Method of operating an electrolyzer of the cell-stack type and electrolyzer arrangement

Abstract

A method of operating an electrolyzer of the cell-stack type, wherein the respective cell voltage of at least two different cells of the cell-stack is measured, wherein the at least two cells are fixedly wired such as to allow automated measuring and wherein measuring signals from the wiring allocated for measurement of at least two different cells are, by an in particular automatic switching, channeled time-shifted with respect to each other via a common wiring path segment.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating an electrolyzer of a cell-stack type, comprising the steps of: measuring a respective cell voltage of at least two different cells of a cell-stack, said at least two cells being fixedly wired so as to allow automated measuring; and time-shifted channeling, by switching, of measuring signals from the wiring allocated for measurement of at least two different cells with respect to each other via a common wiring path segment. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the switching is automatic. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the switching is a mechanical switching. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the switching is an electronic switching by multiplexing. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17 , including connecting the wiring to a plurality of electrodes of the electrolyzer. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , including connecting the wiring to all electrodes of the electrolyzer. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 17 , including performing the switching at a first location, and obtaining the measuring results at a second location spaced apart from the first location. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the second location is more distant to the electrolyzer than the first location. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 17 , including repeatedly performing a measurement of all cell voltages at regular or selectable intervals, and monitoring measuring results. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the monitoring of measuring results includes storing and sending the measuring results to an analysis module. 
     
     
         27 . An electrolyzer arrangement, comprising: an electrolyzer of a cell-stack type; a measuring device for measuring cell voltage of at least two different cells of a cell stack;
 a wiring that connects electrodes of the cells for a connection with the measuring device; and   an automated switch that channels measuring signals allocated for measurement for different cells in a time-shifted manner with respect to each other via a common wiring path segment.   
     
     
         28 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the wiring is connected to a plurality of the electrodes. 
     
     
         29 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 28 , wherein the wiring is connected to all the electrodes. 
     
     
         30 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 29 , wherein the wiring is connected to bipolar-plates arranged between respective two neighbored cell frames. 
     
     
         31 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the switch is a mechanical switch, in particular a rotary switch. 
     
     
         32 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 31 , wherein the switch is a rotary switch. 
     
     
         33 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the switch is an electronic multiplexer. 
     
     
         34 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the switch is arranged in an encapsulated surrounding at a first location. 
     
     
         35 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 34 , wherein the wiring between the encapsulated surrounding and the electrolyzer is protected. 
     
     
         36 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 34 , wherein at least part of the common wiring path segment is protected. 
     
     
         37 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the common wiring path segment is connected to an input of the measuring device. 
     
     
         38 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 34 , wherein the measuring device is arranged at a second location. 
     
     
         39 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 38 , wherein the second location is more distant from the electrolyzer than the first location. 
     
     
         40 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 38 , wherein the measuring device is a programmable logic controller. 
     
     
         41 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 34 , wherein the wiring comprises an electric connection from an end plate of the electrolyzer to the measuring device bypassing the switch. 
     
     
         42 . The electrolyzer arrangement according to  claim 41 , wherein the electric connection is at least partly protected and crosses the encapsulated surrounding.