Electrolysis unit

Abstract

An electrolysis unit having a plurality of membrane electrolytic cells connected in series suitable for use in a service station for supplying a motor vehicle with hydrogen as fuel. Each of the membrane electrolytic cells has a membrane provided on both sides with an appertaining contacting disk, especially a support mat made up of a large number of metal wires laid over each other and pressed together. In a service station, a gas cleaning unit is installed on the inlet side upstream from such an electrolysis unit.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An electrolysis unit including a plurality of membrane electrolytic cells electrically connected in series, each of the plurality of cells comprising: 
 a membrane;    two contact plates each disposed on an opposing side of the membrane and each including a channel system configured to transport at least one of a water and a gas on a side of the contact plate facing the membrane;    two contacting disks, each disposed between one of the two contact plates and the membrane.    
     
     
         2 . The electrolysis unit as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the two contacting disks includes a support mat.  
     
     
         3 . The electrolysis unit as recited in  claim 1- , wherein each support mat includes a plurality of metal wires laid over each other and pressed together.  
     
     
         4 . The electrolysis unit as recited in  claim 2 , wherein at least one supporting mat includes titanium.  
     
     
         5 . The electrolysis unit as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each channel system includes a connection to a supporting channel and wherein each contact plate includes a shut-off valve for shutting off the connection.  
     
     
         6 . The electrolysis unit as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the supporting channel includes one of a feed channel and a discharge channel.  
     
     
         7 . A service station for supplying a motor vehicle with hydrogen as fuel comprising: 
 a pumping system having an inlet;    a gas cleaning unit; and    an electrolysis unit connected to the pumping unit at the inlet via the gas cleaning unit, wherein the electrolysis unit includes a plurality of membrane electrolytic cells electrically connected in series to each other, and wherein each of the cells includes a membrane, two contact plates, and two contacting disks, wherein each of the contacting plates is disposed on an opposing side of the membrane and includes a channel system configured to transport at least one of a water and a gas on a side of the contact plate facing the membrane, and wherein each contacting disk is disposed between one of the two contact plates and the membrane.    
     
     
         8 . The service station as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising an analyzer electrically connected to at least one of the contacting disks of the electrolysis unit, the analyzer configured to determine a decay time of a voltage signal at the membrane when a power supply to the membrane is switched off.  
     
     
         9 . The service station as recited in  claim 7  wherein one of the two contact layers of each membrane is a cathode and includes platinum and the other of the two contact layers of each membrane is an anode and includes iridium.  
     
     
         10 . The service station as recited in  claim 7  wherein the gas cleaning unit includes a water separator and a dryer system connected in series on a gas flow side.  
     
     
         11 . The service station as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the dryer system includes at least two dryers connected in parallel on an inlet side of the cleaning unit.  
     
     
         12 . The service station as recited in  claim 11  wherein each of the at least two dryers is installed in a main gas line group and in a branch line group, a flow of gas moving through the branch line group in an opposite direction as through the main gas line group.