Cassette for electrolyzer with outlet blockade with drain

Abstract

A cassette (1) for an electrolyzer includes a cooling plate (2) and an electrolyte plate (3a, 3c) defining an electrolyte flow path (6a, 6c) between them. The electrolyte plate (3a, 3c) is formed with at least one electrolyte fluid inlet (8in, 9in) at a first end section and at least one gas outlet (8out, 9out) at a second, opposite end section and defines an active area between the first end section and the second end section. At least one of the at least one gas outlet (8out, 9out) is partly surrounded by an outlet blockade (28) with an opening (29) formed therein, allowing gas only to leave the second end section towards the at least one gas outlet (8out, 9out) via the opening (29) in the outlet blockade (28).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cassette for an electrolyzer, the cassette comprising a cooling plate and an electrolyte plate defining an electrolyte flow path between them, and where the electrolyte plate is formed with at least one electrolyte fluid inlet at a first end section and at least one gas outlet at a second, opposite end section and defines an active area between the first end section and the second end section, where at least one of the at least one gas outlet is partly surrounded by an outlet blockade with an opening formed therein, allowing gas only to leave the second end section towards the at least one gas outlet via the opening in the outlet blockade. 
     
     
         2 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the opening in the outlet blockade is arranged at a side of the at least one gas outlet which is opposite to a side which faces the active area. 
     
     
         3 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet blockade is further formed with an outlet blockade drain arranged substantially opposite to the opening. 
     
     
         4 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the cassette is oriented in such a manner that the opening formed in the outlet blockade is arranged above the at least one gas outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet blockade is formed by one or more projections on the electrolyte plate and/or on the cooling plate. 
     
     
         6 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas outlet is provided with an outer gasket, and wherein the outer gasket is formed with beads reaching into the gas outlet, where the beads extend into the gas outlet of the cassette as well as into the gas outlet of a neighbouring cassette. 
     
     
         7 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 6 , wherein the outer gasket is positioned at an outer circumference of the at least one gas outlet and is arranged to seal to the externals when another cassette is positioned adjacent to the cassette. 
     
     
         8 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte plate and/or the cooling plate is/are symmetric with respect to a centre line of the plate, extending along a length direction of the plate. 
     
     
         9 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte plate is further formed with a cooling inlet opening and a cooling outlet opening for a cooling fluid to pass the electrolyte plate. 
     
     
         10 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas outlet is positioned between the cooling inlet opening and the cooling outlet opening. 
     
     
         11 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte plate defines a centre line passing in a length direction of the cassette, wherein the at least one gas outlet includes an anodic gas outlet and a cathodic gas outlet, and wherein the anodic gas outlet is positioned at a first side of the centre line and the cathodic gas outlet is positioned at a second, opposite side of the centre line. 
     
     
         12 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 11 , wherein the anodic gas outlet is positioned at the first side of the centre line substantially halfway between a first side edge of the electrolyte plate and the centre line, and/or the cathodic gas outlet is positioned at the second side of the centre line substantially halfway between a second side edge of the electrolyte plate and the centre line. 
     
     
         13 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 1 , wherein the cassette comprises two cooling plates and two electrolyte plates, in the form of an anodic electrolyte plate and a cathodic electrolyte plate, and wherein the two cooling plates are positioned between the anodic electrolyte plate and the cathodic electrolyte plate. 
     
     
         14 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 13 , wherein the electrolyte plates and cooling plates each are formed with cooling openings for a cooling fluid to pass the plate, at least one anodic electrolyte fluid inlet for an anodic electrolyte fluid to pass the plate, at least one cathodic electrolyte fluid inlet for a cathodic electrolyte fluid to pass the plate, at least one anodic gas outlet for an anodic gas to pass the plate, and at least one cathodic gas outlet for a cathodic gas to pass the plate, and wherein each of the respective openings reach through all four plates and combine with the similar respective openings of neighbouring connected cassettes. 
     
     
         15 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 14 , wherein the cooling plates and the electrolyte plates in the cassette are connected such that the cooling openings are sealed from an anodic electrolyte flow path formed between one of the cooling plates and the anodic electrolyte plate, and from a cathodic electrolyte flow path formed between the other cooling plate and the cathodic electrolyte plate, and the cooling openings are in fluid connection to a cooling flow path formed between the cooling plates. 
     
     
         16 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 14 , wherein the cooling plates and the electrolyte plates in the cassette are connected such that the anodic electrolyte fluid inlets and the anodic gas outlets are sealed from respectively the cooling flow path and the cathodic electrolyte fluid inlets and the cathodic gas outlets. 
     
     
         17 . The cassette for an electrolyzer according to  claim 14 , wherein the cooling plates and the electrolyte plates in the cassette are connected such that the cathodic electrolyte fluid inlets and the cathodic gas outlets are sealed from respectively the cooling flow path and the anodic electrolyte fluid inlets and the anodic gas outlets.