Electrolyzer system and matrix cell therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022396891-A1
Application number	US-202217835571-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 8, 2022
Priority date	Jun 11, 2021
Publication date	Dec 15, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Matrix cells are used to improve the regeneration capacity of an electrolyzer system. The electrolyte is electrolyzed in the matrix cell. Gas (predominantly product gas) which has unwantedly accessed the electrolyte space is transported off from the electrolyte space into the gas space envisioned therefor by a degassing device. Additional measures such as ultrasonic transducers and field electrodes may realize electrolyte flow and improved transporting-off of gas.

First claim

1 . A matrix cell configured for an electrolyzer system for electrolyzing an aqueous electrolyte, wherein the matrix cell comprises:
an electrolyte space for accommodating the aqueous electrolyte; a cathode electrode and an anode electrode; a cathodic gas space, disposed adjacent to the electrolyte space and separated therefrom by a gastight first membrane, the cathodic gas space and the cathode electrode being configured such that energizing of the cathode electrode allows a cathodic product gas to be generated at an interface of the cathode electrode with the first membrane such that it is flowable into the cathodic gas space; an anodic gas space, disposed adjacent to the electrolyte space and separated therefrom by a gastight second membrane, the anodic gas space and the anode electrode being configured such that energizing of the anode electrode allows anodic product gas to be generated at an interface of the anode electrode with the second membrane such that it is flowable into the cathodic gas space; and a degassing device, which is configured to allow selective emergence of gas located in the electrolyte space into at least one of the cathodic gas space and the anodic gas space.

2 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degassing device is disposed in a degassing aperture, formed in at least one membrane, in order to provide selective passage for at least one of the cathodic product gas or the anodic product gas from the electrolyte space into at least one of the cathodic gas space and the anodic gas space.

3 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degassing device is disposed in a degassing aperture, formed in the first membrane, in order to provide passage for the cathodic product gas from the electrolyte space into the cathodic gas space.

4 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degassing device has a degassing membrane which is configured selectively to let through predominantly the cathodic product gas or the anodic product gas.

5 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degassing device comprises at least one degassing membrane layer structure which has a hydrophilic or hydrophobic degassing membrane.

6 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degassing device comprises a degassing membrane layer structure which comprises a hydrophobic degassing membrane and a hydrophilic degassing membrane, the hydrophobic degassing membrane being disposed between the hydrophilic degassing membrane and the electrolyte space such that the hydrophobic degassing membrane in an operating state comes into contact with the electrolyte.

7 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degassing device is configured to be brought into a state in which gas bubbles can be generated in a hydrophilic degassing membrane.

8 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
at least one degassing membrane is a porous membrane which is configured to transport product gas by means of pores, at least one degassing membrane is a solution-diffusion membrane which is configured to transport product gas dissolved in the membrane by means of diffusion, or at least one degassing membrane is a functional membrane which has a poreless configuration and is at least one of water- or ion-conducting.

9 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the electrolyte contains a devolatilizing additive which is configured to promote a coalescence of small gas bubbles into a larger gas bubble; the electrolyte contains a viscosity-modifying additive which is configured to change a viscosity of the electrolyte in comparison to the viscosity of the electrolyte without such additive; the electrolyte contains a defoaming additive which is configured to reduce a probability of the development of liquid interfaces, in order to facilitate gas transport; the electrolyte contains a magnetorheological additive which is configured to heighten an interaction between the electrolyte and a magnetic field; or the electrolyte contains an electrorheological additive which is configured to heighten the interaction between the electrolyte and an electrical field.

10 . The matrix cell as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a field generation device which is configured to generate at least one of an electrical field or a magnetic field configured such that a flow of the electrolyte in the electrolyte space in a fluid flow direction can be generated.

11 . An electrolyzer system configured for electrolyzing an aqueous electrolyte, wherein the electrolyzer system comprises an electrolyzer device having at least one matrix cell which has an electrolyte space, a cathodic gas space, and an anodic gas space, and comprises at least one of the following features:
a) at least one separation device which is in fluid communication with the electrolyte space and a product gas exit and is configured to let product gas through from a liquid side to a gas side; or b) at least one pump device which is configured to convey the electrolyte in a circuit extending through the electrolyte space.

12 . The electrolyzer system as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising at least one pressure regulation device, which is connected in fluid flux direction between one of the gas spaces and the separation device, wherein the pressure regulation device is configured to limit the fluid flux from the gas space to the separation device such that a lower gas pressure prevails on the gas side.

13 . The electrolyzer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the separation device comprises a cathodic gas separator which on the gas side is in fluid communication with the cathodic gas space and also with a cathodic product gas exit and on the liquid side is in fluid communication with the electrolyte space.

14 . The electrolyzer system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the cathodic gas separator has a separation membrane which is configured to let cathodic product gas through from the liquid side to the gas side and wherein the separation device comprises an anodic gas separator which on a gas side thereof is in fluid communication with the anodic gas space and also with an anodic product gas exit and on the liquid side is in fluid communication with the liquid side of the cathodic gas separator.

15 . The electrolyzer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the pump device is configured to convey the electrolyte by means of generation of a gas bubble, the pump device comprising a capillary region which is configured to expand in fluid flow direction in order to drive the gas bubble in a fluid flow direction, there being disposed, bordering the capillary region, a pump electrode which can be subjected to electrical potential such that in the capillary region a gas bubble can be generated from the electrolyte.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Lohmiller Winfried
• Jehle Walter
• Eck Thomas
• Fremdling Fabian

Classifications

• C25B9/60 Primary

  Constructional parts of cells · CPC title

• C25B15/083

  Separating products · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B9/21 Primary

  two or more diaphragms · CPC title