Systems, methods and apparatus for gas-liquid separation in electrolyser applications

Abstract

A method for gas-water separation includes flowing a mixture of process water and oxygen from an anode of an electrolysis device to a gas-water separator, generating a water overflow from an outlet of the gas-water separator, and expelling at least a portion of the oxygen from the outlet of the gas-water separator.

Description

Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOSYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR GAS-LIQUID SEPARATION IN ELECTROLYSER APPLICATIONSCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 764,600, filed February 28, 2025, entitled “SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GAS-LIQUID SEPARATION IN ELECTROLYSER APPLICATIONS” (Attorney Docket No. 1404.383P1), which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to the degassing of process water in electrolysis systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the removal of oxygen gas(es) produced by an electrolysis device from process water and the subsequent recovery of degassed process water. While the foregoing description of the technical field represents a few areas of specific interest, it is not inclusive of all applications for the present disclosure.BACKGROUND

[0003] Traditionally, large gas-water separators are used to separate oxygen from water in electrolysis systems. For example, oxygen-water mixtures are commonly processed in gas-water separators having gas volumes of about 500 liter / MW (e.g., 500 liters for a 1MW electrolysis system). While the mixing of hydrogen and oxygen is extremely rare, it can occur, for example, due to a PEM membrane failure. This creates a potential explosion hazard, making the potential for explosive mixture buildup during electrolysis a significant safety risk. Oxygen and hydrogen may mix within the system for a variety of reasons, including a membrane failure within the electrolysis device (e.g., an electrolysis stack). Much of the electrolysis process also takes place under high pressure, further increasing the risk of explosion associated therewith if oxygen and hydrogen mix within an electrolysis system. The use of large gas-water separators is thus problematic because, in the case of a membraneAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOmalfunction, large amounts of an explosive mixture may be present in the electrolysis system. Safeguarding against the potential for dangerous operating conditions (e.g., an explosive environment) may be costly and burdensome, particularly where regulatory standards must be met.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present disclosure addresses a need for electrolysis systems which effectively degas oxygenated water, thus minimizing the risks of explosion in the system, while also allowing for efficient recovery of process water and further accounting for the various considerations regarding, for example, system efficiency, regulatory requirements, explosion pressure (shock) resistance and cost.

[0005] The present disclosure provides, in a first aspect, a method for gas-water separation including flowing a mixture of process water and oxygen from an anode of an electrolysis device to a gas-water separator, generating a water overflow from an outlet of the gas-water separator, and expelling at least a portion of the oxygen from of an outlet of the gas-water separator.

[0006] The present disclosure provides, in a second aspect, a system for gas-water separation including a gas-water separator in fluid communication with an anode of an electrolysis device, the gas water separator configured to receive a flow of oxygen and process water from the anode and to separate at least a portion of the oxygen the oxygen and at least a portion of the process water from each other. The system further includes one or more pumps in fluid communication with the gas-water separator, the one or more pumps configured to flow buffer water toward the gas water separator to generate a water overflow. The gas-water separator includes an outlet, and the gaswater separator is configured to expel a second mixture of the oxygen and the water overflow though the outlet.

[0007] These, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The present disclosure is directed towards systems, methods and apparatus for gas-liquid separation in electrolysis applications.

[0009] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of an internal subassembly of an electrolysis device, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0010] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic view of a system of the present disclosure, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the system of FIG. 2 including multiple electrolysis devices, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0012] FIG. 4 depicts a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the system of FIG. 2 including multiple cyclonic gas-water separators and multiple electrolysis devices, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0013] FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a centrifugal or cyclonic gas-water separator of the system of FIG. 2, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0014] FIG. 6 depicts a side view of the cyclonic gas-water separator of FIG. 5 connected to a second gas-water separator and / or vent of the system of FIG. 2, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and

[0015] FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of a portion of the system of FIG. 4 including multiple of the cyclonic gas-water separator of FIG. 4 and multiple electrolysis devices, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present disclosure will be discussed hereinafter in terms of exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. In following the detailed description, numerous specific details are set forthAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOin order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. It will be obvious, however, to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures may not be shown in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure.

[0017] Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary, or the following detailed description. It is also understood that the specific devices and process illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be construed as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

[0018] Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to indicate like or analogous components throughout the several views, and with particular reference to FIGS. 1-7, systems, methods and devices for gas-liquid separation in electrolysis applications are shown and discussed. The systems, methods and devices disclosed herein may include the use of one or more centrifugal and / or cyclonic gas-water separator(s) to separate oxygen (e.g., produced as a byproduct of electrolysis) and water (e.g., ultra-pure water (“UPW”)).

[0019] FIG. 1 depicts various layers of an internal subassembly 101 of an electrolysis device (e.g., an electrolyzer cell of an electrolyzer stack) including a cathode 105, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 130, and an anode 132. The cathode 105 may include a cathode flow plate 110 at a first outer end 115 of the subassembly 101 and a cathode flow plate seal 120 on an inner side thereof. The cathode 105 may further include a cathode side catalyst layer 125 and a cathode side gas diffusion layer (GDL) 122. The anode 132 may include an anode flow plate 160 at a second outer end 165 of the subassembly 101 and an anode flow plate seal 150 on an inner side thereof. The anode 132 may further include an anode side catalyst layer 135 and an anode side gas diffusion layer 145. The cathode side catalyst layer 125,Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOthe cathode side GDL 122, the anode side catalyst layer 135 and the anode side GDL 145 may also form part of the MEA 130.

[0020] The MEA 130 may be located between the cathode flow plate seal 120 of the cathode 105 and the anode flow plate seal 150 of the anode 132. The MEA 130 may include various layers including a membrane 140 (e.g., a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM)) between the cathode side catalyst layer 125 and the anode side catalyst layer 135. The cathode side gas diffusion layer (GDL) 122 may be located between the cathode side catalyst layer 125 and the cathode flow plate 160. The anode side gas diffusion layer (GDL) 145 may be located between the anode side catalyst layer 135 and the anode flow plate 160.

[0021] In some embodiments, there may be additional layers on one or both sides of the subassembly 101, such as non-repeating hardware. For example, there may be end plates (not shown) on one or both sides of the internal subassembly 101. The nonrepeating hardware may also include flow connection plates, load support and / or distribution hardware (e.g., plates and / or tie rods), electrical busbar connections and / or electrical insulation hardware. In some embodiments, the cathode flow plate seal 120, the anode flow plate seal 150, and / or another seal may be applied directly to the non-repeating hardware to seal the non-repeating hardware to the cathode flow plate 110 and / or the anode flow plate 160.

[0022] When assembled, the internal subassembly 101 may form an electrolyzer cell. Further, when the electrolyzer cell is assembled with the end plates and other non-repeating hardware, if any, a completed electrolysis device (e.g., electrolyzer stack) may be formed. One or more electrolyzer cells (e.g., multiple instances of the internal subassembly 101) may be combined to form an electrolysis device 100 (FIG.2) to be used for electrolysis.

[0023] During electrolysis, fluid (e.g., water) may be flowed (e.g., via force of pumping) into the anode 132, which is then electrochemically split into oxygen gas (e.g., O2) and hydrogen ions (e.g., H+). The hydrogen ions cross the membrane 140 and recombine with electrons to form hydrogen gas (e.g., H2), which may then be collected from a cathode outlet 180 of the cathode 105 and either used for energy orAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOstored. The oxygen remaining on the anode 132 side may then be expelled from an anode outlet 170 of the anode 132, potentially along with some process water.

[0024] FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a system 1 of the present disclosure. The various components of the system 1 may be connected via conduits (e.g., pipes, tubing or similar), represented by lines connecting various components in FIG. 2. The system 1 may include the electrolysis device 100 (e.g., an electrolyzer stack) connected to one or more pump(s) (e.g., a main circulation pump 210 and / or a booster or pressurizing pump 220). The one or more pump(s) may flow (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) water into the electrolysis device 100. For example, the main circulation pump 210 and / or the pressurizing pump 220 may flow (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) water into the electrolysis device 100 from a water source 50. In an example, the main circulation pump 210 may have a capacity of 50 m3 / h (about 5 bar head), and the pressurizing pump 220 may have a capacity of max 3 m3 / h (about 2 bar head), but the capacity of the main circulation pump 210 and the pressurizing pump 220 may differ depending on system requirements.

[0025] The water source 50 may include process water in the form of ultra-pure water (“UPW”). In some embodiments, the process water may be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) into a buffer vessel or buffer tank 200 from the water source 50, which may then be stored for use in the system 1 as needed. In such embodiments, the buffer tank 200 may be connected downstream to the pressurizing pump 220, which may supply the water from the buffer tank 200 to the rest of the system 1. For example, the pressurizing pump 220 may be connected downstream to the main circulation pump 210 and may supply the main circulation pump 210 with the water which is ultimately processed in the electrolysis device 100 (FIG. 2). In some embodiments, the pressurizing pump 220 may be configured (e.g., sized, shaped and / or dimensioned) to pump process water through the system 1 at a constant frequency. In other embodiments, the pressurizing pump 220 may be configured (e.g., sized, shaped and / or dimensioned) to receive signals (e.g. from a sensor and / or a computer processor) instructing the pressurizing pump 220 to operate at variable frequencies and / or speeds depending on conditions (e.g., changes in system pressure(s) and water levels, among others) in the system 1. In even furtherAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOembodiments, there may be a single pump performing the function of both the main circulation pump 210 and the pressurizing pump 220. All the aforementioned embodiments are described in more detail below.

[0026] In some embodiments, one or both of the main circulation pump 210 and / or the pressurizing pump 220 may be centrifugal booster pumps. In other embodiments, one or both of the main circulation pump 210 and / or the pressurizing pump 220 may be a different kind of pump, such as a positive displacement pump (e.g., a gear pump and / or a diaphragm pump), a dynamic pump, a rotary displacement pump, and / or any other type of pump which can pump ultra-pure water.

[0027] The electrolysis device 100 may further be connected to and / or in fluid communication with a centrifugal and / or cyclonic gas-water separator 300, as depicted in FIG. 2, for instance. In an example, the anode outlet 170 of the electrolysis device 100 may be connected downstream to an inlet 302 of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. During operation of the system 1 (e.g., during electrolysis), the oxygen remaining on the anode 132 side (FIG. 1), along with some process water, may be expelled from the anode outlet 170 and flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) into the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 through the inlet 302. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the electrolysis device 100 may be a 1MW electrolysis device. In other embodiments, the electrolysis device 100 may have a different megawattage capacity (e.g., 0.5MW, 2MW, 3MW, 5MW, etc.), which may affect the dimensions of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, as explained in more detail below.

[0028] The cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may further be connected to and / or in fluid communication with a second gas-water separator 310. In some embodiments, the second gas-water separator 310 may be a cyclonic and / or centrifugal separator. In other embodiments, because the bulk of process water will have been removed in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, the second gas-water separator 310 may be a different type of gas-water separator, such as a gravitational separator, among others. In further embodiments, the buffer vessel 200 may optionally be combined with theAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOsecond gas-water separator 310 into a single vessel that may perform the functions of both the buffer vessel 200 and the second gas-water separator 310 (not shown).

[0029] Traditionally, oxygen produced at an anode (e.g., the anode 132 (FIG. 1)) of an electrolysis device (e.g., the electrolysis device 100 (FIG. 1)), along with process water (e.g., UPW), may be flowed from the electrolysis device to a relatively large gas-water separator for further processing as part of a system for electrolysis. For example, a mixture of oxygen and process water (e.g., a two-phase flow of oxygenated water) may traditionally be flowed from the electrolysis device to a gaswater separator with an oxygen capacity of about 500 liter / MW, wherein gravitational forces (e.g., forces exerted by a gravitational acceleration of about 1 g) result in the separation of the oxygen and water. However, the mixing of hydrogen (produced elsewhere in an electrolysis system) and oxygen may create the potential for an explosion, and thus the buildup of an explosive mixture may present a safety risk during the operation of electrolysis devices and systems. Much of the electrolysis process also takes place under pressure, further increasing the risk of explosion associated therewith. The use of large gas-water separators is thus problematic, as in the case of a membrane malfunction in a large gas-water separator, a large amount of an explosive mixture may be present in the electrolysis system. Safeguarding against the potential for dangerous operating conditions (e.g., an explosive environment) may be costly and burdensome, particularly where regulatory standards must be met.

[0030] FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. In some embodiments, the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may include a body 301 having an inlet 302, a first outlet 304, and a second outlet 306.

[0031] A mixture of oxygen and process water may be flowed (e.g., via the main circulation pump 210 and / or the pressurizing pump 220 through one or more conduit(s)) from the anode outlet 170 into the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 through the inlet 302, as depicted in FIG. 2. During operation of the system 1 (e.g., during electrolysis), a continuous separation of the mixture into oxygen (e.g., O2) and water (e.g., H2O and / or UPW) may be facilitated by centrifugal forces in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. For example, the inlet 302 may direct the flow of water intoAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOthe cyclonic gas-water separator 300 at an angle which creates a spinning (e.g., cyclonic and / or centrifugal) effect. In some embodiments, the centrifugal forces of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be equivalent to about the amount of force exerted by a gravitational acceleration of about 25 gs. In contrast, traditional gaswater separators (described above) may rely on smaller gravitational forces for separation, e.g., about the amount of force exerted by a gravitational acceleration of 1 g. The cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may thus process mixtures of water and oxygen much more efficiently than traditional, large gas-water separators by using higher forces to facilitate separation.

[0032] In some embodiments, the process water separated from the mixture in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may include return water and water overflow.Return water separated from oxygen by the centrifugal forces may be flowed and / or directed (e.g., via the main circulation pump 210 and one or more conduit(s)) out of the first outlet 304. The return water may then be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) back towards the electrolysis device 100 to be used again in electrolysis, as described in more detail below. Separated oxygen, which may be separated from the process water in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 by the centrifugal forces, may be flowed and / or directed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) out of the second outlet 306. In some embodiments, some water overflow may also be flowed and / or directed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) out of the second outlet 306 along with the separated oxygen, as described in more detail below.

[0033] In the example of a 1MW electrolysis device 100 (e.g., as in system 1), the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may have a diameter of about 20cm and a height of about 75cm. In the example, the first outlet 304 and the second outlet 306 of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may have a diameter of about 80mm and the third outlet 306 may have a diameter of about 50mm. In some embodiments, the gas-water separator 300 may further include a Yi inch threaded nozzle bottom, for example, to allow the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 to be emptied during maintenance.Operationally, the example cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to flow about 50 m3 / h of UPW and about 100 m3 / h of gas (e.g., oxygen gas).Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO

[0034] As noted above, the electrolysis device 100 may in different embodiments have a different megawattage capacity (e.g., 0.5MW, 2MW, 3MW, 5MW, etc.), which may affect the configuration of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. For example, in an embodiment which employs a 5MW electrolysis device (e.g., a 5MW version of the electrolysis device 100), a cyclonic gas-water separator may be employed which can handle up to 250 m3 / h of UPW and 800 m3 / h of gas (e.g., oxygen gas).

[0035] The return water, which is separated from oxygen in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, may be recycled back into the electrolysis device 100 to be re-used in electrolysis, as shown in FIG. 2. In the embodiment shown, the return water may be expelled from the first outlet 304 and flow back toward the electrolysis device 100. For example, the return water may flow through one or more conduit(s) to an inlet 211 of the main circulation pump 210. As the return water flows towards the main circulation pump 210 (e.g., the inlet 211), the return water may be mixed with process water received from the water supply 50, such that a combined flow of the water from the water supply 50 and the return water may flow through the main circulation pump 210 to the electrolysis device 100, where the combined flow may either be electrolyzed or recycled again as just described.

[0036] Return water may also be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) out of the first outlet 304 and into the water being pumped by the main circulation pump 210 at other locations in the system 1 as well. For example, the return water expelled from the first outlet 304 may be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) to any point in the system 1 from the buffer tank 200 to the electrolysis device 100, including before or after any of the components therebetween. In some embodiments, the return water may be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) to a point upstream from a heat exchanger (described in more detail below) before returning to the electrolysis device 100 to prevent overheating of the electrolysis device 100.

[0037] Once the return water expelled from the first outlet 304 has flowed back into the electrolysis device 100 (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)), the return water may be subjected to the same process as just described. For example, some of the return waterAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO(which may be mixed with process water from the water supply 50, as described above) may be electrochemically split during electrolysis in the electrolysis device 100, and the remaining return water (e.g., water which is not split during electrolysis) may be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) out of the anode outlet 170 back to the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. In the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, the return water (i.e., water received from the anode outlet 170 of the electrolysis device 100) will either be expelled from the first outlet 304 again to be mixed with process water from the water supply 50, or will become part of the water overflow expelled out of the second outlet 306 towards the second gas-water separator 310, as described in more detail below.

[0038] Due to the centrifugal forces acting on the mixture of water and oxygen (e.g., in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300), the separation of oxygen and water may be much more effective compared to traditional gas-liquid separators (e.g., large gas-water separators, as described above). As a result, the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be more compact than traditional gas-liquid separators (e.g., large, gravitational gas-water separators), minimizing and / or reducing the capital expenditure required to produce electrolysis systems. Use of the smaller cyclonic gaswater separator 300 may further minimize and / or reduce the volume of potential explosive mixtures which may form therein, which in turn minimizes and / or reduces the maximum potential explosive energy which may be present in the cyclonic gaswater separator 300 at any given time. For example, in some embodiments, the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may have an oxygen capacity of 5 liters or less for a 1MW electrolysis system (e.g., 5 liters / MW) whilst maintaining or even exceeding the efficiency of traditional gas-liquid separation devices. In such an example, the consequences of a potential explosion are thus minimized and / or reduced by virtue of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 having a volumetric capacity of about 1 / 100ththat of traditional gas-liquid separators.

[0039] Additionally, the body (e.g., the walls) of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be able to better resist explosive pressure (e.g., more able to contain or respond to explosive pressure(s) without breaking and / or rupturing) at the same wall thickness when compared to traditional gas-liquid separators. This is because, for aAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOvessel (e.g., a separator) to withstand a certain pressure, the ratio of wall thickness to vessel diameter must be constant. Thus, because the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be smaller than traditional gas-liquid separators (meaning the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may have a smaller vessel diameter than a traditional gas-liquid separator), the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be able to more safely perform the same function with thinner walls as compared to a larger vessel with a same thickness walls.

[0040] The relatively small size of a cyclonic gas-water separator (e.g., the cyclonic gas-water separator 300) as compared to traditional gas-liquid separators may further improve operability of the system 1 by reducing startup times (e.g., the time it takes for process water to reach operational temperature(s)). In the example where the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 has a maximum oxygen capacity of 5 liters / MW or less, the system 1 may have a startup time of about 2 minutes for the process water to reach operational temperature(s) (e.g., about 60 to about 80 degrees Celsius, in some electrolysis systems), whereas systems of similar production capacity employing a traditional gas-liquid separation device (e.g., having a capacity of about 5001iters / MW) may take upwards of 10 minutes to start up. Startup times of electrolysis systems may differ, for example, because as water holdup in the system increases, the amount of time it takes to heat the water with the same power output increases. Furthermore, the relatively small size of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 as compared to traditional separators may allow for compact system builds.

[0041] Another advantage of the relatively small size of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 as compared to traditional gas-liquid separators is the reduced distance that separated oxygen must travel to be expelled therefrom. For example, oxygen gas(es) in a traditional gas-liquid separator having a volumetric capacity of about 500 liters / MW may have to travel a distance of about 50cm to an outlet of the gas-water separator to be expelled. In contrast, in some embodiments of the system 1, oxygen in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may only need to travel a distance of about 10cm to reach the second outlet 306 to be expelled. Oxygen gas(es) may therefore travel through the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 more quickly and / or efficiently than in traditional gas-liquid separators.Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO

[0042] To further minimize and / or reduce the risk of oxygen buildup and / or the mixing of oxygen and hydrogen gases (e.g., in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300), pressure in the system 1 and / or the flow rate of water flowing through the system 1, may be controlled. For example, in some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, the pressure within the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, and / or the flow rate of water into the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be controlled by the pressurizing pump 220 in conjunction and / or combination with the second outlet 306 (e.g., an orifice of the second outlet 306).

[0043] For example, the pressure in the system 1 and / or the flow rate of water may be controlled by the pressurizing pump 220 flowing water at a constant frequency, speed and / or flow rate so as to maintain operating pressure(s) which produce the water overflow, as described above. In such an example, as oxygen is produced during electrolysis, the pressure in the system 1 rises, pushing back on the flow of process water from the pressurizing pump 220 such that effectively less water is flowed through the system 1. Similarly, as oxygen is vented out of the system 1 (as described in more detail below), the pressure in the system 1 falls, lowering the resistance against the flow of process water from the pressurizing pump 220 such that effectively more water is flowed to and / or through the system 1. In this way, the pressurizing pump 220 may permit automatic regulation of pressure(s) and flow rate(s) in the system 1, absent the use of additional equipment such as pressure sensors and / or water level sensors, which may increase the cost and complexity of system builds.

[0044] However, in other embodiments, means such as pressure sensors, water level sensors, computer controllers and / or processors (e.g., one or more microprocessors) and / or related components necessary to send one or more signal(s) between at least the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 and the pressurizing pump 220 may be employed to more actively control the pressure(s) and / or flow rate(s) in the system 1. For example, a sensor (not shown) may be connected to the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 and may be configured (e.g., programmed) to detect water levels in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 and to send information (e.g., one or more signal(s)) regarding the water levels to a controller and / or processor (e.g., microprocessor) (notAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOshown). The controller may be configured (e.g., programmed) to receive the one or more signal(s) from the sensor and to send one or more signal(s) to the pressurizing pump 220 instructing the pressurizing pump 220 to increase or decrease the amount of water flowed through the system (e.g., to increase or decrease a frequency or speed of the pump).

[0045] In some embodiments, the orifice of the second outlet 306 may be sized, for example, to accommodate the maximum oxygen production in a 1MW stack (e.g., the electrolysis device 100) at a desired and / or required operating pressure of the electrolysis device 100. In other embodiments, the orifice of the second outlet 306 may be sized to accommodate the maximum oxygen production of one or more stacks (e.g., one or more instances of the electrolysis device 100) which individually or collectively produce more or less than 1MW of power, e.g., 0.5MW, 2MW, 3MW, 5MW, etc. In the example, the orifice of the second outlet 306 may have a static diameter of 20mm. In other embodiments, the static diameter of the orifice may be different, depending on system requirements. In such embodiments, the pressurizing pump 220 may flow water (e.g., process water) through the system 1 at a constant frequency. When there is no oxygen being formed in the system 1 (e.g., in the electrolysis device 100), the flow rate of water from the pressurizing pump 220 may be the highest because there is minimal pressure resistance at the second outlet 306. However, as oxygen is produced in the electrolysis device and received in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, the pressure at the second outlet 306 may increase, which may resist the flow of water from the pressurizing pump 220 such that the pressurizing pump 220 effectively flows less water through the system 1. As water is separated in the gas-water separator 300, the pressure will again be reduced, and more water will flow from the pressurizing pump 220. In this way, the system 1 may allow for regulation of the water overflow without the use of sensors or other controls which may substantially increase the cost of system builds.

[0046] In even further examples, the orifice of the second outlet 306 may be or include a pressure control valve (e.g., a mechanically actuated valve). In such embodiments, the orifice may work in combination with one of the main circulation pump 200 and / or the pressurizing pump 210 to regulate (e.g., actively) the amount ofAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOwater overflow in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. In some such embodiments, one or more sensors may be used, for example, to detect water levels in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 as described above. The use of sensors may include computer processors and other related components for sending signals to the pressurizing pump 220 and / or the main circulation pump 210 to increase or decrease the pumping frequency / frequencies of the pressurizing pump 220 and / or the main circulation pump 210 as a means of regulating the water levels in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. Similarly, one or more signal(s) may be sent to a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) connected to the orifice to instruct the pressure control valve to expand or contract as an additional means of regulating water levels in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. In such embodiments, and / or in embodiments of the system 1 which include only one pump (e.g., one pump performing the functions of both the main circulation pump 210 and the pressurizing pump 220), the buffer tank 200 may need to be positioned well above the second outlet 306.

[0047] In the example of a 5 liter / MW embodiment of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to maintain pressure levels below 3 barg under all circumstances so as to stay within the Explosion Pressure Shock Resistance (ExPSR) certificate of the electrolysis device 100. The highest pressure drop in the system 1 may be expected when the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 is filled with water (e.g., from the water supply 50 and / or elsewhere in the system 1) and there is a sudden increase in current, for example, from 0 to 3750 amps. In such an example, about 100Nm3 / h of oxygen may push water out of the first outlet 304 and / or the second outlet 306 of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 at about 4 bara with a maximum water flow of about 25m3 / h. In the example, water may flow out of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 at a maximum of about 25m3 / h.

[0048] As noted above, the pressurizing pump 220 may operate at a consistent frequency to maintain desired water levels in the gas-water separator 300. In other embodiments, the pressure in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may be controlled by the pressurizing pump 220 operating at variable frequencies and / or speeds to maintain water levels within the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, as needed,Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOdepending on the operating conditions of the system 1. For example, in some embodiments, an orifice of the pressurizing pump 220 may be used to maximize the flow therefrom or otherwise control pressure in the system 1. Similarly, the pressurizing pump 220 may work in combination with an opening and / or orifice of the second outlet 306 of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 to control pressure and / or the flow of water in the system 1. In any such embodiment, pressure in the system 1 may be maintained such that there is a substantially consistent and / or constant water overflow produced in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. Even in the case of low or no oxygen being produced by the electrolysis device 100, constant pressure may be maintained such that at least a small amount of the water overflow may consistently be expelled from the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 through the second outlet 306.

[0049] In some embodiments, if pressure in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 drops below a desired and / or required pressure, the pressurizing pump 220 may supply more water to the system 1 and / or may flow water more quickly through the system 1 (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) to increase the pressure in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, thus maintaining a substantially constant water overflow. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the pressurizing pump 220 may supply additional water to the main circulation pump 210, and the main circulation pump 210 may then flow that water (and / or some return water from the cyclonic gas-water separator 300) through the electrolysis device 100 and into the inlet 302 of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 so as to increase pressure levels therein to the desired level(s).

[0050] Similarly, if pressure in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 rises above a desired and / or required pressure, the pressurizing pump 220 may supply less water to the system 1 and / or may flow water more slowly through the system 1 (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) to decrease the pressure in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. For example, the pressurizing pump 220 may supply less water to the main circulation pump 210, and the main circulation pump 210 may then flow less water through the electrolysis device 100 and into the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, so as to decrease pressure levels therein to the desired level(s). As described above, control over system 1 pressure(s) may be accomplished in two ways. First, the pressurizingAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOpump 220 may operate at a constant frequency, allowing for natural pressure changes in the system 1 (e.g., as a result of the production of oxygen) to modulate the amount of water flowed from the pressurizing pump 220 automatically. Second, the pressurizing pump 220 may operate at variable frequencies in conjunction with a control valve of an orifice of the second outlet 306 and / or one or more sensor(s) and computer processors to regulate the amount of water flowed through the system 1, as described above.

[0051] As a result of the constant or substantially constant water overflow in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, in combination with the centrifugal forces occurring therein, very little separated oxygen, if any, can remain in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 after the separated oxygen has been separated from the mixture of water and oxygen. Instead, as the separated oxygen is separated from the mixture of water and oxygen in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, the separated oxygen, along with some of the water overflow, is expelled through the second outlet 306 towards the second gas-water separator 316. The oxygen, along with some of the water overflow, may then proceed to the second gas-water separator 310, as shown in FIGS. 2 & 6. In an embodiment, the separated oxygen and water overflow are flowed through conduits 308 (e.g., tubing or piping) fluidly connecting the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 and the second gas water separator 310. Thus, controlling the water overflow of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may result in minimal amounts of separated oxygen remaining in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 during operation of the system 1 and / or the electrolysis device 100, and the potential for an explosive environment to form within the system 1 is thus further reduced and / or minimized.

[0052] In some embodiments, in the case of a shutdown of the system 1, oxygen (e.g., as a byproduct of electrolysis) ceases to be produced in the electrolysis device 100. In such a circumstance, the pressurizing pump 220 may flush and / or otherwise fully fill the system 1 with water. For example, the pressurizing pump 220 may flush the system 1 (e.g., the electrolysis device 100 and the cyclonic gas-water separator 300) with additional water from the water supply 50 and / or water received from elsewhere in the system 1 which may be stored in the buffer tank 200 for use on an as-needed basis. Flushing the system with water may remove any remaining oxygenAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO(e.g., oxygen produced in the electrolysis device 100, including separated oxygen) from at least the anode 132 and the cyclonic gas-water separator 300.

[0053] In some embodiments, the system 1 may further include a nitrogen supply 60, as shown in FIG. 2. The system 1 may be flushed with nitrogen from the nitrogen supply 60 as a means of inertising the system 1. For example, in the case of a shutdown of the system 1, the pressurizing pump 220 may flow nitrogen from the nitrogen supply 50 through the system to 1 to force out and / or replace any oxygen gas(es). Because nitrogen is not an explosive reactant, the flushing of the system 1 with nitrogen may be utilized to reduce, minimize and / or eliminate the potential for an explosive or reactive atmosphere to form within the system 1.

[0054] Because the bulk of water will have been removed in the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, the second gas-water separator 310 may be smaller and / or simpler than the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. In some embodiments, the second gas-water separator 310 may thus be another type of gas-liquid separation device, such as a gravitational separator, for example. However, in other embodiments, the second gaswater separator may be another centrifugal or cyclonic gas-water separator, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0055] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the second gas-water separator 310 may be a small, centrifugal and / or cyclonic separator which may operate at atmospheric pressure. In the example, the second gas-water separator 310 may rely on centrifugal force(s) to recover leftover water (e.g., traces of water and / or water overflow received along with the separated oxygen from the cyclonic gas-water separator 300), which is then flowed out of a water outlet 314 of the second gas-water separator 310. In some embodiments, due to the size and pressure conditions under which the second gaswater separator 310 operates, the Explosion Proof Design Pressure of the second gaswater separator 310 may be limited to about 16 barg.

[0056] In an example, the leftover water recovered by the second gas-water separator 310 may be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) from the water outlet 314 to a storage tank, such as the buffer tank 200 (FIG. 2). In some embodiments, the leftover water recovered from the second gas-water separator 310 may be flowedAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO(e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) out of the water outlet 314 and through conduits 318 (e.g., tubing or piping) to another water outlet 320 which may be connected to and / or in fluid communication with the buffer tank 200 (FIG. 6). The leftover water may then be recycled (e.g., flowed via one or more conduit(s)) back through the system 1 along with additional water from the buffer tank 200 and / or the water source 50 (FIG.2), as needed. Oxygen (e.g., separated oxygen) received in the second gas-water separator 310 from the cyclonic gas-water separator 300, or produced as a result of the recovery of leftover water in the second gas-water separator 310, may be vented out of the system 1 through the oxygen outlet 316 (FIGS. 2 & 6) of the second gas water separator 310.

[0057] In some embodiments, the system 1 may further include a first air gap and / or siphon break 318, for example, between the second gas-water separator 310 and the buffer tank 200. The first siphon break 318 may prevent siphoning of water from the second gas-water separator 310 which could result in unwanted emptying of the second gas-water separator 310.

[0058] In some embodiments, the buffer tank 200 may act as a gravitational separator to further control oxygen levels in the system 1. In some embodiments, the buffer tank 200 and / or the second gas-water separator 310 may also function to buffer, filter, and / or catch water (e.g., UPW) slugs. Also, in some embodiments, the buffer tank 200 may function to monitor water (e.g., UPW) hold-up in the system 1 to adjust water losses (e.g., water lost to evaporation).

[0059] To ensure that water (e.g., UPW) flowed through the system 1 (e.g., through the electrolysis device 100) meets the necessary and / or desired specifications to be used in electrolysis, the system 1 may further include one or more heat exchangers, as shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, due to inefficiencies in the electrolysis device 100 excess heat may be generated, and there may therefore be a need to adjust the temperature of water flowing through the system 1 (e.g., through the electrolysis device 100) to prevent overheating of the electrolysis device 100. The one or more heat exchangers may therefore be employed to maintain desired and / or necessary water temperature(s) within the system 1.Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO

[0060] In some embodiments, the system 1 may thus include a first heat exchanger 240 located, for example, between the main circulation pump 210 and the electrolysis device 100. Additionally, in some embodiments, the system 1 may include a second heat exchanger 250 located, for example, downstream from the buffer tank 200 and / or the pressurizing pump 220. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the system 1 may include both the first heat exchanger 240 located between the main circulation pump 210 and the electrolysis device 100, and the second heat exchanger 250 located downstream from the buffer tank 200 and / or the pressurizing pump 220. In other embodiments, the one or more heat exchangers 240, 250 may be located elsewhere in the system 1, generally being located upstream from the electrolysis device 100.

[0061] To further ensure that water (e.g., UPW) flowed through the system 1 (e.g., through the electrolysis device 100) meets the desired and / or necessary specifications, the system 1 may also include at least one deionization (DI) bed and / or mixed bed 270, as shown in FIG. 2. The mixed bed 270 may process water flowed through the system 1 (e.g., from the buffer tank 200) to remove impurities, such as ions, from the water before the water is processed in the electrolysis device 100. In some embodiments, the mixed bed 270 may be located upstream from the electrolysis device 100 so as to ensure ions are removed from any water which is flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) thereto. In an example, the mixed bed 270 is located between the second heat exchanger 250 and the main circulation pump 210. In such an example, the second heat exchanger 250 may be installed upstream from the mixed bed 270 to cool water (e.g., to about 40 degrees Celsius) to optimize the deionization process which occurs in the mixed bed 270. In other embodiments, the mixed bed 270 may be located elsewhere upstream from the electrolysis device 100.

[0062] In some embodiments, the system 1 may further include a hydrogen (H2) separator. As shown in FIG. 2, the hydrogen separator may preferably be a high-pressure hydrogen separator 230. Less preferably, the hydrogen separator 230 may be a low-pressure separator. As noted above, hydrogen (e.g., Ff gas) produced in the system 1 (e.g., as a byproduct of electrolysis) may exit and / or be expelled from the electrolysis device 100 through the cathode outlet 180. The expelled hydrogen may then be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)), along with some electro-osmoticAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOdrag water, to the hydrogen separator 230 (e.g., through an inlet 232 of the hydrogen separator 230).

[0063] Hydrogen (H2) (e.g., hydrogen gas) separated in the hydrogen separator 230 may be flowed out of a first outlet and / or hydrogen outlet 234 of the hydrogen separator 230, where it may then be collected and / or stored for later use. Water (e.g., electro-osmotic drag water) separated out in the hydrogen separator 230, which may still contain some hydrogen, may be flowed out of a second outlet 236 of the hydrogen separator 230 to a second hydrogen separator and / or flash vent 260.Hydrogen received in the flash vent 260 may be flashed (e.g., vented) out of the system 1, or may be collected and / or stored for later use. Electro-osmotic drag water in the flash vent 260 may be flowed (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)) to the second gas-water separator 310 and / or to some location in the system 1 upstream from the electrolysis device 100. In the embodiment shown, electro-osmotic drag water from the flash vent 260 may be flowed to a point between the buffer tank 200 and the pressurizing pump 220. The electro-osmotic drag water may then progress through the system 1 as described above along with other water from the water source 50 (e.g., process water) and / or recycled water recovered from elsewhere in the system 1 (e.g., return water and / or leftover water).

[0064] A second air gap or siphon break 262 may be present in the system 1 to prevent siphoning which may result in unwanted emptying of the flash vent 260. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the second siphon break 262 may be located between and / or connect the second gas-water separator 310 and one or more conduit(s) along which the electro-osmotic drag water is flowed from the flash vent 260 to the point between the buffer tank 200 and the pressurizing pump 220.

[0065] In some embodiments, the system 1 may optionally include a condenser, such as an overhead condenser 275. In some embodiments, overhead condenser 275 may assist in the recovery of water (e.g., leftover water) by the second gas-water separator 310. For example, the overhead condenser 275 may facilitate the formation of water droplets in and / or from the mixture of separated oxygen and water overflow expelled from the second outlet 306 of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. TheAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOoverhead condenser 275 may thus increase the efficiency of the second gas-water separator 310 in recovering water.

[0066] In some embodiments, the system 1 may further include a carbon dioxide (CO2) trap 280 to prevent the buildup of carbon dioxide which may dissolve in the water (e.g., UPW), resulting in off-specification water. In an example embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the CO2 trap 280 may be connected to and / or in fluid communication with the buffer tank 200 so as to capture any CO2 in the water flowed through the system 1, including water received from the water supply 50 and / or from the second gas-water separator 310.

[0067] FIG. 3 depicts an alternative embodiment of the system 1, referred to herein as system 2. The system 2 may be similar to or the same as the system 1 as described above, except that in some embodiments of the system 2, there may be multiple instances of the electrolysis device 100. For example, instead of the electrolysis device 100 as depicted in FIG. 2, the system 2 may include a first electrolysis device 100a, a second electrolysis device 100b, a third electrolysis device 100c, a fourth electrolysis device lOOd, and / or a fifth electrolysis device lOOe. In some embodiments of the system 2, there may be more or fewer instances of electrolysis devices than are shown in FIG. 3.

[0068] In the example, each of the electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe may be 1MW electrolysis devices, and the system 2 may thus be a 5MW system. In such an embodiment, the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may need to be larger to accommodate the increased output of the system 2 as compared to the system 1. As described above, the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 of the system 1 may have a volumetric capacity of about 5 liters / MW. Therefore, while the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 of the system 1 (a 1MW system) may be configured (e.g., sized, shaped and / or dimensioned) to hold up to 5 liters of oxygen gas, the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 of the system 2 (a 5MW system) may be configured (e.g., sized, shaped and / or dimensioned) to hold up to 25 liters of oxygen gas.

[0069] As also noted above, there may be embodiments of the system 1 which employ a 5MW variant of the electrolysis device 100, and in such embodiments aAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOvariant of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 which can handle up to 350 m3 / h of UPW and 800 m3 / h of gas (e.g., oxygen) may be used to accommodate the increased megawattage. Since the system 2 is a 5MW system by virtue of employing five 1MW electrolysis devices, this same alternative variant of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may also be used with the system 2 to accommodate the increased megawattage of the system 2 as compared to the system 1.

[0070] In some embodiments of the system 2, the main circulation pump 210 may pump and / or flow water (e.g., from the water supply 50) through any or all of the electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe (e.g., via one or more conduit(s)). Also, in some embodiments of the system 2, each of the electrolysis device lOOa-lOOe may be connected to and / or in fluid communication with the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 and / or the high-pressure H2 separator 230. The cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may thus be configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to receive a flow of the mixture of oxygen and process water from any or all of the electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe via the inlet 302. Similarly, the high-pressure H2 separator 230 may thus be configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to receive a flow of hydrogen from any or all of the electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe.

[0071] FIGS. 4 & 7 depict an alternative embodiment of the system 1, referred to herein as system 3. The system 3 may be similar to or the same as the system 1 as described above, except that in some embodiments of the system 3, there may be multiple instances of the electrolysis device 100 (e.g., electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe, as shown in FIG. 3) as well as multiple instances of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300. In some embodiments of the system 3, as shown in FIGS. 4 & 7, each of the electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe may be connected to and / or in fluid communication with a different cyclonic gas-water separator. For example, the first electrolysis device 100a may be connected to a first cyclonic gas-water separator 300a, the second electrolysis device 100b may be connected to a second cyclonic gas-water separator 300b, the third electrolysis device 100c may be connected to a third cyclonic gaswater separator 300c, the fourth electrolysis device lOOd may be connected to a fourth cyclonic gas-water separator 300d, and the fifth electrolysis device lOOe may be connected to a fifth cyclonic gas-water separator 300e. In such embodiments, each ofAtty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOthe cyclonic gas-water separators 300a-300e may thus be configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to receive a flow of oxygen from a single electrolysis device of the electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe.

[0072] In some such embodiments of the system 3, each of the cyclonic gas-water separators 300a-300e may be connected to and / or in fluid communication with the second gas-water separator 310, and may further be configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to flow separated oxygen, along with some water overflow, to the second gas-water separator 310. For example, each of the cyclonic gas-water separators 300a-300e may be configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to flow separated oxygen, along with some water overflow, through conduit(s) 308 (e.g., piping or tubing) and into the second gas-water separator 310 via the inlet 312. In other such embodiments of the system 3, there may be multiple of the second gaswater separators 310 (not shown). In such embodiments, each of the cyclonic gaswater separators 300a-300e may be connected to, and configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to flow oxygen, along with some water overflow, to one of the multiple second gas-water separators 310.

[0073] In some embodiments of the system 3 (e.g., FIG. 4), the second outlet 306 of the cyclonic gas-water separator 300 may include an orifice that generates enough pressure drop to effectively distribute the water to each of the electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe. In some embodiments of the system 3 (FIGS. 4 & 7), each cyclonic gaswater separator 300a-300e may include an outlet (e.g., each may include an instance of the second outlet 306) with an orifice configured (e.g., shaped and / or dimensioned) to generate a pressure drop. In such embodiments, the pressure drop generated by the orifices may be sufficient to effectively distribute the mixture of water (e.g., water from the water supply 50, water from the buffer tank 200, return water and / or leftover water) and oxygen to each of the cyclonic gas-water separators 300a-300e. The orifice(s) may also be large enough to ensure that the pressure in the anode 132 remains within the certification pressure range of the electrolysis devices lOOa-lOOe, even under worst-case conditions. In an example, the orifice(s) has / have a diameter of about 20mm. However, the diameter(s) of the orifice(s) may vary (e.g., may be larger or smaller) depending on system requirements.Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO

[0074] As may be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings herein, numerous changes and modifications may be made to the abovedescribed and other embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The components of the systems and methods as disclosed in the specification, including the accompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternative step(s), component s) and / or feature(s), such as those disclosed in another embodiment, which serve the same, equivalent or similar purpose as known by those skilled in the art to achieve the same, equivalent or similar results, to provide a similar function for the intended purpose. In addition, the systems described herein (e.g., the system 1) may include more or fewer components and / or features than the embodiments as described and illustrated herein. Accordingly, this detailed description is to be taken illustratively, as opposed to limiting the disclosure.

[0075] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” or “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” or “including”), and “contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a step of a method or an element of a system which “comprises,” “has,” “includes,” and / or “contains” one or more features possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features.Furthermore, a device or structure that is configured in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.

[0076] While several aspects of the present disclosure have been described and depicted herein, alternative aspects may be effected by those skilled in the art to accomplish the same objectives. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such alternative aspects as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWOCLAIMS1. A method for gas-water separation, the method comprising:flowing a mixture of process water and oxygen from an anode of an electrolysis device to a gas-water separator;generating a water overflow from an outlet of the gas-water separator; and expelling at least a portion of the oxygen from the outlet of the gas-water separator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flowing further comprises pumping the buffer water from a buffer vessel toward the gas-water separator to generate the water overflow using a pump.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the expelling at least a portion of the oxygen comprises expelling at least a portion of the oxygen in a second mixture towards a second gas-water separator, the second mixture including the at least a portion of the oxygen and at least a portion of the water overflow.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the pumping comprises changing a flow rate of the buffer water being pumped toward the gas-water separator from the buffer vessel to maintain the water overflow in the gas-water separator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the flowing the mixture further comprises regulating a flow rate of the process water in the mixture into the gas-water separator to control an amount of the process water in the water overflow.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the process water in the mixture from the oxygen in the mixture in the gas-water separator using centrifugal force.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrolysis device is a 1MW electrolysis device, and wherein an oxygen capacity of the gas-water separator is less than 5 liters during operation.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the buffer vessel receiving water slugs from the gas-water separator and buffering the water slugs in the buffer vessel.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the process water from the mixture in the gas-water separator to obtain separated water and flowing the separated water through the electrolysis device.Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO10. The method of claim 5, wherein the flowing the mixture further comprises flowing the mixture of process water and oxygen from an anode of an electrolysis device to the gas-water separator using a first pump; andwherein the regulating further comprises regulating the flow rate of the process water in the mixture into the gas-water separator to control the amount of the process water in the water overflow using a second pump.

11. A system for gas-water separation, the system comprising:a gas-water separator in fluid communication with an anode of an electrolysis device, the gas-water separator configured to receive a first mixture of oxygen and process water from the anode and to separate at least a portion of the oxygen and at least a portion of the process water from each other;one or more pumps in fluid communication with the gas-water separator, the one or more pumps configured to flow buffer water toward the gas-water separator to generate a water overflow; andwherein the gas-water separator includes an outlet, the gas-water separator configured to expel a second mixture of the oxygen and the water overflow through the outlet.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the gas-water separator is further configured to separate the oxygen in the first mixture from the process water in the first mixture using centrifugal force.

13. The system of claim 11, further including a buffer vessel in fluid communication with one or more pump, the buffer vessel configured to supply the buffer water to the one or more pump.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the buffer vessel is in fluid communication with the outlet, and wherein the buffer vessel is further configured to receive at least a portion of the second mixture expelled from the outlet.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second mixture further comprises water slugs, and wherein the buffer vessel is further configured to buffer the water slugs out of the second mixture received from the gas-water separator.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more pumps is / are further configured to flow the buffer water toward the gas-water separator to maintain the water overflow.Atty. Docket No.: 1404.383AWO17. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more pumps is / are configured to regulate an amount of the water overflow in the second mixture by changing a flow rate of the process water flowing into the gas-water separator.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the electrolysis device is a 1MW electrolysis device, and wherein the gas-water separator is configured to hold 5 liters or less of oxygen during operation.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:a plurality of electrolysis devices connected to the gas-water separator and the one or more pumps, the plurality of electrolysis devices including the electrolysis device;wherein an orifice of the outlet is configured to generate enough pressure drop to distribute the buffer water flowed from the one or more pumps to each electrolysis device of the plurality of electrolysis devices.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the gas-water separator is a first gas-water separator of a plurality of gas-water separators, and wherein the electrolysis device is a first electrolysis device of a plurality of electrolysis devices; wherein each gas-water separator of the plurality of gas-water separators is connected to an electrolysis device of the plurality of electrolysis devices; wherein the outlet is a first outlet of a plurality of outlets, each gas-water separator including an outlet of the plurality of outlets;wherein each outlet of the plurality of outlets includes an orifice of a plurality of orifices;wherein each electrolysis device of the plurality of electrolysis devices is in fluid communication with the one or more pumps; andwherein the plurality of orifices are configured to generate enough pressure drop to distribute the buffer water flowed from the one or more pumps to each electrolysis device of the plurality of electrolysis devices.

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