Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/ Online Research Data...arrow_drop_down
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
addClaim

High Temperature and Pressure Alkaline Electrolysis

Authors: Allebrod, Frank;

High Temperature and Pressure Alkaline Electrolysis

Abstract

Produktion af energi fra vedvarende energikilder kan potentielt dække verdens energibehov. Elektricitet genereret fra vind- og solenergi vil høst sandsynlig blive udbredt væsentligt i fremtiden i den europæiske union. På grund af fluktuationer i vindhastighed og indstråling fra solen skaber dette et behov for at kunne lagre den producerede energi. Hydrogen produktion vha. elektrolyse er en af de mest lovende måder at gøre dette på. Alkaliske elektrolysatorer har gennem de sidste årtier vist sig pålidelige i storskala (op til 160 MW), men for at blive kommercielt interessante, og for samtidig at kunne konkurrere mod alternative metoder til hydrogenproduktion som naturgas-reformering, må produktions- og investeringsudgifterne reduceres. En reduktion af investeringsudgifterne kan opnås ved at hæve processtemperatur og -tryk, da dette vil resultere i: 1) produktion af tryksat hydrogen og oxygen, 2) forøget elektrisk effektivitet og 3) forøget strømtæthed, dvs. forøget produktionshastighed af hydrogen for et givent elektrolysecelleareal. Denne afhandling beskriver en række orienterende teknisk forsøg primært med henblik på at undersøge muligheden for at producere brint og ilt med en ny type alkalisk elektrolysecelle ved høje temperaturer og tryk. For at kunne udføre målinger under højt tryk og ved forhøjede temperaturer var det nødvendigt at opbygge et målesystem omkring en autoklave, der kunne tåle høje temperaturer op til 250 °C og tryk op til 95 bar samt yderst basiske betingelser. Baseret på et litteraturstudium med henblik på at identificere resistente materialer til disse betingelser blev Inconel 600 udvalgt blandt de metaller, som er tilgængelige for autoklavebyggeri. En forsøgsopstilling med høj temperatur og tryk blev bygget omkring en sådan autoklave, der ved forsøgsstart blot havde en atmosfære med én gassammensætning. En anden opstilling til automatiserede målinger ved høj temperatur og tryk blev bygget baseret på erfaringerfra den første opstilling. Ledningsevnen af vandig KOH ved forhøjede temperaturer og høje koncentrationer blev undersøgt ved hjælp af van der Pauw metoden i kombination med elektrokemisk impedansspektroskopi (EIS). Ledningsevneværdier så høje som 2, 7 S cm-1 med 35 vægt% KOH, 2, 9 S cm-1 med 45 vægt%, og 2, 8 S cm-1 med 55 vægt% koncentreret vandige opløsninger blev målt ved 200 °C. Ledningsevnen af immobiliseret KOH blev bestemt ved den samme fremgangsmåde i samme temperatur og koncentrationsområde. Ledningsevneværdier af immobiliserede vandige opløsninger så høje som 0, 67 S cm-1 med 35 vægt%, 0, 84 S cm-1 med 45 vægt%, og 0, 73 S cm-1 med 55 vægt% blev målt ved 200 °C. En ny type af alkaliske elektrolysecelle, der kan drives ved høj temperatur og tryk, er blevet udviklet. En elektrolyt bestående af vandigt kalium hydroxid immobiliseret i en porøs SrTiO3 struktur blev anvendt i disse celler. Elektrolyseceller med gasdiffusionselektroder baseret på metalskum og den immobiliserede elektrolyt blev demonstreret ved temperaturer op til 250 °C og 40 bar. Strømtætheder på 1, 1Acm-2 og 2, 3Acm-2 blev målt med en cellespænding på hhv. 1,5 V og 1,75 V uden brug af dyre ædelmetal-katalysatorer. En elektrisk effektivitet på næsten 99 % ved 1, 1Acm-2 og 85 % ved 2, 3Acm-2, kombineret med relativ lave produktionsomkostninger, kan sandsynligvis føre til både reduceret investerings- og driftsomkostninger ved produktion af hydrogen og oxygen. En af de fremstillede celler blev indledningsvis ”langtidstests” i 350 timer. Under antagelse af at de udviklede celler vil blive opskaleret og succesfyldt testet i tusinder af timer, kan disse celler muligvis komme til at spille en vigtig rolle i fremtidens scenarier for energilagring. The production of energy from renewable sources has the possibility to fulfill the worldwide energy demand. Electricity generation from wind energy converters and photovoltaic systems will be implemented within the European Union to a large extent. The fluctuation of the wind speed and solar radiation raises the necessity to store the produced energy. Hydrogen production by water electrolysis is one of the most promising ways to do so. Alkaline electrolyzers have proven to operate reliable for decades on a large scale (up to 160 MW), but in order to become commercially attractive and compete against conventional technologies for hydrogen production, such as natural gas reforming, the production and investment costs have to be reduced. A reduction of the investment costs may be achieved by increasing the operational pressure and temperature of the electrolyzer, as this will result in: 1) production of pressurized hydrogen and oxygen, 2) improved electrical efficiencies and 3) increased current density, i.e. increased hydrogen production rate for a given electrolyser cell area. This thesis describes an exploratory technical study mainly in order to examine the possibility to produce hydrogen and oxygen with a new type of alkaline electrolysis cell at high temperatures and pressures. To perform measurements under high pressure and at elevated temperatures it was necessary to build a measurement system around an autoclave which could stand high temperatures up to 250 °C and pressures up to 200 bar as well as extremely caustic environments. Based on a literature study to identify resistant materials for these conditions, Inconel 600 was selected among the metals which are available for autoclave construction. An initial single atmosphere high temperature and pressure measurement setup was build comprising this autoclave. A second high temperature and pressure measurement setup was build based on experiences from the first setup in order to perform automatized measurements. The conductivity of aqueous KOH at elevated temperatures and high concentrations was investigated using the van der Pauw method in combination with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Conductivity values as high as 2.7 S cm-1 for 35 wt%, 2.9 S cm-1 for 45 wt%, and 2.8 S cm-1 for 55 wt% concentrated aqueous solutions were measured at 200 °C. The conductivity of immobilized KOH was determined by the same method in the same temperature and concentration range. Conductivity values as high as 0.67 S cm-1 for 35 wt%, 0.84 S cm-1 for 45 wt%, and 0.73 S cm-1 for 55 wt% concentrated immobilized aqueous solutions were determined at 200 °C. A new type of an alkaline electrolysis cell was developed in order to operate at high temperatures and pressures. Aqueous potassium hydroxide immobilized electrolyte in porous SrTiO3 was used in those cells. Electrolysis cells with metal foam based gas diffusion electrodes and the immobilized electrolyte were successfully demonstrated at temperatures up to 250 °C and 40 bar. Different electro-catalysts were tested in order to reduce the oxygen and hydrogen overpotentials. Current densities of 1.1 A cm-2 and 2.3 A cm-2 have been measured at a cell voltage of 1.5 V and 1.75 V, respectively, without using expensive noble metal catalysts. Electrical efficiencies of almost 99 % at 1.1 A cm-2 and 85 % at 2.3 A cm-2 combined with relatively small production costs may lead to both reduced investment and operating costs for hydrogen and oxygen production. One of the produced electrolysis cells was operated for 350 h. Based on the successful results a patent application covering this novel cell was filed. Based on the successful results a patent application covering this novel cell was filed. Assuming that the developed cells will be scaled up and successfully tested for some thousand hours, they may offer an important role in future energy storage scenarios.

Country
Denmark
Related Organizations
  • BIP!
    Impact byBIP!
    selected citations
    These citations are derived from selected sources.
    This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    0
    popularity
    This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
    influence
    This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    Average
    impulse
    This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green
Related to Research communities