Distribution structure for electrochemical cells, electrolyser and power-to-X system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025270714-A1
Application number	US-202318865357-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 18, 2023
Priority date	May 23, 2022
Publication date	Aug 28, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a distribution structure for an electrochemical cell for supplying a cell element with a fluid medium (M). The distribution structure comprises a fluid inlet, which branches into a number of N distribution stages, wherein a distribution channel is divided into two channels of smaller cross section in the main flow direction(S) from one stage (K) to the next stage (K+1), and wherein the distribution channels of the N-th stage of the distribution structure are configured so that the fluid medium (M) is distributed evenly over a width of the cell element. The invention further relates to an electrolyser or a corresponding component lighting system comprising the distribution structure.

First claim

1 . A distribution structure for an electrochemical cell for supplying a cell element with a fluid medium (M), comprising a fluid inlet, which branches into a number of N distribution stages, wherein a distribution channel divides in the main flow direction(S) from one stage (K) to the next stage (K+1) into two channels of smaller cross section, and wherein the distribution channels of the Nth stage of the distribution structure are configured to distribute the fluid medium (M) uniformly over a width (B) of the cell element.

2 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein distribution channels of one stage substantially have the same channel length.

3 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein distribution channels of one stage substantially have equal channel widths (B).

4 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the distribution structure is designed symmetrically from its second stage.

5 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein distribution channels from a second stage are arranged distributed uniformly over the cell width (B).

6 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a channel course of the distribution structure, after the branching of one stage (K≥2) to the next stage (K+1), is aligned back in the direction of the main flow direction(S).

7 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a height (H) of the distribution structure is less than half the width of the cell element.

8 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a relative standard deviation of a fluid speed distribution in the intended operation of the distribution structure is less than 0.15.

9 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , which, in the higher stages, has connection channels, extending substantially perpendicularly to the main flow direction(S), between channel branches of the same stage, which are configured to homogenize a distribution of the fluid medium (M) between the channel branches.

10 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , which is configured to supply a liquid electrolyte as a fluid medium to the cell element.

11 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , which is configured to supply water as a fluid medium to the cell element for water electrolysis.

12 . The distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 , which is produced by an additive production method.

13 . An electrolyzer, comprising a distribution structure as claimed in claim 1 for supplying the fluid medium (M) into the cell element and an equivalently designed outlet structure for discharging the fluid medium (M).

14 . A power-to-X system comprising an electrolyzer as claimed in claim 13 .

Assignees

• Siemens Energy Global Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Diehl Dirk
• Eckert Helmut

Classifications

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B9/00

  Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features · CPC title

• C25B9/60 Primary

  Constructional parts of cells · CPC title

• C25B15/08 Primary

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