Electrochemical electrolytic cell for the electrolysis of water and method for operating the same

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This patent describes an improved electrolytic cell for water electrolysis. The core innovation is the inclusion of at least one additional electrode (beyond the typical anode and cathode) placed between the two main electrodes. These additional electrodes are connected to either the anode or another additional electrode via a resistor (with a resistance up to 1 kΩ), creating an integrated fuel cell within the electrolytic cell. This system allows electrical energy to be recovered from hydrogen gas that undesirably permeates through the electrolyte, thereby improving overall system efficiency and safety, especially under high-pressure conditions.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Hydrogen production plants seeking improved energy efficiency and safety.
• Water electrolyzers for renewable energy storage (such as storing wind or solar power via water splitting).
• Applications where minimizing explosive gas mixtures (hydrogen/oxygen) is critical for safety, such as in laboratory or industrial settings.
• High-pressure electrolyzers for direct hydrogen compression and storage.
• Portable or distributed hydrogen generation units requiring high purity and safety.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Reduces energy losses due to hydrogen crossover by recovering electrical energy from permeating hydrogen.
• Improves the overall efficiency of water electrolysis systems.
• Reduces safety risks by minimizing the formation of explosive gas mixtures inside the electrolyzer.
• Can be applied to both acidic and alkaline electrolysis systems, including those with polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM).
• Enables more efficient high-pressure electrolysis operations, facilitating easier hydrogen compression and storage.
• Flexibility in design allows further optimization for different electrolyzer configurations and operating conditions.

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Patent Abstract

The electrolysis cell according to the invention comprises, in addition to an anode and a cathode, at least one further additional electrode, wherein at least two of the three electrodes, advantageously the third electrode and the anode, are connected to one another via a resistor, wherein the resistor has a maximum resistance of 1 kOhm. The arrangement is thus not to be confused with a reference electrode arrangement. The invention relates to a method for operating an electrolysis cell, in particular an electrolysis for the decomposition of water, in which according to the invention at least a third electrode and the anode or a third and additionally a fourth electrode are each connected to one another via a resistor, and thus each function as an integrated fuel cell. At the electrodes functioning as an integrated fuel cell, electrical power can advantageously be tapped during electrolysis operation, and thus at least partial energy recovery of the hydrogen disadvantageously permeating through the electrolyte can take place in the form of electrical energy. If, according to the invention, more than one additional electrode is arranged within the electrolyte, the voltage tap advantageously takes place between the additional electrodes (third and fourth electrode).