Electrolyzer operating methods and electrolyzer systems

Abstract

A method of operating an electrolyzer includes changing a current density associated with operation of the electrolyzer based on one or more electricity input factors, or one or more hydrogen output factors, or both.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating an electrolyzer, the method comprising:
 changing a current density associated with operation of the electrolyzer based on one or more electricity input factors, or one or more hydrogen output factors, or both.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more input factors comprise
 balancing load on an electrical grid supplying electricity to the electrolyzer,   an excess or deficit of environmentally-generated electricity supplied to the electrolyzer,   forecasted environmental conditions potentially causing a future excess or deficit of environmentally-generated electricity supplied to the electrolyzer,   a battery charge level of one or more batteries that supply electricity to the electrolyzer,   carbon intensity of electricity supplied to the electrolyzer,   downstream product carbon intensity requirements, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hydrogen output factors comprise
 demand for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer,   balancing hydrogen production load of the electrolyzer with hydrogen production load of one or more other electrolyzers,   hydrogen pipeline demand for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer,   downstream hydrogen pipeline demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer,   storage facility demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer,   hydrogen compressor needs for a hydrogen compressor that compresses the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer,   price, future price, trading credit, hydrogen credit, margin gained from selling hydrogen, or a combination thereof, for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer,   purchase agreement fulfilment for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer,   electricity price of electricity generated from the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is not based on a regional price of electricity supplied to the electrolyzer or a regional demand for electricity supplied to the electrolyzer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is further based on a price of electricity supplied to the electrolyzer and/or a demand for electricity supplied to the electrolyzer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more electricity input factors comprising balancing load on an electrical grid supplying electricity to the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to a decreased amount of electricity available on the electrical grid, or   increasing the current density in response to an increased amount of electricity available on the electrical grid.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more electricity input factors comprising an excess or deficit of environmentally-generated electricity supplied to the electrolyzer or forecasted environmental conditions potentially causing a future excess or deficit of environmentally-generated electricity supplied to the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to a decreased amount of the environmentally-generated electricity or in response to a forecasted decreased amount of the environmentally-generated electricity, or   increasing the current density in response to an increased amount of the environmentally-generated electricity or in response to a forecasted increased amount of the environmentally-generated electricity.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more electricity input factors comprising a battery charge level of one or more batteries that supply electricity to the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to a low charge level of the one or more batteries, or   increasing the current density in response to a high charge level of the one or more batteries.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more electricity input factors comprising carbon intensity of electricity supplied to the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to increased carbon intensity of the electricity supplied to the electrolyzer, or in response to predicted increased carbon intensity of the electricity supplied to the electrolyzer to receive a carbon credit or offset credit to avoid a fee or tax, to stay within cap-and-trade guidelines or limits for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, to receive a CO 2 e credit, to stay under CO 2 e limits, or a combination thereof, or   increasing the current density in response to decreased carbon intensity of the electricity supplied to the electrolyzer, or in response to predicted decreased carbon intensity of the electricity supplied to the electrolyzer, to obtain more carbon credit, offset credit, CO 2 e credit, or a combination thereof, for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer more quickly.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more electricity input factors comprising downstream product carbon intensity requirements, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises decreasing the current density to satisfy carbon intensity requirements of a product made from the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, and wherein the product comprises ammonia for fertilizer, one or more hydrocarbons for sustainable aviation fuel, steel production, concrete production, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on a hydrogen output factor of demand for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to decreasing demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or in response to predicted decreased demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or   increasing the current density in response to increasing demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or in response to predicted increased demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more hydrogen output factors comprising balancing hydrogen production load of the electrolyzer with hydrogen production load of one or more other electrolyzers, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to an increased hydrogen production load of one or more other electrolyzers, or   increasing the current density in response to a decreased hydrogen production load of one or more other electrolyzers.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more hydrogen output factors comprising hydrogen pipeline demand for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to a decreased hydrogen pipeline demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or   increasing the current density in response to an increased hydrogen pipeline demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more hydrogen output factors comprising downstream hydrogen pipeline demand for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to a decreased downstream hydrogen pipeline demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or   increasing the current density in response to an increased downstream hydrogen pipeline demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more hydrogen output factors comprising storage facility demand for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to decreased storage facility demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or   increasing the current density in response to increase storage facility demand for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more hydrogen output factors comprising hydrogen compressor needs for a hydrogen compressor that compresses hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density to decrease an inlet pressure of the hydrogen to the hydrogen compressor, or   increasing the current density to increase an inlet pressure of the hydrogen to the hydrogen compressor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more hydrogen output factors comprising price, future price, trading credit, hydrogen credit, margin gained from selling hydrogen, or a combination thereof, for hydrogen produced by the electrolyze, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density in response to decreasing price, future price, trading credit, hydrogen credit, margin gained from selling hydrogen, or a combination thereof, for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or   increasing the current density in response to increasing price, future price, trading credit, hydrogen credit, margin gained from selling hydrogen, or a combination thereof, for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more hydrogen output factors comprising purchase agreement fulfilment for hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 decreasing the current density to avoid the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer exceeding an amount of hydrogen specified by the purchase agreement for fulfillment of the purchase agreement, or to decrease an amount by which the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer exceeds the amount of hydrogen specified by the purchase agreement for fulfillment of the purchase agreement, or   increasing the current density to avoid the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer being less than an amount of hydrogen specified by the purchase agreement for fulfillment of the purchase agreement, or to decrease an amount by which the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer is less than the amount of hydrogen specified by the purchase agreement for fulfillment of the purchase agreement.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer is based on the one or more hydrogen output factors comprising electricity price of electricity generated from hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, wherein the changing of the current density associated with the operation of the electrolyzer comprises
 increasing the current density in response to a higher electricity price of electricity generated from the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or a predicted higher electricity price of electricity generated from the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or   decreasing the current density in response to a lower electricity price of electricity generated from the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer, or a predicted lower electricity price of electricity generated from the hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer.   
     
     
         20 . An electrolyzer system comprising:
 an electrolyzer comprising one or more electrolyzer cells each comprising a first half cell with a first electrode and a second half cell with a second electrode; and   a controller to control a current applied through the one or more electrolyzer cells;   wherein the controller is configured to dynamically set the current density based on one or more electricity input factors, or one or more hydrogen output factors, or both.