Electrolysis System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024344213-A1
Application number	US-202218294427-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 27, 2022
Priority date	Aug 6, 2021
Publication date	Oct 17, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A solid oxide electrolyser cell system includes an electrolysis stack comprising an anode, a cathode and a solid-oxide electrolyte. The anode comprises an anode inlet. The system comprises a sweep gas supply for supplying a sweep gas to the anode via the anode inlet, and a sweep gas supply flow path defining a flow path between the sweep gas supply and the anode inlet. The system comprises a first heat exchanger in communication with the sweep gas supply flow path. The first heat exchanger communicates with a stream having a source external to the system and defining an external stream flow path. The first heat exchanger exchanges heat between the sweep gas supply flow path and the external stream flow path. An example method of operating such a system includes exchanging heat between the external stream flow path and the sweep gas supply flow path through the first heat exchanger.

First claim

1 . A solid oxide electrolyser cell system comprising:
an electrolysis stack comprising an anode, a cathode and a solid-oxide electrolyte, the anode comprising an anode inlet, a sweep gas supply for supplying a sweep gas to the anode via the anode inlet, a sweep gas supply flow path defining a flow path between the sweep gas supply and the anode inlet, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the sweep gas supply flow path, wherein the first heat exchanger is also in fluid communication with a fluid stream having a source external to the solid oxide electrolyser cell system and defining an external stream flow path, and the first heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the sweep gas supply flow path and the external stream flow path.

2 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 1 , further comprising a bypass flow path connected to the sweep gas supply flow path, the bypass flow path connected at its first end to a position upstream of the first heat exchanger, and the bypass flow path connected at its second end to a position downstream of the first heat exchanger.

3 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 1 , further comprising a first heater positioned in the sweep gas supply flow path and connected downstream of the first heat exchanger.

4 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an anode outlet for the anode of the electrolysis stack comprising, an anode outlet flow path defining a flow path between the anode outlet and a first exhaust, and a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the sweep gas supply flow path and positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger in the sweep gas supply flow path, the second heat exchanger also in fluid communication with the anode outlet flow path, wherein the second heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the sweep gas supply flow path and the anode outlet flow path.

5 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a cathode inlet for the cathode of the electrolysis stack, a fuel supply for supplying fuel to the cathode via the cathode inlet, a fuel supply flow path defining a flow path between the fuel supply and the cathode inlet, a cathode outlet for the cathode of the electrolysis stack, a cathode outlet flow path defining a flow path between the cathode outlet and a second exhaust, and a third heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fuel supply flow path downstream, the third heat exchanger also in fluid communication with the cathode outlet flow path, and configured to exchange heat between the fuel supply flow path and the cathode outlet flow path.

6 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 5 , further comprising a cathode outlet branch flow path connecting the cathode outlet flow path and the anode outlet flow path placing them in fluid communication.

7 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 6 , further comprising a valve arranged in the cathode outlet branch flow path.

8 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a fourth heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fuel supply flow path and also in fluid communication the external stream flow path and configured to exchange heat between the flow paths.

9 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 8 , wherein the third heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the fuel supply flow path downstream of the fourth heat exchanger.

10 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 5 , further comprising a second heater positioned in the fuel supply flow path arranged downstream of the third heat exchanger.

11 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 4 , further comprising a third heater positioned in the anode outlet flow path between the anode outlet and the second heat exchanger.

12 . The solid oxide electrolyser cell system of claim 4 , further comprising a diverter valve connected in the anode outlet flow path at a position between the anode outlet and the second heat exchanger, the diverter valve also connected to the external stream flow path and a third exhaust, the diverter valve configured to direct a flow between the anode outlet and at least one of: the second heat exchanger; external stream flow path; or the third exhaust.

13 . A method of operating a solid oxide electrolyser cell system comprising:
providing a sweep gas supply for supplying a sweep gas to an anode of an electrolysis stack via an anode inlet, and defining a sweep gas supply flow path between the sweep gas supply and the anode inlet, providing a fluid stream having a source external to the solid oxide electrolyser cell system, and defining an external stream flow path from the fluid stream, and exchanging heat between the external stream flow path and the sweep gas supply flow path through a first heat exchanger.

14 . The method of operating a solid oxide electrolyser cell system according to claim 13 , wherein there is defined an anode outlet flow path between an anode outlet of the anode of the electrolyser and a first exhaust to the system.

15 . The method of operating a solid oxide electrolyser cell system according to claim 14 , comprising:
exchanging heat between the anode outlet flow path and the sweep gas supply flow path by a second heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger arranged in the sweep gas supply flow path at a position downstream of the first heat exchanger.

16 . The method of operating a solid oxide electrolyser cell system according to claim 15 , comprising bypassing the first and second heat exchangers by a bypass flow path arranged in the sweep gas supply flow path upstream of the first heat exchanger and downstream of the second heat exchanger.

17 . A method of operating a solid oxide electrolyser cell system according to claim 15 , comprising providing heat to the anode outlet flow path from a third heater arranged in the anode outlet flow path between the anode outlet and second heat exchanger.

18 . A method of operating of operating a solid oxide electrolyser cell system according to claim 17 , comprising providing heat to the anode outlet flow path from the external fluid flow path or the third heater by a diverter valve arranged in the flow paths between the anode outlet and the burner.

Assignees

• Ceres Ip Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ryley Joshua
• Vianna Joao Claudio Buzatti

Classifications

• C25B15/08

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

• C25B9/67

  Heating or cooling means · CPC title

• C25B15/021

  of heating or cooling · CPC title

• C25B1/23

  Carbon monoxide or syngas · CPC title

• C25B1/042 Primary

  by electrolysis of steam · CPC title