Electrolysis device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023374675-A1
Application number	US-202318197356-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 15, 2023
Priority date	May 18, 2022
Publication date	Nov 23, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrolysis device includes two electrolysis units, which each includes two end plates. The electrolysis units each includes an intermediate plate approximately or exactly in the middle between its end plates and each includes a stack of series-connected electrolysis cells between the intermediate plates and the end plates. Each stack of electrolysis cells includes two electrodes, at which an electrolysis liquid is partially electrolytically split, so that the remaining electrolysis liquid is admixed with a respective electrolysis gas in the area of the two electrodes after the electrolytic splitting. The end plates are electrically connected to one another at least in pairs. The electrolysis device includes a rectifier unit, which provides two potentials (P 1 , P 2 ) via two outputs, each output being electrically connected to one terminal of the intermediate plate of the one electrolysis unit and to one terminal of the intermediate plate of the other electrolysis unit.

First claim

1 . An electrolysis device,
wherein the electrolysis device comprises a first and a second electrolysis unit, wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit each comprises a first and a second end plate, wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit each includes a respective intermediate plate arranged approximately or exactly in the middle between the respective first and the respective second end plate, wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit each includes a stack of electrolysis cells between the respective intermediate plate and each of the two respective end plates, wherein the electrolysis cells of each stack of electrolysis cells are electrically connected in series, wherein the electrolysis cells of each stack of electrolysis cells include a first electrode and a second electrode at which an electrolysis liquid is partially electrolytically split, so that the remaining electrolysis liquid is admixed after the electrolytic splitting with a first electrolysis gas in the area of the respective first electrode and with a second electrolysis gas in the area of the respective second electrode, wherein the first end plate of the first electrolysis unit and the first end plate of the second electrolysis unit are electrically connected to one another, wherein the second end plate of the first electrolysis unit and the second end plate of the second electrolysis unit are electrically connected to one another, wherein the electrolysis device includes a rectifier unit, which provides a first potential (P 1 ) via a first output and provides a second potential (P 2 ) via a second output, and wherein the first output of the rectifier unit is electrically connected to a terminal of the intermediate plate of the first electrolysis unit and the second output of the rectifier unit is electrically connected to a terminal of the intermediate plate of the second electrolysis unit.

2 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second end plate of the first and the second electrolysis unit are electrically connected to one another.

3 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first and the second end plate of the first and the second electrolysis unit are electrically grounded.

4 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the rectifier unit provides the first and the second potential (P 1 , P 2 ) without fixed reference to ground.

5 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a transformer unit is arranged upstream of the rectifier unit, via which the rectifier unit is supplied with the electrical energy required for its operation.

6 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second end plate of the first and the second electrolysis unit include media fittings for supplying the electrolysis liquid, for discharging the electrolysis liquid admixed with the first electrolysis gas, and for discharging the electrolysis liquid admixed with the second electrolysis gas.

7 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the intermediate plates
do not include passages for the electrolysis liquid, so that the flow direction of the electrolysis liquid is reversed at the respective intermediate plate, or only include passages for the electrolysis liquid, but do not include passages for the electrolysis liquid admixed with the first electrolysis gas and the electrolysis liquid admixed with the second electrolysis gas, or include passages for both the electrolysis liquid and the electrolysis liquid admixed with the first electrolysis gas and the electrolysis liquid admixed with the second electrolysis gas.

8 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second electrolysis unit are arranged adjacent to one another, so that the directions from the respective first end plate to the respective second end plate extend in parallel and, viewed in the mentioned directions, the first end plates are arranged at the same height and/or the second end plates are arranged at the same height.

9 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the rectifier unit, viewed in the direction from the respective first end plate to the respective second end plate of a respective electrolysis unit is located in front of the first end plates and, viewed orthogonally to the mentioned directions, is located in the area between the two sides of the two electrolysis units facing away from the respective other electrolysis unit.

10 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the terminal of the intermediate plate of the first electrolysis unit is arranged on the side of the first electrolysis unit facing toward the second electrolysis unit, and the terminal of the intermediate plate of the second electrolysis unit is arranged on the side of the second electrolysis unit facing toward the first electrolysis unit.

11 . The electrolysis device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rectifier unit includes transistors, in particular FETs or IGBTs, for switching the first and the second potential (P 1 , P 2 ) at the first and the second output.

Assignees

• Primetals Technologies Germany Gmbh
• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Becker Gerd
• Bergins Christian
• Buddenberg Torsten Gerhard

Classifications

• C25B9/73 Primary

  of the filter-press type · CPC title

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B9/65

  Means for supplying current; Electrode connections; Electric inter-cell connections · CPC title

• C25B9/70 Primary

  Assemblies comprising two or more cells · CPC title

• C25B9/75

  having bipolar electrodes · CPC title