Conductive Elastic Mattress Geometry for Electrolyzer Membrane Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elastic mattresses used in zero-gap base electrolyzers face a trade-off between maintaining a zero-gap structure and preventing damage to the ion exchange membrane, as increasing the repulsive force to enhance reverse differential pressure resistance also leads to higher normal surface pressures that can damage the membrane.
Innovation Solution
The development of an elastic mattress with a specific shape and parameters, featuring hill parts with concave parts and valley parts with projections, which provides a herringbone pattern and appropriate thickness, allowing for reduced normal surface pressure while maintaining high reverse differential pressure resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the repulsive force of the elastic mattress is increased to enhance reverse differential pressure resistance, then the zero-gap structure is maintained, but the normal surface pressure increases causing damage to the ion exchange membrane
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic mattress incorporates hill parts and valley parts with different local properties. The hill parts provide repulsive force for reverse differential pressure resistance, while the valley parts reduce normal surface pressure on the membrane. This local differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of both protective functions without compromising either.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic mattress features curved hill parts and valley parts instead of a flat structure. These curved geometries distribute mechanical stresses more evenly across the mattress surface, reducing peak pressures on the ion exchange membrane while maintaining overall structural integrity and reverse differential pressure resistance.
2Strength
If a stack of multiple nickel wire fabrics is used to improve reverse differential pressure resistance, then the elastic mattress becomes harder to crush, but the surface pressure during normal operation increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly increasing the entire mattress structure, the invention creates localized hill parts and valley parts. The hill parts provide the necessary strength and repulsive force, while the valley parts create low-pressure zones that protect the membrane from excessive normal surface pressure, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic mattress is segmented into multiple functional regions: hill parts that provide structural support and repulsive force, and valley parts that reduce contact pressure. This segmentation allows different regions to perform different functions simultaneously, achieving both reverse differential pressure resistance and membrane protection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The elastic mattress achieves an appropriate normal surface pressure, preventing damage to the ion exchange membrane while maintaining high reverse differential pressure resistance, thus effectively addressing the trade-off challenges in existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic member can absorb stress that may lead to a breakage of the ion exchange membrane
Data Source
AI summary
An elastic mattress being conductive and including a plurality of hill parts and valley parts, which have been formed by a curved state of the elastic mattress,wherein the hill parts include concave parts having depths smaller than heights of the hill parts, andthe valley parts include projections having heights smaller than depths of the valley parts.