Gas-liquid separation apparatus and electrolysis system comprising such an apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) for separating gas and liquid from an electrolytic mixture, the gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) comprising a tubular duct (11) for circulating the electrolytic mixture, with at least one inlet (22) for introducing the electrolytic mixture, at least one outlet (24) for gas after separation, and at least one outlet (26) for liquid after separation, characterised in that the tubular duct (11) extends in a horizontal plane and comprises at least two adjacent sections. According to one exemplary embodiment, the tubular duct (11) is wound onto itself, in particular in a spiral, and extends in a horizontal plane, and the at least one inlet (22) is arranged at the peripheral outer end of the tubular duct (11). The invention also relates to a system for producing dihydrogen and dioxygen by electrolysis of water, comprising a separation apparatus according to the invention.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE: GAS-LIQUID SEPARATION APPARATUS AND ELECTROLYSIS PLANT COMPRISING SUCH AN APPARATUS

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to the technical field of electrolysis and more particularly to an electrolysis installation for the production of dihydrogen (H2) and dioxygen (02) by electrolysis of water. According to a first of its aspects, the invention relates to a degassing device, from a mixture composed of a liquid and gas, which can be used in an installation for the production of dihydrogen and dioxygen by electrolysis of water.

[0005] More commonly, the degassing device is called a "gas-liquid separator" or gas-liquid separation device.

[0006] Another aspect of the invention relates to an installation for the production of dihydrogen and dioxygen by electrolysis of water containing such a degassing device.

[0007] Technical background

[0008] The need to reduce greenhouse gas production and use renewable energy is now well known. Dihydrogen is an alternative to hydrocarbons because it is an easily storable energy carrier, unlike electricity, and its oxidation releases a significant amount of energy.

[0009] There are several ways to produce hydrogen gas. The most advantageous is to electrolyze the water molecule using an electrolyzer, as it is a high-efficiency reaction that does not directly produce anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), unlike the widely used processes of methane, coal, and hydrocarbon reforming. Furthermore, electrolytic hydrogen allows for the seasonal storage of surplus renewable energy. Furthermore, as flexible loads, electrolyzers can play a role in stabilizing power grids.

[0010] Three main families of electrolysers for water electrolysis appear:

[0011] - alkaline electrolysers (AWE) which are characterised by the use of a liquid electrolyte which allows the transfer of hydroxyl ions (OH) from the cathode to the anode;

[0012] - high-temperature electrolysers whose electrolyte is a ceramic; and

[0013] - membrane electrolytes (PEM) whose electrolyte is a photon-conducting ion exchange membrane.

[0014] In all three cases, the system must be supplied with water of very high purity. In the remainder of the description, for reasons of brevity, reference will be made to an alkaline electrolyzer, but it is understood that the present invention also applies to the membrane electrolyzer (for example a proton exchange membrane). According to a well-known electrochemical process of the prior art, for the industrial production of dihydrogen by electrolysis of water, the water is brought into the electrolyzer stack by passing through the electrolytic cells in the presence of a component, called electrolyte, such as potassium hydroxide, KOH, or sodium hydroxide, NaOH, through a specific inlet. This water-electrolyte mixture is commonly called the "lye".

[0015] Following this passage combined with the passage of an electric current through the said electrolytic cells, the water is decomposed into gaseous molecules of dihydrogen, H2, at the cathode, and dioxygen, O2, at the anode.

[0016] A diaphragm separates the anode from the cathode so that, under normal conditions, the O2 and H2 molecules cannot be mixed.

[0017] Following these electrolytic cells, a double output appears: i) the first is dedicated to the molecules of dihydrogen H2 in the presence of the lye circulating on the cathode side (catholyte); and ii) the second is dedicated to the molecules of dioxygen O2 in the presence of the lye circulating on the anode side (anolyte).

[0018] These are two separate streams so that the electrolyzer stack is followed by a gas-liquid separator dedicated to the separation of dihydrogen from the catholyte, and a gas-liquid separator for the separation of dioxygen from the anolyte.

[0019] Therefore, gas-liquid separation is defined as a major step in the alkaline water electrolysis process.

[0020] To achieve gas-liquid separation, each outlet of the electrolyzer stack is connected directly to a gas-liquid separator so that this mixture is instantly introduced into the appropriate gas-liquid separator.

[0021] Thus, the first gas-liquid separator is reserved for the separation of the H2-lye mixture while the second separator is intended for the separation of the O2-lye mixture.

[0022] Within the overall electrolyser installation, each gas-liquid separator has two outlets: a) a first "upper" outlet for the majority gas phase; b) a second "lower" outlet for the liquid phase which may still contain a few gas bubbles.

[0023] In this configuration, the gas bubbles are evacuated through an outlet orifice arranged in the upper wall of the gas-liquid separator, while the liquid phase having circulated through the gas-liquid separator leaves it by flowing through an outlet orifice arranged in the lower wall of this same gas-liquid separator.

[0024] The principle of extracting gas bubbles from the liquid phase is based on Archimedes' principle. The efficiency of the separation depends mainly on gravity and the difference in density between the liquid and gas phases, but also on viscosity (friction of the bubbles in the liquid part). The gas-liquid mixture must therefore remain in the degassing chamber for a sufficient period of time to allow all the gas bubbles to be extracted from the lye. In the following description, such gas-liquid separators will be referred to as gravity gas-liquid separators. These gravity gas-liquid separators are characterized by their substantial dimensions.

[0025] With regard to the path through the gas-liquid separator, as can be seen in Figure 1 attached to this description, each outlet orifice of the liquid phase after separation is arranged opposite the inlet orifice through which the gas-liquid mixture is introduced.

[0026] Depending on the design of the gas-liquid separator, the quantity of residual gas bubbles still present in the liquid phase can be quantitatively significant; in other words, not all of the gas bubbles manage to escape from the liquid phase in order to be evacuated through the appropriate outlet orifice arranged in the upper wall of the gas-liquid separator. Document FR-A1-2949479, for example, describes such gas-liquid separators.

[0027] The two liquid phase outputs from the two gas-liquid separators can then be mixed before being reintroduced into the electrolyser stack in a closed loop.

[0028] For various reasons, it is important to separate gas from lye.

[0029] First of all, the more gas is separated from the electrolyte, the more gas is produced, which contributes to the good electrochemical efficiency of the process. Secondly, the H2 / O2 mixture is highly dangerous due to its potential explosiveness.

[0030] If the separation is not carried out correctly, a significant quantity of gas, commonly called "residual gas", is carried away at the liquid outlet of the gas-liquid separator. During the next circulation in the electrolyser stack (the electrolyte rotates in a closed loop as explained above) part of this residual gas passes into the other compartment and therefore to the wrong side.

[0031] Since the H2 / O2 mixture is highly dangerous, this implies that the quantities of residual H2 gas and residual O2 gas must be kept below standardized maximum values.

[0032] In some gas-liquid separators, equipment can be inserted to accelerate the separation (e.g. a honeycomb structure) or to standardize the flow and have a uniform residence time for all the flow lines. Gas bubbles still present in the liquid phase can be quantitatively significant, i.e. not all gas bubbles manage to be extracted from the liquid phase in order to be evacuated by an ad hoc evacuation pipe on the top or side wall of the gas-liquid separator. This poses several problems. As already mentioned above, the efficiency of the electrolyzer stack suffers from this gas loss. Furthermore, in conventional electrolysis plants, the two lye fractions evacuated from the gas-liquid separator are combined and mixed in an intermediate tank before being reinjected into the electrolyzer stack in a closed loop.Due to the incomplete separation, a potentially significant amount of residual hydrogen and oxygen can be reinjected into the electrolyzer stack so that the residual oxygen ends up on the cathode side while the hydrogen moves towards the anode. As already described, it is well known that the hydrogen / oxygen gas mixture is explosive even at a fairly low concentration and this situation is dangerous for personnel and the installation. The gases thus produced also have very poor purity which requires an additional purification step.

[0033] It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide a degassing device allowing practically complete degassing of the "waste" (dihydrogen / lye and dioxygen / lye from the electrolytic cells). Ideally, such a degassing device should be able to provide the expected result when the system is used at full load (high waste flow rate) or at reduced load (low waste flow rate).

[0034] It is also necessary to take into account the fact that gas-liquid separators in electrolyzers do not always produce hydrogen and oxygen at their nominal load (unlike similar systems for other industries or applications) and that the system must be efficient regardless of the quantity of gas to be separated. Indeed, when the gas volume decreases, the purity of the gases deteriorates because proportionally the coalescence of larger and easier to extract gas bubbles is not the same. One solution to this problem is to increase the size of the gas-liquid separators which in turn generates new problems, linked to the additional cost, the complexity of manufacturing and transporting these gas-liquid separators as well as the increase in the size of the production plant.

[0035] Thus, a conventional gas-liquid separator, similar to a cylinder or tubular conduit of varying lengths and diameters (between 8 and 20 meters for the length and between 0.5 meters and 1.5 meters for the diameter), is generally arranged horizontally or vertically. In the horizontal configuration, the gas-liquid separator rests on feet located at several specific locations near the longitudinal inlet and outlet end faces as well as at the center of said gas-liquid separator. This approach allows the cylindrical body to be kept in a stable position on the ground.

[0036] The longer the gas-liquid separator, the more feet it needs to support the separator on the ground and ensure its stability. The dimensions of the gas-liquid separator, both in terms of length and diameter, depend on several parameters such as the flow rate to be treated, the quantity of impurities to be removed, the physicochemical characteristics of the incoming flow and the mass transfer coefficients.

[0037] From a steric hindrance point of view, the gas-liquid separator is bulky while the analysis of its weight reveals that it is also heavy. Following these two observations, in current installations dedicated to the electrolyser, on the one hand the gas-liquid separator occupies a significant place, which means that the installations must have a space large enough to accommodate such components and, on the other hand, it is imperative to have adequate and important manufacturing equipment and to handle such heavy loads, both when installing the gas-liquid separator in the dedicated enclosure, and during handling operations.

[0038] In other words, the consequences of increasing the processing capacity and dimensions of the gas-liquid separator lead to multiple problems: high cost, manufacturing complexity, transportation, increase in the overall size of the production plant, etc.

[0039] Furthermore, on a physicochemical level, within the gas-liquid separator, as for several elements and components constituting the electrolyser stack, a large number of parts are protected by a coating produced by the application of a "nickel plating" operation. The objective pursued by applying a layer of nickel is firstly to allow good resistance to corrosion and secondly to prevent dihydrogen from infiltrating everywhere, particularly in the gas-liquid separators, and more particularly where roughness appears. It is therefore desirable that the layer of nickel be as homogeneous as possible to limit any leakage of dihydrogen and / or dioxygen, however minimal it may be.

[0040] Nickel plating is carried out during the manufacturing and assembly of the gas-liquid separator.

[0041] In such a context, a double problem appears:

[0042] 1) the cost of nickel is very high and continues to increase; and

[0043] 2) the parts considered and subjected to nickel plating, namely the gas-liquid separator and electrolyzer stack, are of a significant size.

[0044] As regards the gas-liquid separator, the approach currently followed is based on splitting the latter into two or even three or four, or even several, parts depending on the capacities envisaged and its significant dimensioning, so that the nickel plating is applied to smaller portions of said gas-liquid separator. After the application of the nickel plating, the constituent parts are assembled by flanges, which causes the appearance of an external stress and such flanges themselves represent a significant cost, given their dimensions compared to a rectilinear tubular body of significant length.

[0045] The second point described is directly influenced by the first, but it is also extremely important to note that the large size of the constituent elements of the electrolyser implies a proportionally large nickel plating, while increasing a significant risk of corrosion problems or a leak of dihydrogen and / or dioxygen following insufficient homogeneity of the quality of the nickel plating.

[0046] The invention aims to propose a new design of a gas-liquid separation apparatus which makes it possible to overcome all or part of the problems mentioned above. Summary of the invention

[0047] The invention provides an apparatus for gas-liquid separation from an electrolytic mixture composed of liquid and gas, the gas-liquid separation apparatus comprising a tubular conduit for circulation of the electrolytic mixture with at least one inlet orifice for introducing said electrolytic mixture, at least one outlet orifice for gas after separation, and at least one outlet orifice for residual liquid after separation, characterized in that the tubular conduit extends in a horizontal plane and comprises at least two adjacent sections, the tubular conduit being wound on itself; in that the at least one inlet orifice is arranged at the peripheral external end of the tubular conduit; in that the at least one outlet orifice for residual liquid after separation is arranged at the central internal end of the tubular conduit.

[0048] According to other characteristics of the invention:

[0049] - the tubular conduit has an open upper edge;

[0050] - the device comprises a body delimited by a lower bottom wall, a side wall and an upper closing cover, opposite the lower bottom wall; and an internal partition wound on itself which extends vertically from the lower bottom wall of the body to laterally delimit the tubular conduit wound on itself;

[0051] - the lower bottom wall has a curved shape which is convex towards the outside;

[0052] - the upper cover has a domed shape which is convex outwards;

[0053] - the domed shape is chosen from the following shapes: spherical, semi-elliptical, semi-toric cap or any other associated geometric shape;

[0054] - at least one gas outlet orifice after separation is arranged in the upper closing cover of the body;

[0055] - the at least one gas outlet after separation is a central outlet;

[0056] - at least one inlet orifice for introducing the electrolytic mixture is arranged in the lower bottom wall of the body;

[0057] - the tubular conduit has a constant passage section;

[0058] - the tubular conduit is wound on itself in a spiral, and the side wall is a circular cylindrical wall;

[0059] - viewed from above, the electrolytic mixture circulates in the tubular conduit wound on itself in an anti-clockwise or clockwise direction;

[0060] - the lower bottom wall and the side wall of the body constitute a lower housing whose upper face is open, and the upper closing cover constitutes an attached closing cover for this lower housing.

[0061] The invention also provides an installation for the production of dihydrogen and dioxygen by electrolysis of water, characterized in that it comprises at least one gas-liquid separation apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims. Brief description of the figures

[0062] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

[0063] [Fig.1] - Figure 1 is a schematic view in section through a vertical and longitudinal plane illustrating the design principle of a gas-liquid separation device according to the state of the art;

[0064] [Fig. 2] - Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view which represents an example of design of a gas-liquid separation apparatus according to the invention which is shown without its upper wall;

[0065] [Fig.3] - Figure 3 is a schematic half-view in section through a vertical plane of the separation apparatus according to the invention of Figure 2 which is shown with its upper wall forming the cover.

[0066] Detailed description of the invention

[0067] For the description of the invention and the understanding of the claims, the vertical orientation along the axis V indicated in the figures will be adopted, without limitation and with reference to Earth's gravity, a horizontal plane being orthogonal to this axis V.

[0068] By convention, the vertical axis V is oriented from bottom to top and the horizontal axis H is oriented from back to front.

[0069] In the following description, identical, similar or analogous elements will be designated by the same reference numbers.

[0070] Schematic representation of the general design principle of a gas-liquid separation device - Figure 1

[0071] Figure 1 shows a gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 consisting essentially of a tubular body 12 which delimits a horizontal tubular conduit which extends longitudinally from left to right, in the direction “C” of circulation of the electrolytic mixture inside the tubular body 12.

[0072] In sectional view, the tubular body 12 is in particular delimited vertically by a lower bottom wall 14 and by an upper wall 16 and longitudinally by a left vertical wall 18 and by an opposite right side wall 20.

[0073] The gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 here comprises an inlet for introducing an electrolytic mixture “G + L” which is in the form of a lateral orifice 22 for introducing this electrolytic mixture which is arranged in the left lateral wall 18.

[0074] The gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 also comprises a gas outlet orifice “G” 24 which is arranged in the upper wall 16, in the vicinity of the right side wall 20. The gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 further comprises a residual liquid phase outlet orifice “L” 26 which is arranged in the lower bottom wall 14, in the vicinity of the right side wall 20.

[0075] The two-phase mixture is introduced into the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 which it partially fills and inside which it circulates longitudinally, delimiting an upper face “S”, of generally horizontal orientation, which separates the lower phase which is essentially liquid, more or less loaded with gas bubbles “G” to be eliminated, from the upper gaseous phase “G”.

[0076] At the end of the electrolytic mixture's journey through the gas-liquid separation device 10, and therefore after separation, the following are recovered:

[0077] - in the lower part of the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 and through the liquid outlet orifice “L” 26, a residual liquid phase “L” (mostly lye in the presence of a minimal quantity of gas bubbles); and

[0078] - in the upper part of the gas-liquid separation device 10 and through the liquid outlet orifice “G” 24, a gaseous phase “G” (dihydrogen or dioxygen).

[0079] Example of an embodiment of a gas-liquid separation device according to the invention - Figures 2 and 3

[0080] As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 which delimits the body 12 is in the form of a generally flat lower housing 13 closed by a complementary upper cover 16.

[0081] Without limitation, the lower housing 13 is of generally cylindrical shape with a vertical central axis V and is delimited by a generally circular cylindrical side wall 19 which is here welded at its base to the periphery of a flat bottom lower wall 14 generally in the shape of a solid and generally flat disc.

[0082] The circular cylindrical side wall 19 is delimited by an upper edge 21 which delimits the open upper face of the lower housing 13.

[0083] The body 12 is thus delimited by the lower bottom wall 14, the side wall 19 and the upper closing wall forming the upper cover 16.

[0084] To constitute the tubular conduit 11 inside which the electrolytic mixture circulates, an internal partition 30 wound on itself in a spiral is arranged inside the lower housing 13 which extends vertically from the bottom of the body 12 to laterally delimit the tubular conduit 11 wound on itself.

[0085] Thus, the tubular conduit 1 is a spiral conduit which extends in a longitudinal plane L and which here has the shape of a curve rotating around a central pole corresponding to the vertical central axis V, from which it moves away radially from the center towards the periphery.

[0086] Without limitation, the tubular conduit 11 has a substantially constant passage section, here with a rectangular outline.

[0087] Like the circular cylindrical side wall 19, the internal partition 30 is here welded at its base to the lower bottom wall 14. The tubular conduit 11 wound on itself thus comprises adjacent sections which are here curved sections.

[0088] The inlet of the electrolytic mixture is arranged at the radially peripheral outer end of the tubular conduit 11 in the form of the inlet orifice 22 which opens into the lower bottom wall 14 near the vertical end wall 32 of the tubular conduit 11.

[0089] The outlet orifice for the residual liquid phase “L” 26 is arranged at the radially central internal end of the tubular conduit 11 and opens into the lower bottom wall 14 substantially in line with the vertical central axis V.

[0090] The upper wall or upper face of the body 12 constitutes an upper cover 16 of the lower housing 13, upper cover 16 by means of which the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 e gas “G” is collected after separation.

[0091] The gas outlet orifice “G” 24 is arranged at the radially central internal end of the tubular conduit 11 and opens into the upper cover 16 substantially in line with the vertical central axis V.

[0092] Thus, in top view and as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2, the electrolytic mixture circulates in the tubular conduit 11 wound on itself, here in an anti-clockwise direction.

[0093] This self-wound design of the tubular conduit 11 makes it possible to incorporate a long length of conduit into a body 12 of reduced dimensions.

[0094] The gas-liquid separation device 10 is completely self-supporting, with an external diameter of, for example, around 3 meters, which greatly reduces the overall dimensions of such a device, as well as its weight.

[0095] This design thus provides a saving in the space occupied by the gas-liquid separation device 10 and great ease of handling of the latter as a whole.

[0096] As regards the operation of the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10, it is based on the same fundamentals as those explained previously, namely that the gas bubbles “G” are evacuated through the upper cover 16, while the residual liquid phase “L” flows through the lower bottom wall 14.

[0097] As the electrolytic mixture progresses inside the tubular conduit 11, it follows an anti-clockwise movement to the center of the spiral "coil" at which the gas bubbles "G" are extracted upwards through the gas outlet orifice "G" 24, while the residual liquid phase "L" continues its circulation downwards through the outlet orifice 26.

[0098] The efficiency of the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10 is independent of the passage section of the tubular conduit 11 as well as its height. In other words, the progression of the electrolytic mixture is independent of the circular spiral architecture.

[0099] The embodiment of the invention which has just been described is not limiting. As a variant, it is for example possible to modify the arrangements and locations of the outlet orifice(s) 24 for the gas bubbles, in particular outside the center.

[0100] For example, at least one outlet orifice 24 is arranged on the cover 16 in order to send the gas bubbles towards the electrolyser stack.

[0101] Such variations may relate to the number and positioning of outlet ports 26 on the lower bottom wall 14.

[0102] For example, at least one outlet orifice 24 is dedicated to collecting the residual liquid “L” with a view to also sending it to the electrolyser stack, while one or more outlet orifice(s) 24 may be arranged upstream.

[0103] The upper cover 16 may, for example, be flat or have a three-dimensional shape in the form of a spherical, pyramidal, bell-shaped cap, etc. This domed shape is convex towards the outside.

[0104] Likewise, the lower bottom wall 14 may be flat, or curved in a convex shape towards the outside, for example in the shape of a spherical cap, in a semi-elliptical shape, in a semi-toric shape, etc.

[0105] The production of at least the lower bottom wall 14 in a curved shape has several advantages.

[0106] It allows the gas-liquid separation device 10 to withstand extremely high internal pressure, both in the lower part and in the upper part.

[0107] Furthermore, inside the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10, in the lower part, the lower the bottom wall 14 is located, the more efficient the separation will be since the "surface vortex" will be avoided all the more compared to the free surface of the liquid.

[0108] On the other hand, when the liquid enters the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10, it has a certain speed. Thanks to the new spiral design combined with the domed effect of the upper cover 16 and the lower bottom wall 14, the flow of the liquid will gradually slow down. As a result of a decrease in the liquid speed, the gas-liquid separation phenomenon in the device will be all the more efficient and significant.

[0109] As regards the direction of circulation of the electrolytic mixture inside the gas-liquid separation apparatus 10, it can also be clockwise, because the evacuation of the gas bubbles “G” and the residual liquid “L” is independent of the direction of circulation.

[0110] Thanks to this self-wound configuration of the tubular conduit 11, such gas-liquid separation devices 10, both for dihydrogen H2 and for dioxygen O2, can be arranged in a practically contiguous and nested manner (or even superimposed), whereas in the conventional rectilinear cylindrical tubular configuration, the overall architecture requires that the two gas-liquid separation devices be placed next to each other in the length direction L.

[0111] Thus, all rotation combinations (clockwise and / or counterclockwise) can appear between the two gas-liquid separation devices 10 without altering their overall efficiency. In other words, the design according to the invention allows space savings both horizontally and vertically.

[0112] The invention is also not limited to the circular spiral winding as illustrated and described. The winding may for example be in a square or rectangular spiral.

[0113] The tubular conduit 11 can also be a “serpent” made up of adjacent rectilinear sections in a “sinusoid”.

[0114] Finally, since the upper cover 16 of the gas-liquid separation apparatus 16 is potentially removable, the physicochemical analysis shows that it is not necessary to carry out complete nickel plating on the entire gas-liquid separation apparatus 10, as the state of the art describes with regard to a cylindrical gas-liquid separation apparatus.

[0115] The present invention makes it possible to avoid applying any anti-corrosion treatment, for example nickel plating, to the upper cover 16.

[0116] This saves coating material while facilitating nickel plating operations.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for gas-liquid separation (10) from an electrolytic mixture composed of liquid and gas, the gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) comprising a tubular conduit (11) for circulation of the electrolytic mixture with at least one inlet orifice (22) for introducing said electrolytic mixture, at least one outlet orifice (24) for gas after separation, and at least one outlet orifice (26) for residual liquid after separation, characterized in that the tubular conduit (11) extends in a horizontal plane and comprises at least two adjacent sections, the tubular conduit (11) being wound on itself; in that the at least one inlet orifice (22) is arranged at the peripheral outer end of the tubular conduit (11); and in that the at least one outlet orifice (26) for residual liquid after separation is arranged at the central inner end of the tubular conduit (11).

2. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the tubular conduit (11) has an open upper edge (21).

3. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises: - a body (12) delimited by a lower bottom wall (14), a side wall (19) and an upper closing cover (16), opposite the lower bottom wall (14); and - an internal partition (30) wound on itself which extends vertically from the lower bottom wall (14) of the body (12) to laterally delimit the tubular conduit (11) wound on itself.

4. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the lower bottom wall (14) has a curved shape which is convex towards the outside.

5. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the upper cover (16) has a domed shape which is convex outwards.

6. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the domed shape is chosen from the following shapes: spherical, semi-elliptical, semi-toric cap.

7. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the lower bottom wall (14) and / or the upper cover (16) have a planar shape.

8. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the at least one outlet orifice (24) for gas after separation is arranged in the upper closing cover (16) of the body (12).

9. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least one gas outlet orifice (24) after separation is a central outlet.

10. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the at least one inlet orifice (22) for introducing the electrolytic mixture is arranged in the lower bottom wall (14) of the body (12).

11. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tubular conduit (11) has a constant passage section.

12. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims taken in combination with claim 3, characterized in that the tubular conduit (11) is wound on itself in a spiral, and in that the side wall (19) is a circular cylindrical wall.

13. Gas-liquid separation apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, seen from above, the electrolytic mixture circulates in the tubular conduit (11) wound on itself in an anti-clockwise or clockwise direction.

14. Gas-liquid separation apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims taken in combination with claim 3, characterized in that the lower bottom wall (14) and the side wall (19) of the body (12) constitute a lower housing (13) whose upper face is open, and in that the upper closing cover (16) constitutes an attached closing cover for this lower housing (13).

15. Installation for the production of dihydrogen and dioxygen by electrolysis of water, characterized in that it comprises at least one gas-liquid separation apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

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