Electrolyser system and design

Abstract

An electrolyser system and method is provided. The electrolyser comprises an anode and a cathode collectively forming the electrodes. The electrodes are formed using unipolar hollow tubes of a single conductive material and wherein one side of the electrode comprises a plurality of pores. Further, a first gas diffusion layer is disposed adjacent to the anode, and a second gas diffusion layer is disposed adjacent to the cathode. The first and second gas diffusion layer (GDL) is configured to facilitate the flow of the gases. The electrolyser further comprises a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) disposed within a hollow space formed between the anode and the cathode and configured to facilitate a formation of the first component and the second component during the electrolysis.

1 . An electrolyser configured to split an electrolyte into a first component and a second component using an electric current; the electrolyser comprising:
 an anode and a cathode collectively forming the electrodes; wherein each electrode are formed using unipolar hollow tubes formed using a single conductive material; wherein one side of the hollow rectangular plate comprises a plurality of pores;   a first gas diffusion layer (GDL) disposed adjacent to the anode; and a second gas diffusion layer (GDL) adjacent to the cathode, wherein the first and second GDL is configured to facilitate the flow of gases;   a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) disposed within a hollow space formed between the anode and the cathode and configured to facilitate a formation of the first component and the second component during the electrolysis; wherein the MEA comprises:
 a membrane; 
 an anode catalyst layer disposed adjacent to the membrane and the first GDL; and 
 a cathode catalyst layer disposed adjacent to the membrane and the second GDL; wherein the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer is configured to speed up the formation of the first component and the second component; wherein the first and second components are collected outside the electrolyser via outlet pipes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electrolyser of  claim 1 , wherein the anode catalyst layer is disposed on the first GDL and the cathode catalyst layer is disposed on the second GDL. 
     
     
         3 . The electrolyser of  claim 1 , wherein the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer are coated on opposite sides of the membrane. 
     
     
         4 . The electrolyser of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrolyte transport layer disposed between the first GDL and the anode and configured to facilitate the flow of the gases to the membrane electrode assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The electrolyser of  claim 1 , further comprising an inlet pipe configured to transport an electrolyte to the anode. 
     
     
         6 . The electrolyser of  claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle assembly comprising one or more nozzles configured to uniformly spray the electrolyte on the anode. 
     
     
         7 . The electrolyser of  claim 6 , wherein nozzle assembly is further configured to prevent flooding of the electrolyte and bubbling of gasses in the hollow space. 
     
     
         8 . The electrolyser of  claim 1 , further comprising a first pressure plate and a second pressure plate; wherein the anode and the cathode are disposed between the first and second pressure plates. 
     
     
         9 . The electrolyser of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of toggle clamps configured to mechanically couple the first pressure plate to the second pressure plate. 
     
     
         10 . The electrolyser of  claim 1 , further comprising a control system configured to release the electrolyte at the anode at a pre-determined flow rate. 
     
     
         11 . The electrolyser of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet pipes comprise:
 a first outlet pipe coupled to the anode and configured to transport a first gas to the outside of the electrolyser; and   
       a second outlet pipe coupled to the cathode and configured to transport a second gas to the outside of the electrolyser. 
     
     
         12 . An electrolyser module comprising:
 a plurality of electrolysers electrically coupled together and configured to perform electrolysis of water in response to the application of an electric current;   
       wherein each electrolyser comprises:
 an anode and a cathode collectively forming the electrodes; wherein the electrodes are formed using unipolar hollow tubes formed using a single conductive material; wherein one side of the hollow rectangular plate comprises a plurality of pores; 
 a first gas diffusion layer (GDL) disposed adjacent to the anode; and a second gas diffusion layer (GDL) disposed adjacent to the cathode; where in the first and second GDL is configured to facilitate the flow of the gases; 
 a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) disposed within a hollow space formed between the anode and the cathode and configured to facilitate a formation of the first component and the second component during the electrolysis; 
 
       wherein the MEA comprises:
   a membrane;   an anode catalyst layer disposed adjacent to the membrane and the first GDL; and   a cathode catalyst layer disposed adjacent to the membrane and the second GDL; wherein the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer is configured to speed up the formation of the first component and the second component;   
 an electrolyte transport layer disposed between the first GDL and the anode and configured to facilitate the flow of the first and second components to the membrane electrode assembly; 
 
       wherein the first and second components are collected outside the electrolyser via outlet pipes. 
     
     
         13 . The electrolyser module of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of sensors coupled to each electrolyser and configured to detect the gas leaks. 
     
     
         14 . The electrolyser module of  claim 12 , further comprising a control system configured to monitor a plurality of parameters of the electrolyser module. 
     
     
         15 . The electrolyser module of  claim 12 ; wherein the control system is further configured to supply electrolyte to the electrolysers in a controlled manner.