the supplied water and electricity. [Background technology]

[0002] Current devices for generating electricity production from fuel cells include bipolar cell stacks with multiple cells, or cell packs that contain the necessary insulation and all media channels that are fed with hydrogen and oxygen, chemically and catalytically converting gases into electricity and water vapor. Fuel cells are available as both low temperature (LT) and high temperature (HT) fuel cells. These cell stacks are currently static and operate at pressures close to atmospheric pressure, which has drawbacks.

[0003] H2 and O z When in contact with each catalytic electrode in the cell, a solid or liquid proton-conducting electrolyte (H + ) to generate water vapor on the oxygen side anode / electrode or react with a solid or liquid anion conducting electrolyte (OH - In the FCEV, water vapor is produced on the hydrogen side cathode / electrode. In both cases, depending on the cell voltage (V), current, water vapor and more or less heat are generated. As water vapor requires volume, the contact of the gas with the electrode where it is formed is reduced. This leads to losses, reduced capacity and high heat production instead of electricity production.

[0004] First, to provide greater access to the gas, it would be beneficial to increase the pressure so that the produced water would form as liquid water on the electrodes instead of steam. The problem is that today's static fuel cells only operate at 1 G of gravity, so a lot of the produced water remains on the electrodes, blocking the gas supply. According to Gibbs free energy, the theoretical efficiency of the fuel cell could be increased by 16.2% by forming liquid water instead of steam and by allowing the removal of excess water from the electrode surface.

[0005] Current fuel cells can also be used as water electrolyzers by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen with the aid of supplied water and an electric current (EL), which is difficult to combine with reversing the process. The challenge with this combination is that static electrolysers require much more volume for the gas produced to avoid gas barrier losses on the electrodes and through the water. This in turn makes the fuel cell too large and the combined device uneconomical.

[0006] On the other hand, today only SOC (Solid Oxide Batteries) have some better reversibility potential. To operate in both fuel cell and electrolyzer modes, where membrane electrodes such as composite ceramics are employed, they must be operated at very high temperatures, low pressures, and in the water vapor phase. The challenge is that currently there is a high temperature and a point temperature rise during the reaction that is difficult to dissipate at 1 G with current operations and relatively large equipment. This leads to degradation of the electrolyte thin membrane between the catalyst and the electrodes, and gas leakage from said membrane which would result in more heat and failure of the battery. When SOC is adapted to higher pressures and G, it leads to higher convection within the battery and better distribution of heat, water vapor, gas, and makes the SOC more compact, which in turn improves the temperature balance within the battery and the transport of heat in and out of the battery, and provides higher efficiency, higher flexibility, and power density. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to produce a compact device for electricity production using hydrogen and oxygen, which is more efficient and improves safety standards than known static fuel cells.

[0008] The device is a bipolar battery pack arranged to rotate. The device can be adapted to the pressure and temperature of a low-temperature fuel cell, where liquid water can be formed at one of the electrodes in the battery pack, which is continuously blown towards the periphery during the constant rotation, and provides a significantly higher active area for the contact of gases at each electrode adapted with a catalyst. The device can also be designed as a high-temperature fuel cell, where the water produced will be in the water vapor phase. The rotation of the battery pack provides high G and better convection within the cell. In both cases, the performance, efficiency, power density will increase, and the fuel cell stack will be significantly more compact and improve the temperature balance within the cell. The rotation and high G mean that it is relatively easy to combine the fuel cell with the device and process to make a water electrolyser, by reversing the process of supplying electricity and water that is converted to hydrogen and oxygen.

[0009] This is achieved by the apparatus according to the accompanying description and claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein additional features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the detailed description that follows.

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a principle embodiment of the invention, in which half of a rotating device is shown with a cut along the axis of rotation, the other half is a mirror image of the half structure appearing along one side of the longitudinal axis of rotation, the juxtaposed cell stacks form a hollow cylinder around the axis of rotation, and the main details of the cells are highlighted.

[0012] [Diagram 2] 1 shows a principle embodiment of the invention, where a cut-out along the axis of rotation and half of the rotating device are shown similar to FIG. 1, with reference numbers from both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 showing the static parts around the rotor with the two battery packets, the channels, the chambers in the rotor, and the gland box and power connections in contact with the rotor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] According to FIG. 1 and a brief description of the figure, a longitudinal section of the device is shown, in which the hydrogen channel 2 and the oxygen channel 3 are provided at the axis of rotation 1 from their respective dedicated channels, each branching radially outwards into several channels 2, 3, which then branch further into several axial collecting channels within the cells, from which the channels direct the hydrogen and oxygen to both sides of the cells of the bipolar cell stack / battery pack, in which all parts are perpendicular to the axis of rotation 1 and have an inner and outer diameter, which together form a hollow cylindrical battery pack centered and balanced around the axis of rotation 1. In the example of the figure, it consists of five bipolar discs, consisting of positive (+) and negative (-) bipolar end discs 5, only one side facing the first and last cell of the cell stack, respectively. Other central bipolar discs 6 are on either side towards each cell, which together form four cells between them, with a membrane disc 4 within each cell. There may be many more cells than are shown. The membrane disk 4 is an electrolyte and can be alkaline or acidic, adapted for proton or anion conductivity with or without reinforcement, and adapted for LT (polymer) or HT (ceramic). Each side of the membrane disk 4 can be catalyst coated, which can be in contact with or attached to a support disk with an EL conductive material, which can be a porous or woven material, in contact with each bipolar disk 5, 6. The porous disks form the electrodes (anode and cathode) on either side of the membrane disk 4. The cell stack in the figure is stretched to show detail, but in general it is pressed together and forms a hollow cylinder centered and balanced around the axis of rotation 1, with sealing and EL insulation along the inner and outer circumference of each cell.There are multiple axial dedicated channels for gas 2, 3 and water within the peripheral perimeter that branch inward / outward from / to each side of the membrane disc 4 within each cell and towards / from the outlet / inlet water 9 depending on whether the device is in fuel cell mode or water electrolyser mode.

[0014] When started up to LT fuel cell mode, the cells are initially allowed to fill with water to wet the membrane 4, which during constant rotation, when hydrogen from channel 2 and oxygen from channel 3 are pressurized at equal and matched pressures through respective gland boxes (shown in FIG. 2) on either side of the membrane disk 4 in each cell, the water is forced outwards into several axial water collection channels 8 outside the periphery of the battery pack and does not come into contact with the electrodes 5, 6. Excess water is diverted from the periphery of the water collection channels 8 which are connected to dedicated outlet / inlet water channels 9 from the device at the axis of rotation 1. When water is driven out of the cell and the fuel cell is switched to normal operation with EL generation through the cell, water droplets 7 form on one side of the electrodes in the cell towards the membrane 4, water is formed by the reaction and some water is drawn into the membrane disc 4, and the excess water is centrifuged from the membrane disc 4 and the electrodes and drained outwards towards the collection chamber 8 so that it is immediately centrifuged or thrown outwards towards the periphery of the water collection channel 8. Due to the adapted rotation and pressure of the gases 2,3 into the cell, the water collection channel 8 in the LT also acts as a water trap with a constant surface radius as water is produced from the cell. This excess water is discharged at the outlet / inlet water 9 from the rotating device at the rotating shaft 1 via a adapted gland box 68 (shown in FIG. 2).

[0015] Simultaneously with the gas supply, the cell stack generates a DC current, where + / - are routed to separate slip rings at either end of the rotating shaft (see Figure 2). The + / - slip rings contact the respective static brushes and route the current (not shown) to the connected circuit. The cell voltages (V) from the bipolar cell stack, the cell voltages of each cell are additive. The current (A) is equal for all cells throughout the cell stack, regardless of the number of cells. This is also true in electrolyzer mode where DC voltage and current are supplied.

[0016] In LT, the process is reversed so that the same cell stack becomes a water electrolyzer: During rotation, the pressure of the gas 2.3 at the outlet is reduced, so that water from the inlet 9 through the water collecting channel 8 fills the cell through radial channels on both sides of the membrane disk 4. Then DC is applied through the respective + / - brushes, + / - bipolar end disks 5 of custom voltage (V) that simultaneously supply current (A). At the same time, if hydrogen and oxygen were previously supplied to the fuel cell from the channels 2,3 in the cell, the same gas is generated in the same place in the cell, in the correct flow direction (A), by splitting the continuously supplied water 9. The high G gives a large buoyancy to the hydrogen and oxygen gas bubbles that form on the membrane disk 4 and its electrodes 5,6, where they are rapidly desorbed and propelled inwards towards the center through the water and outwards to the gas channels 2,3. With custom / adjusted pressure out, a hollow cylindrical water table is formed within the inner radius of the electrodes, and only gas is output into the channels 2,3. The pressure out is equal to the centrifugal force of the radius of the water column from the inlet 9 to the radius of the water table. The higher the rotation speed, the higher the gas pressure can be adjusted, while by increasing the water pressure in 9, the device can suck in water 9 or increase the gas pressure. At the same time, the battery pack also acts as a gas separator, and in current water electrolysis plants the gas separator is a large tank outside the electrolysis cell, which can be omitted in the device. Thus, the device improves the standard of safety. Since the device is ultra-compact with a very high power density, there is almost no amount of explosive gas until it is continuously detected just outside the rotor. If one gas is present in the other gas more than 4%, an immediate shutdown and disposal of the produced gas is required.

[0017] Highlighted A in Figure 1 shows the mass flow direction in fuel cell mode in LT and how in principle the complete assembly of the battery pack can be done in both LT and HT.

[0018] The battery pack includes a bipolar end disk 5 and a central bipolar disk 6, the two sides of which are shown in FIG. 1 as 6A, 6B, respectively, with the direction of rotation being the arrow on the periphery. The surface of the bipolar end disk 5 facing the battery, forming a bipolar battery pack of a series of channels, is equal to 6B, and the surface of the bipolar end disk 5 on the second battery pack end facing the battery is equal to 6A. All parts of the battery pack have similar holes in the area between the inner and outer circumferences, which, when assembled, form axial gas collection channels 2,3 on the inner circumference and axial water collection channel 8 on the outer circumference. On the inner and outer circumferences, the respective inner and outer insulating disks 10,11 of the combined sealing EL are arranged on each side of the bipolar end disks 5,6. The inner insulating disk 10 has the same inner diameter as the bipolar end disks 5,6, and exceeds the equal radius of the inner circular hydrogen distribution channel 15, and on the opposite side of the battery, to the inner radius of the inner circular oxygen distribution channel 14. The outer insulating disk 11 has an outer radius equal to the bipolar disks 5,6, and runs inward to the outer radius of the outer circular distribution channel 18 for hydrogen water, and on the opposite side in the cell to the periphery of the outer circular distribution channel 19 for oxygen water. These gases are led from the axial collection channels 2,3 through their respective radial battery gas channels 12 for hydrogen and battery gas channels 13 for oxygen, which lead into the circular channels 14,15 on both sides of the cell. The battery water channel 20 for hydrogen water and the battery water channel 21 for oxygen water run in radiality between the cell and the water collecting channel 8 for water, and further run within the channel out / in 9, where each battery water channel 20,21 runs from the outer circular distribution channel 18,19 around 6A and 6B in a direction bent backwards with respect to the direction of rotation indicated by the arrows, and each battery water channel 20,21 goes into the periphery of the water collecting channel 8 and forms a water trap restricting the gases from going to the gas on the opposite side. For example, 1000 G in the cell water channel 20 and 5 mm to the water level 22 at the bottom of the water collection channel 8 corresponds to approximately a 5 meter water column at 1 G, or a balance pressure of approximately 0.5 bar.

[0019] The remaining parts of the bipolar end disks 5 towards the outside of the ends and within the central bipolar disk 6 are gas-tight and electrically conductive. The membrane disk 4 can have the same outer and inner diameter as the bipolar disks 5, 6, but with a diameter equal to or greater than the distance between the inner insulating disk 10 and the outer insulating disk 11, between which the membrane disk 4 must be pressed or clamped to seal and hold it together in place. The membrane disk 4 is only activated / catalyzed within the radial region between the outer periphery of the inner insulating disk 10 and the inner periphery of the outer insulating disk 11, so that the membrane is not activated within the region located between the two outer insulating disks 11 and the two inner insulating disks 10. On each side of the membrane disk 4 in the activation region, a porous electrically conductive electrode disk 16 is contacted or attached to the membrane disk 4 by electro-conductive and porous means.

[0020] The electrode disks 16 are further supported between the outer periphery of each inner insulating disk 10 and the inner periphery of the outer insulating disk 11 and are assembled in contact with each bipolar disk 5, 6 in this radial area. The electrode disks 16 are the same thickness as each inner insulating disk 10 and outer insulating disk 11 and contact and seal with each bipolar disk 5, 6 to provide EL insulation.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a common water collection channel 8 to the anode and cathode sides of the battery pack. There may also be a common water collection channel only on the anode side of the cell stack and an equal number of water collection channels only on the cathode side, with each water channel at the same or separate shaft outlet / inlet 9 (shown in FIG. 2). There may also be a common water collection channel only on the anode side and an equal number of water collection channels only on the cathode side of the cell stack, with each water channel at the same or separate shaft outlet / inlet 9 (shown in FIG. 2).

[0022] So far, the membrane disk 4 has been explained by the fact that it can have a catalytic coating attached to both sides of the porous electrode disk 16 that forms the electrodes (anode, cathode). However, the membrane can also be completely clean without the catalyst and the porous electrode disk 16 (not shown). Alternatively, the bipolar disks 5, 6 can also function as the electrode disks 16 and can be designated as porous surfaces facing the cell similar to those shown as sides 6A, 6B, so that the shovels 17 are axially further inward toward the cell in contact with the membrane disk 4 and can advantageously be bent axially backwards in the direction of rotation (not shown), both making space for the insulating disks 10, 11, but also replacing part of the space previously occupied by the porous electrode disk 16. The now combined bipolar disks 5, 6 with the electrode disks 16 must be airtight and must be electrically conductive towards the cell ends and between each cell in the cell packet. The bipolar electrodes 5,6 can be made of gas-tight carbon, nickel, acid-resistant steel, titanium or composite (comoosite), ceramic, or other resistant conductive material that can be adapted for LT or HT and simultaneously have catalytic properties or be coated / doped with beneficial catalysts in the active area of ​​the side facing the cell. When assembled, a good contact surface is formed between the bipolar electrodes 5,6, with the electrode disk 16 and the membrane disk 4 on both sides of each cell. At the same time, this solution provides good support for the membrane disk 4 at high G during rotation and also provides space for much more cells in the same length compared to a static solution. Even with inferior catalysts than platinum currently commonly used in LT, or in combination with Ni(O)YTZ by HT or other membrane catalysis methods, this increases the capacity or provides better efficiency compared to a static device at the same capacity, since the reduced volume of the device provides reduced ohmic resistance.

[0023] The electrodes and the membrane may also be coated with a catalyst in any form or combination of oxidizing materials known for their similar properties as platinum, iridium, nickel, cobalt, iron, yttrium, zirconium, strontium, lanthanum, manganese, catalysts and catalytic alloys. On the oxygen side of the bipolar disk 56 with the electrodes 16, it is highly necessary to coat both them and the membrane disk 4 with a catalyst. On the hydrogen side, too, but in smaller amounts, since the reaction is relatively lighter compared to the oxygen side. The water produced also settles as a thin film on the electrodes and permeates the membrane to act as an electrolyte for short distances in the cell. The porous surface of the bipolar electrodes can be coated with a catalyst towards the active cell surface and further coated with a thin solid electrolytic membrane, where it can be in contact with the main membrane disk 4 between the anode and cathode sides, or there can be no such main membrane disk and the membranes from each electrode directly contact each other, or the other bipolar electrode contacts a membrane applied to one of the bipolar disk electrodes of the cell, or attached together during assembly using custom porous and EL conductive porous pastes. This allows anions and protons to be more easily conducted from the porous surface and further through the membrane from the relatively large active area. Hydrogen / oxygen are also more easily converted to EL and water due to the increased access for protons or anions, respectively, and increased access for electrons via the external circuit.

[0024] So far, the battery pack has been described by the fact that it is supported by bipolar disks 5, 6 with outer and inner diameters equal to the battery pack. However, the bipolar disks may have smaller inner and outer diameters and are instead supported there by electrical insulating and sealing disks replacing the space (not shown) where the bipolar disks were previously. From the outermost gas hydrogen channel 2 at the inner periphery, in addition to the inner insulating disk 10 and sealing between the bipolar disks. Similarly at the periphery, the outer insulating disk 11 is in a radius from just inside the water collecting channel 8 to the outer periphery, as shown for the bipolar disks 5, 6 in the same area with the sealing ring / insulation between them as before. The radial battery gas channels 12, 13 and battery water channels 20, 21 can also be placed in the new insulator disks, as shown in 6A and 6B. In other respects, the battery pack can be similar to that shown and described in FIG. 1, highlight A.

[0025] On the diaphragm 4, in the catalytic and porous electrode disc 16 and bipolar solution, the inner and outer insulating discs 10, 11 are the same thickness as the bipolar discs and electrode discs 16 joined on the bipolar end discs 5 outside their outer and inner circumferences, and are reduced by half the axial thickness of the central bipolar disc 6 outside the outer and inner circumferences between the bipolar end discs 5. Thus, when the battery pack is assembled, both the battery and the insulating gasket are in contact with each other, and the insulating discs seal the battery pack inside and outside, providing electrical insulation in the radial direction, so that EL current (A) can only pass through the battery pack via the bipolar end discs 5 + / -. In the last solution, the electrode discs 16 have a slightly smaller diameter than the bipolar discs and the membrane. The membrane can now have the same diameter as the bipolar discs 5, 6. Thus, the inner and outer insulator discs 10, 11 can be inserted around the electrode disc 16, where only the membrane disc 4 has the same diameter as the bipolar disc, and are clamped together and sealed by attaching an evenly combined sealing disc and the inner and outer insulating discs 10, 11 on the opposite side of the membrane disc 4, which is very thin and sealed between the two insulating discs 10, 11.

[0026] The inner insulating disk 10 can also be constructed with several holes radially inside and / or between or outside the indicated gas channels 2,3 (not shown), where these holes are assembled to form an axial cooling channel connected to one inlet gland box through a dedicated channel and another gland box for the outlet by a shaft (not shown). In the water electrolyzer mode, this provides good cooling for the gases, which tend to dry out at high pressure. Condensed water from the gases 2,3 is quickly returned to the cell through the high G gas channel (not shown). The cooled oxygen is drier at higher pressures, there is less oxidation for the materials coming out of the oxygen channel 3, and the pressure can be increased without the need to coat the rotor and the channels beyond with precious metals. In the water electrolysis mode, where the water cooling channel is in the center, part of the water can be discharged and the rest is led to the respective water collecting channels 8 around the periphery through a peripheral water trap (not shown), similar to that of the indicated cell water channels 20,21 to the periphery of the collecting channels 8.

[0027] There may also be a hollow cylinder of EL insulating and sealing material along the entire outer and inner circumference of the battery pack when the bipolar disks are not insulated with insulating disks 10, 11 towards the outside of the inner and outer circumference of the battery pack. Figure 2 shows, in principle, a longitudinal section along the axis of rotation 1, the device being shown on one side and referenced in both Figures 1 and 2.

[0028] The device is shown in both LT and HT fuel cell modes with dotted arrow directions for gas and full arrows for water / steam. When the device is switched back to electrolyser mode the arrow directions are reversed.

[0029] The rotating device is shown with a positive (+) bipolar disk 33 in the center, which may be designed similarly to the sides 6A and 6B of the bipolar disk in the cell pack area, but with the whole disk on the axis of rotation 1, with battery packs 54 on both sides, as shown and described in FIG. 1, and with battery packets 54 located opposite both sides of the + bipolar disk to conduct the EL current through the battery pack 54 to / from the ground potential (-) at the other end of the battery pack 54, which is in contact with the ground potential. The battery packet 54 includes several axial hydrogen and oxygen collecting channels 31, 32 to / from the battery in fuel cell mode and from / to the battery in electrolyzer mode. Also, at the periphery, there are several axial common water / steam collecting channels to / from the hydrogen side 56 of the battery packet 54, and radially outwards there are several axial common water / steam collecting channels to / from the oxygen side 57, but tangentially between the water collecting channels 56 of the battery packet 54. The location of the gas collection channels 2,3 at the inner circumference is similar to that shown for the gas channels 2,3 on the bipolar disk sides 6A and 6B, and the water collection channels 56,57 are similar to that shown for the water collection channel 8, respectively. Otherwise, the battery packets containing the channels may be similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and described above. Outside the outer circumference of the battery packets 54, they are surrounded by an EL insulating and sealing hollow cylinder 58, which is further centered about the axis of rotation 1, surrounded and supported by a hollow support cylinder 59, which can be of a conductive metal as shown in the figure and at negative / ground potential, or of a composite material that is conductive or insulating with respect to the shaft pipe duct 29 that contacts the end cap fluid side 64, with an additional negative brush (not shown). Additionally, the support cylinder 59 is supported at both inner ends by separate end caps 48 on the EL side and end cap fluid side 64, which are made of conductive material and are in contact with the support cylinder 59 and bipolar end disks 5 at the negative / ground potential of each battery packet 54.The end caps 48,64 are held vertically in place on the ends of the support cylinder 59 by lock nuts 49,63 having outer threads that fit into corresponding internal threads on the inside of the support cylinder 59 on the axial outside of each end cap 48,64.

[0030] The inner circumference of the battery packet 54 with the hydrogen and oxygen collecting channels 31, 32 may have both insulating and / or hollow metal cylinders or insulating composites (not shown) that support the inside at high pressure within the packet 54. At LT, the end caps may have O-rings around them for additional sealing at HT or similar heat-resistant sealing. The EL insulating and sealing hollow cylinder 58 may also be adapted to seal when the end cap is pressed onto it. It may also be sealed with a sealing disk when the battery packets 54 are compressed together in a rotating device and locked with lock nuts 49, 63 against the end caps 48, 64 at custom pressure. Each axial collecting channel 31, 32, 56, 57 is arranged with a different diameter as shown. At the end cap fluid side 64 toward the collecting channels, O-rings may be placed in the innermost channel and outside the outermost channel (not shown) and between each channel to provide a seal for each collecting channel toward the end cap fluid side 64. Between the O-rings there is a circular groove (not shown) that fits the diameter of each collection channel 2 , 3 , 23 , 24 to transport fluid from the outlet or inlet through a gland box 68 on the rotating shaft 1 .

[0031] The end cap fluid side 64 with the fluid channels to / from the battery packet 54 may also have a circular groove (not shown) for inserting sealing disks of the same radius as the outer and inner insulating disks 10, 11 of the battery packet 54 in FIG. 1, with equal holes for transporting liquids in the channels 2, 3, 23, 24 to the outlet or from the inlet via the gland box 68 at the axis of rotation 1. The inner collection channels 31, 32 may have equal diameters (not shown), with every other hole for one gas and the hole between for the other gas. The same can be done for the water / vapor collection channels 56, 57 at the periphery (not shown) when a clamped insulating disk is used with equal holes and diameters for each fluid equal to the axial channels from the battery packet 54 (not shown) as mentioned for the end cap fluid side 64.

[0032] The bipolar end disk 5 and / or the outer and inner insulators 10,11 in contact with the second end cap 48 do not have holes for the fluid collection channels 31,32,56,57.

[0033] The end caps 48,64 are centrally attached to the central hollow shafts of the fluid and EL sides 29,36, which project axially at a suitable length, where the bearing EL side 38 and bearing fluid side 67 are located outside the dynamic sealing of the EL and fluid sides 37,66, which are the axially innermost of each shaft at the EL and fluid sides 29,36. The bearings may be ball bearings, which are further supported in separate stator disks 47,65 at each end. The stator disks 47,65 have a diameter slightly larger than the rotor's support cylinder 59, and are fixed at their periphery perpendicular to their shafts at the fluid and EL sides 29,36 by an insulating protective stator tube 52, which surrounds the stator disks and protects the whole device by the gland box 68, the + / - brushes 40 and the EL motor 43. The protective rotor tube 52 has its stator end cap fluid and sealing and insulating EL side 25, 45 at each end. The stator end cap EL side 45 has a bushing for electrical wiring (not shown) to the machine EL motor 43 for rotation and a wire for each of its + / - brushes 40. At the other end of the rotor end cap 25 on the fluid side, a bushing of a fluid pipe for connecting to the machine fluid channels 2, 3, 23, 24 is connected via a throughput channel of the gland box 68 for fluid from / to the machine shaft pipe channel 27. The outside of the fluid pipe seals the passage in the stator end cap 25. The protective stator tube 52 can be transparent and can be an acrylic tube according to LT or an insulating temperature resistant material according to HT.

[0034] At the end of the motor shaft on the EL side 36 outside the bearing EL side 38, a conductive sleeve is pressed into the center, which is a slip ring ground 39, which contacts the shaft on the EL side 36 and radially outwardly contacts + / - brushes 40 on ground potential (negative) in a brush housing attached to the outside of its stator disk 47. The + brushes 40 are attached via their brush housing to EL insulating brush washers 46, where they contact + conductive bolts 35 attached to the central + bipolar disk 33. The positive side is electrically isolated radially within the battery packet 54, inside the rotor 34, via the end cap 48, the shaft on the EL side 36, the EL insulating brush washers 46, and between the EL motor insulator 42 and the EL motor 43. The EL motor 43 and EL insulating brush washer 46 are attached to the stator disk 47 by a number of bolts and distance sleeves 44 on the bolts (not shown) for proper spacing and centering of the EL insulating brush washer 46 and the EL motor 43. The + / - brushes 40 connect to respective + / - wires (not shown) for EL DC to / from the battery pack, depending on the mode of operation, as described above. When the battery pack 54 is pressed together, it simultaneously locks the + bolt 35, allowing the bolt 35 to be attached to the EL motor 43 for rotation of a rotating device suspended between the bearing fluid side 67 and the bearing EL side 38. The insulator 34 around the + bolt 35 is fitted with a means for simultaneously sealing its periphery between the insulator and the end cap 48 and the inner shaft of the EL side 36. The EL wires to the EL motor 43 for imparting rotation to the rotating device are not shown. Pure air is supplied by fans to the air inlet EL side 50 and air inlet fluid side 61 through protective stator tubes 52 to the room in the air inlet EL side 50 and for the air inlet fluid side 61 and then supplied outside the building via the respective air outlet EL side 51 and air outlet fluid side 62 in pipes.

[0035] The air from each side is continuously measured and the device automatically shuts down if it detects any hydrogen content above a predetermined value (not shown).

[0036] On the fluid side, the shaft pipe duct 29 is hollow and has several inserted fluid pipes 28 of smaller diameter inside each other that are of different axial length seals and fasteners 30 on the outside of one end and inside the end cap fluid side 64 so that the thinnest inner pipe is the innermost of the end cap fluid side 64 as shown, and the thickest pipe is attached with the seals and fasteners 30 axially closest to the nearest shaft pipe duct 29 inside the end cap fluid side 64. The other fluid pipes 28 are attached axially between the smallest and largest fluid pipes 28 as shown in FIG. Due to the adapted cross-sectional area of ​​the innermost fluid pipe 28, a shaft pipe channel 27 is formed between the fluid pipe 28 and the largest pipe and the shaft pipe duct 29, which transport the respective fluid hydrogen channel 2, oxygen channel 3 and water / steam 23,24 to / from the cell stack ends via dedicated channels in the end caps indicated by dotted arrows for gas 2,3 and unitary arrows for water / steam 23,24, the channels branching inside the end cap fluid side 64 from each shaft pipe channel 27 at the end seal and fastener 30 of each fluid pipe 28 and the center of the shaft pipe duct 29 to several radial channels. Each branch is therefore radially outward at a different axial distance, where the smallest one is axially at the center of the end cap fluid side 64 and further towards the thickest pipe in the end cap fluid side 64 before the shaft pipe channel 27 and the shaft pipe duct 29 with radial branches from there. The radial channels of each shaft pipe channel 27 are in outward contact with the respective channels at the ends of the axial collection channels 31, 32, 56, 57 of the battery packet 54 as well as the outer periphery (water / steam) 56, 57 and inner periphery (hydrogen and oxygen) 31, 32.

[0037] A static gland box 68 for the ingress and egress of fluids in channels 2, 3, 23, 24 is attached using means centrally mounted on the stator disk fluid side 65, where dynamic seals 26 are attached inside the gland box 68, which seal the ends of the rotating fluid pipes 28, thus forming tight fluid channels to / from the inlet / outlet channels of the static gland box 68, which are attached and sealed externally by static pipes for transporting each fluid to / from each of its rotating shaft pipe channels 27.

[0038] The positive + bipolar disk 33 is electrically isolated to ground potential inside the rotor outside the battery packet 54, and also inside the holes of the fluid collection channels 31, 32, 56, 57 for fluid to / from both battery packets 54. Thus, the bipolar disk 33 is only electrically in contact with the bipolar battery packets 54 at its ends on either side of the bipolar disk 33. The ground potential (-) brush 40 is in direct contact with the slip ring ground 39 on the shaft, with the EL side 36 in contact with the end cap 48, the conductive support cylinder 59 and the end cap fluid side 64 at the other end. This provides an insulated coupling circuit between the positive and negative brushes through the battery packet 54. The entire device is externally at ground potential, and further the EL is insulated from the outside by the protective rotor tube 52 and the protective rotor end cap fluid and EL sides 25, 45. This minimizes the possibility of creep currents from the device during operation, setting new standards in safety.

[0039] In water electrolysis mode and with cell voltages below 1.48 V and approaching the reversal point of 1.23 V, more heat must be supplied as the cell voltage approaches the reversal point. Above 1.48 V, more heat is generated that must be dissipated by cooling the surroundings. In fuel cell mode, it is beneficial to keep the temperature as high as possible and close to 1.23 V, where the cell is in thermal equilibrium and has 100% chemical / electrical efficiency, but lower voltages (V) increase the current (A). In fuel cell mode, lower cell voltages increase heat production and correspondingly reduce power production compared to the chemical energy of hydrogen. These fluctuations present a challenge, as a large flow rate is usually required for the last cell in a long battery pack to avoid large temperature changes to the last cell in the channel. This is avoided by ambient heating in / out using temperature control nozzles 53, 55 to provide nearly equal temperatures throughout the water / steam collection channels 56, 57 even at very low flow rates, which also balances the radially inner temperature of all cells in both cell packets 54 throughout their entire length.

[0040] It is advantageous if the device is fixed vertically against a wall and / or floor, with the fluid / gland box 68 side down, and the cooling or heating fluid is supplied through several nozzles 53, 55 for temperature control, via a protective stator tube 52, which is led to the rotor in contact all around by a support cylinder 59. The fluid then drains through the protective stator tube 52 downwards on the fluid side 65 of the stator disk, where one or more drains 60 are arranged for further transport and possibly collection and further use of the fluid. At the periphery, the stator disks 47, 65 have a sealant that seals the inside of the protective stator tube 52, which on the outside has a clamping band (not shown) on the outside of each stator disk that fixes the stator disk in position. At least two brackets with rubber suspensions similar to engine mounts can be attached to each clamping band, which are further fixed against the wall (not shown).

[0041] The device shown can contain hundreds of bipolar cells, with several cells per millimeter, so it can provide very high EL voltages (V) that can be reduced by half and double the current (A) using one cell back on each side of the bipolar disk, as shown. The rotor can then be relatively long with a small diameter, which gives the maximum G at the same circumferential speed, which is beneficial. If cooling or heating is used at the periphery, this channel length is not as critical for temperature changes up to the last cell in the channel. The distance from the periphery of the support cylinder 59 to the cell in the rotor is relatively short, and a smaller rotor diameter allows for a shorter distance, which improves temperature balance in the cell faster. At high temperature and pressure in fuel cell mode, and low voltage exothermic, cooling beyond the periphery can allow condensation of water vapor in the water collection channels 56, 57, when an appropriate amount of coolant is supplied to the periphery using temperature control nozzles 53, 55 to simultaneously stabilize the temperature inside the cell packet.

[0042] The gland box 68 may consist of several gland boxes attached together on the stator disk fluid side 65. They may be of the Zimmering or cartridge sealed type, compatible with high pressures and temperatures, oxygen resistant, and of the silicon carbide type.

[0043] The bearing fluid side 67 and bearing EL side 38 may be ball bearings with lubrication means if there is a seal between the gland box 68 and the stator disk fluid side 65 and there is an additional Zimmerling dynamic sealing fluid side 66 or cartridge sealing on either side of the bearing. The bearing fluid side 67 and bearing EL side 38 may be ball bearings with lubrication means if there is a seal between the gland box 68 and the stator disk fluid side 65 and there is an additional Zimmerling dynamic sealing fluid side 66 or cartridge sealing on either side of the bearing.

[0044] The bearings may also be plain bearings to accommodate different fluids, temperatures and rotational speeds. When the device is mounted vertically and the gland box 68 is underneath, the bearing fluid side 67 must provide both radial and axial support in both directions between the weight of the rotor and the pressure / area within the gland box 68 to avoid the rotor lifting. If the device is placed horizontally, radial and axial support must also be provided.

[0045] In the spaces in the cell packet 54 on both sides of the + bipolar disk 33, each room can be arranged as a separator for removing gas from the water by the LT water electrolyser (not shown). For example, in the space towards the end cap fluid side 64, oxygen and water come to this space from that side in all the cells through the collection channels 32. Just after the + bipolar disk on this side, there are several openings from these channels radially inwards to the separator compartment. The oxygen is discharged in a dry state to its shaft pipe channel 3,27, which has several circular holes in it. The radius of the water level is radially outside the holes / channels to the oxygen shaft pipe channel 3,27, forming a hollow water cylinder with gas in the center. The radius of the water level is adjusted by the pressure out towards the rpm and the pressure of the water coming in. In the central chamber towards the EL end cap 48, the same can be arranged for the hydrogen and water from the cell, where they are separated from the water. Hydrogen is conducted through an isolated channel in the center of the bipolar disk 33 to an insulated and sealed collection cup attached to the insulator on the other side of the bipolar disk, where the oxygen separator is the outer compartment. In the center of the hydrogen collection cup, a pipe is fastened and sealed through a hole in the center of the end cap fluid side 64, where there is a sealant and fastener to a hydrogen tube, which can be an extension fluid pipe 28 from the hydrogen channel 2 in the gland box 68 to the hydrogen collection cup. The gas separator is proportionally more compact for a static 1G separator compared to a G in a hollow water cylinder in the separator. For example, a 100G provides a rotor 1 / 100th smaller separator with the same volume as a 1G.

[0046] Therefore, the amount of hot water or electrolyte can be reduced accordingly, saving space and costs as well as setting new and improved safety standards.

[0047] Also, the rotating device can include only one battery pack 54, where the + bipolar disk 33 is moved all the way towards the end cap 48 with the EL insulating and sealing disk between them. In this case, the liquid collection channels 31, 32, 56, 57 do not need holes through the + bipolar disk, and only the side facing the nearest battery from the + electrode can resemble side 6A, and the other side facing the insulating disk is horizontal.

[0048] The EL insulation 34 material for the inner and outer insulating disks 10, 11, +bipolar disk 33 with +bolts 35, +brush EL insulation brush washer 46, shaft for EL motor insulator 42, EL insulating and sealing hollow cylinder 58 and other electrical insulators mentioned above can be Teflon, PEEK, ceramic, glass, mica, composite or equivalent, or better supported EL insulating metal. They must also be oxidation resistant and conform to LT or HT respectively.

[0049] For the cooling or heating over the periphery via the temperature control nozzles 53, 55, cold water or hot water / steam to the periphery of the rotating support cylinder 59 on ground potential can be used, respectively. In the case of cold water via the temperature control nozzles 53, 55 to the periphery, heat is taken from the cell packet 54. Water is continuously discharged from the drain 60 via a pipe for possible reuse of heated water or distillation or for water to evaporate on the support cylinder 59. Distilled water and product water from the fuel cell can be used for the device in electrolyzer mode. At least one of the temperature control nozzles 53, 55 can also be oriented more tangentially to the direction of rotation to provide a custom rotation to the rotating device, which has custom vanes on the outside of the support cylinder for this purpose. Thus, an EL motor can be omitted.

[0050] The system can function as a battery (not shown) in that pipes from / to the gland box 68 lead to / from storage tanks for oxygen, hydrogen and two water tanks, one to / from the anode side of the rotating system and the other to / from the cathode side, where water is regulated to be directed to the respective tanks during water production in fuel cell mode and returned to the respective anode and cathode sides in water and electrolyser mode.

[0051] In water electrolysis, the hydrogen from the cells is routed through a gland box to a combined deoxygenator and dryer which removes the oxygen leaving less than 4 percent residual oxygen and dries and cools it before it is routed, or is pressurized via a compressor and the hydrogen is further cooled / dried before being routed to a storage tank.

[0052] The oxygen circuit is the same from the battery to the storage tank, but the deoxygenator can be omitted and only the cooler and dryer can be used.

[0053] The oxygen line may also have any membrane suitable for extraction of any hydrogen residuals, which should be less than 4% before the membrane, and the hydrogen content should be as low as possible before the oxygen is stored in the tank.

[0054] If the entire system, including the rotating device, is adapted to a working pressure equal to the storage pressure of the gas towards the end of the electrolysis, the compressor for the gas can be omitted.

[0055] The system is ultra-compact and reinforcement to accommodate higher pressures is therefore relatively simple and affordable, as is the use of noble materials to reduce oxidation in the oxygen circuit from the containing battery to the storage tank.

[0056] The upper water tanks can be connected to the respective gases that can push back the water during the electrolysis of water. Each water tank can also be a combined gas and water tank containing gas and water from the same side of the membrane 4, in that it can contain a flexible dense membrane that separates the gas and water. Thus, a separate water tank can be omitted. In this case, a water pump is required for each water circuit, since the pressure changes when there is less water and more gas in the tank, or vice versa. When the gases are led to the cell in fuel cell mode, they are connected / bypassed through their own gas pressure regulators, through valves in the pipes around the compressor, deoxygenator and dryer, which control the pressure in relation to the pressure of the water into the rotor and the speed of rotation, so that the water table is pushed outside the periphery of the cell as mentioned above. There can also be a corresponding regulator or water pump on the water circuit that adjusts the water pressure from / to the rotor depending on whether the water pressure in the tank is too high or too low in relation to the mentioned water level in the cell packet 54.

[0057] Thus far, the device has been described using a membrane, but the device can also use other known and new cell solutions that fit into the cell packet in the rotating device, where it is beneficial to quickly remove water from the cell during LT fuel cell mode and to quickly remove product gases from the water electrolysis mode using the rotating device, and also to improve temperature balance and equalization within the cell with high convection rates at high G. This will improve contact between the electrodes, gases, and water / steam.

[0058] At high pressure in the device, the water supplied during the fuel cell mode can be saturated with the respective gases, hydrogen and oxygen on both sides of the cell. For example, the gas-saturated water then enters the cell through the respective water collecting channels 56, 57 and into the periphery of the cell, where the saturated gases react to produce electricity and water. The product water is mixed with the remaining water and the released gas is sent to the cell in the previous gas collecting channels 31, 32 and further into the channels 2, 3. The same is done under high pressure and suitable heat in the electrolysis mode, where the produced gas is saturated in water, which is degassed under lower pressure in the center of the rotor or outside after the gland box as described above, or the water is cooled and stored together with the saturated gas. A higher water flow can be combined with cooling in both cell modes. In the case of saturation of gases to / from the cell, the cell should contain a membrane disk 4 that is as diffusion-tight as possible, which can be combined with the fact that water is also an electrolyte, as is the electrolyte in the membrane, for example alkaline water with up to 35% KOH (potassium hydroxide). The product water in the electrolyte supplied in fuel cell mode is condensed / distilled either centrally or externally to the device, and the water consumed during gas production is added in the appropriate amount to the water circuit where it is consumed.

[0059] So far, the membrane disk 4 has been described as a solid electrolyte, but it can be replaced by a porous diaphragm of similar shape, which can be of Zirfon type in LT, with or without reinforcement, and which is in contact with the anode and cathode through porous junctions filled with liquid electrolyte. The bipolar disks 5,6 can be similar to those shown and described in Figures 16A,B, but the radial shovels 17 can be porous with custom catalysts. The same can be done for the surfaces of the bipolar disks 5,6 facing the cell. The shovels 17 are elastic and have a good contact surface from each bipolar disk towards the membrane, so that the shovels 17 are straight radially but pulled axially inwards towards the cell and bent axially back inwards in the active area towards the membrane, which now becomes the zero gap electrodes after the previous porous electrode discs 16 that were in contact with the previous membrane are removed. The membrane must be constantly wetted with electrolyte not only for electrical conductivity but also to seal against gas mixing from both sides. The procedure under fuel cell mode is then to introduce both mixtures of electrolyte, for example 35% KOH, together with each gas into the channels 2,3, where an adapted amount of electrolyte is fed, either together with the gas or in a dedicated flow path, from the gland box 68 to the central gas inlets on both sides of the junction in the cell, where the electrolyte on its way out comes into contact with the backward curved vanes and is always forced towards the diaphragm by the axially backward curved vanes due to the moment of inertia during constant rotation. The diaphragm comes into contact with the electrodes of the bipolar disk through the electrolyte, which is a wet thin electrolyte film, where each gas comes into contact with its electrode, and the gas in the spaces between the vanes and in the space adjacent to the diaphragm starts to react with the production of water and E. The produced water and added electrolyte are continuously dumped outwards into the cell and into the collecting channels 57,56, which combine water and electrolyte at the periphery.When the process is reversed back to the water electrolyser, the procedure is to fill the cell with electrolyte from the surroundings by adjusting the gas pressure as described above, and to supply the DC and water consumed in the circuit. The productive gas channels 2, 3 are directed rapidly inwards towards the centre and then outwards as described above.

[0060] The rotating device can have different rpm, pressure and temperature in fuel cell mode and water electrolysis mode.

[0061] As explained in FIG. 1, the battery gas flow paths 12, 13 to / from the cell are also advantageously bent back in the direction of rotation and enter the gas collection channels 2, 3 at the inner periphery. The battery water channels 20, 21 and the battery gas channels 12, 13 to / from the water collection channels 57, 56 are mirrored by the battery water channels 20, 21 when viewed from above the active center of the bipolar disk 6A or 6B. With the device set horizontally and at an rpm and pressure adapted to utilize 1G from the environment, there is -1G on the top and +1G on the bottom in the reclining rotor, providing easier supply and discharge to / from the cell with multiphase media in the gas collection channels 31, 32. For example, the electrolyte and gas in the gas collection channels 31, 32 can be adapted so that the electrolyte or water enters the battery gas channels 12, 13 during rotation and enters their sides in the cell when the cell is lowered, and the gas enters when the channels are between the bottom and top on each round. This provides a preferred natural and fast shift / pump between liquid and gas pulsing into the cell in order to keep the membrane or diaphragm 4 sufficiently moistened / wet in fuel cell mode.

[0062] So far, the procedure has been described by the fact that in fuel cell mode, pure oxygen is supplied to the cell in its channels 3, 13, 32, but this could also be an oxygen-rich gas or it could also be air.

[0063] Air is supplied in the same channel as the oxygen channel 3 at a pressure adapted to bubble the air from the cell water channel 21 (FIG. 1) into the water collection channel 57 and at the outlet of that channel 24 along with the product water.

[0064] The water collection channel 57 and the exhaust channel must be of cross-sectional area adapted to allow gas to pass through the water such that the water surface 22 remains constant at the inner circumference of the water collection channel 57 .

[0065] This also applies to pure hydrogen and oxygen, which emerges in the water collection channel along with the water or water vapor and can be collected on the outside of the rotor.

[0066] The conversion of most of the oxygen from the air in the cell produces nearly pure nitrogen, which can be used for various purposes, such as for ammonia production and in the Haber-Bosch process using the hydrogen produced by the device.

[0067] In fuel cell mode, ammonia can also replace hydrogen or be used together with hydrogen.

[0068] The pure nitrogen then also emerges from the oxygen channel 24 and is reused as previously described.

[0069] Ammonia provides an alternative disposal of the produced hydrogen.

[0070] So far, rotating devices have been described with several parts assembled with fasteners, sealants and insulators, but the entire rotor or parts of it can also be 3D printed, and different parts using different materials can potentially be built up layer by layer axially to form a perfectly balanced tight rotor with channels that are interconnected at the same time, and that can be heated and, as mentioned before, voltages (V) can be applied to the different materials in the rotor to achieve the desired properties at each location.

[0071] The catalyst can be any form or combination of platinum, nickel, yttrium, cobalt, iron, yttrium, zirconium, strontium, lanthanum, manganese, or materials having similar properties.

[0072] All drawings and their illustrations are in principle only and do not represent the actual design of the device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1 Rotation axis 2 Hydrogen Channel 3. Oxygen Channel 4 Membrane disc 5 Bipolar End Discs 6 central bipolar disc 7 water drops 8 Water Collection Channel 9 Outlet / Inlet water 10 Inner insulating disk 11 Outer insulating disk 12 Battery gas channel for hydrogen 13. Battery gas channel for oxygen 14 Oxygen distribution channel 15 Hydrogen distribution channel 16 Electrode Disk 17. Grooved Shovel 18 outer circular channel hydrogen water 19 Outer circular channel oxygen water 20 Battery Water Channel Hydrogen 21 Battery Water Channel Oxygen 22 Water surface in the water collection channel 8 23 Water channel entry / exit from / to the hydrogen side 24 Water channels entering and exiting from the oxygen side 25 Fluid side stator end cap 26 Dynamic sealant in gland box 68 27 Shaft pipe channel 29 28 Fluid Pipe 29 Fluid side shaft 30 Sealants and Fasteners 31 Hydrogen collection channel 32 Oxygen Collection Channels 33+ Bipolar Disc 34 + insulator + bipolar disk 33 and + bolt 35 35+Volts 36 EL side shaft 37 Dynamic seal in bearing 38 38 EL side bearing 39 Slip Ring Gland 40+ / -Brushes 41 + slip ring 42 EL motor insulator 43 EL Motor 44 Distance Sleeved Bolt 45 EL side stator end cap EL Insulating Brush Washer for 46+ Brushes 47 Stator disc 48 End Cap 49 End cap lock nut EL side 50 Air inlet EL side 51 Air outlet EL side 52 Protective rotor tube 53 Temperature control nozzle 54 Battery Pack 55 Temperature control nozzle 56 Water collection channel from hydrogen side 57 Water collection channel from oxygen side 58 EL insulating and sealed hollow cylinder 59 Support Cylinder 60 Drainage Channel 61 Air inlet fluid side 62 Air outlet fluid side 63 End cap fluid side 64 Lock nut fluid side 64 End cap fluid side 65 Stator disk fluid side 66 Dynamic sealing fluid side 67 Bearing fluid side 68 Grand Box

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating DC electricity and water from supplied hydrogen and oxygen, the apparatus being configured to conversely generate hydrogen and oxygen from supplied DC electricity and water; The device comprises: at least one bipolar battery pack (54) aligned with a plurality of cells, each cell having an electrolytic membrane (4) contacting each side of a plurality of catalytic electrodes (16) contacting each bipolar disk (5, 6) and current insulating seal disks (10, 11); an inlet for hydrogen (2) leading to hydrogen channels (2, 12, 27, 31) to the electrodes on one side within the battery pack (54); an inlet / outlet for oxygen (3) leading to oxygen channels (3, 13, 27, 32) to the other side electrodes in said battery pack (54); It contains At least one bipolar battery pack (54) is designed as a hollow cylinder, and the device further comprises a rotating device (43) for rotating the battery pack, and a plurality of brushes (40) for bringing the electrodes into contact with the junction circuit so that water is produced in the battery and discharged from the battery and led to the outlet (23, 24) through the channels (20, 21, 56, 57, 27) and through the gland box (68). The device is configured to generate direct current conducted through a battery pack (54) via at least one positive bipolar disk (33) and at least one negative bipolar disk, or to generate hydrogen and oxygen from a supply of water and DC current.

2. a positive brush and a negative brush (40) each connected to DC current to / from said battery pack (54) via an external circuit; 2. The device of claim 1 adapted for high voltage, wherein the positive brushes contact electroluminescent conductive bolts (35) which contact positive bipolar discs (33) which contact battery packs (54) on each side, the cell packs (54) at the other end further contacting a common negative ground potential (36, 48, 59, 64).

3. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, further comprising an EL insulating protective tube (52) supported by a sealing stator disk (47, 65) and having EL insulating end caps (24, 45), and a plurality of temperature control nozzles (53, 55) with a temperature control fluid, wherein air is conducted to and from each end (50, 51 and 61, 62) by the protective tube and directed around the support cylinder (59) to equilibrate the temperature within the battery packet (54), the temperature control fluid being conducted to at least one outlet (60).

4. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the water is in the form of steam and the apparatus is adapted for high pressure and high temperature.

5. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the surfaces of said bipolar discs facing the cell are porous and in contact with the membrane (4) and the liquid electrolyte, so that said bipolar discs (5, 6) form electrodes (16) with radial shovels (17) bent axially backward in the direction of rotation.

6. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the membrane disc (4) is a diaphragm disc kept wet with liquid electrolyte with the help of a bipolar disc (5, 6) of each cell, which is provided with vanes (17) curved backward axially in the direction of rotation and which form electrodes (16) in contact with both sides of the membrane (4).

7. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the channels to / from the cells (12, 13, 20, 21) are curved radially and backward in the direction of rotation, wherein the gas channels (12, 13) enter the inner periphery of the associated axial collection channel (31, 32) and the water / steam channels (20, 21) enter the outer periphery of the associated axial collection channel (56, 57).

8. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the membrane (4) and / or the electrodes (16) are catalytically coated and / or comprise a catalyst adapted for use in electrolyzable liquid water or in the water vapor phase, adapted for low or high temperatures, respectively.

9. The membrane (4) is H ＋ Proton conductivity or OH － 3. The device of claim 1 or 2, which is anion-conducting and comprises a liquid electrolyte and / or a polymer or ceramic material.

10. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein a central chamber in at least one battery pack (54) is arranged to house two gas separators, one for hydrogen and one for oxygen, wherein the gases are directed towards the centre and into and out of each separator, and the water is directed outwards through channels to peripheral collection channels (56, 57).

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