High-pressure electrolyzer assembly and vehicle with an electrolyzer assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428739-B2
Application number	US-202117909515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2021
Priority date	Mar 19, 2020
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A high-pressure electrolyzer assembly includes a pressure vessel having two dome-shaped ends, and an electrolyzer arranged inside the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is pressurized using an inert gas or a process gas of the electrolyzer. A vehicle may include at least one such electrolyzer assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A high-pressure electrolyzer assembly, comprising:
a pressure vessel having two dome-shaped ends;
an electrolyzer arranged inside the pressure vessel; and,
a ring-shaped support having a first abutting portion abutting against an outer surface of the electrolyzer and a second abutting portion abutting against an inner surface of the pressure vessel, wherein at least one of the first abutting portion, the second abutting portion, or both are configured to slide,
wherein the pressure vessel is pressurized using an inert gas or a process gas of the electrolyzer.

2. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrolyzer is mounted to the ring-shaped support, or
wherein the ring-shaped support is mounted to an inside of the pressure vessel.

3. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ring-shaped support comprises at least one spring element configured to provide a pressure force in a radial direction.

4. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pressure vessel has a cylindrically shaped main body portion between the two dome-shaped ends, and
wherein the ring-shaped support abuts only against an inside of the main body portion of the pressure vessel.

5. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a tension belt wrapped around the main body portion corresponding to a position of the ring-shaped support.

6. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a process gas exhaust connected to the electrolyzer and configured to collect process gas from the electrolyzer,
wherein the process gas exhaust has an open end opening into an interior of the pressure vessel.

7. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a grommet for at least one of an electric cable or fluid line,
wherein the grommet is arranged in one of the dome-shaped ends.

8. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a gas outlet comprising a gas duct with an open end opening into an interior of the pressure vessel, wherein the gas duct runs through the grommet towards an exterior of the pressure vessel.

9. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a gas inlet comprising a gas duct running through the grommet towards an interior of the pressure vessel, wherein the gas duct has an open end opening into an interior of the pressure vessel.

10. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a catalyst arranged in an interior of the pressure vessel and configured to facilitate a reaction of process gases of the electrolyzer into water.

11. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 10 , further comprising water collecting means configured to collect water generated by the catalyst.

12. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the water collecting means is configured to feed the collected water to the electrolyzer.

13. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel is made from metal.

14. The electrolyzer assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the pressure vessel is a metallic liner with a composite overwrap forming a composite overwrapped pressure vessel.

15. A vehicle comprising:
at least one electrolyzer assembly according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Lomiller Winfried
• Rambausek Tobias
• Jehle Walter

Classifications

• C25B15/08

  Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B9/015

  Cylindrical cells · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02E60/36

  Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis · CPC title