PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE ELECTROLYZER
A proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer for breaking down water to hydrogen and oxygen comprises a titanium anode, a catalyst-coated membrane, a titanium cathode, and a power source. The titanium anode is configured to receive water from a water source. The titanium anode liberates oxygen and protons. The catalyst-coated membrane is operably connected to the titanium anode via gas diffusion layer (titanium frits and titanium mesh). The catalyst-coated membrane is configured to permit protons to permeate from the anode to the cathode. The titanium cathode is configured to receive the protons that have migrated through the membrane. The received protons accept electrons from the power source to form hydrogen. The power source is electrically connected across the titanium anode and the titanium cathode. The power source completes an electric circuit between the cathode and the anode for breaking down the water to hydrogen and oxygen.
The invention disclosed herein generally relates to a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. More particularly, the invention relates to a PEM electrolyzer having components fabricated from titanium only.
BACKGROUNDProton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzers are devices that break down molecules of water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. Typically, electrolyzers contain an anode for receiving water and producing oxygen, and a cathode where the hydrogen is produced. At the anode, water is oxidized, leaving oxygen, H+-ions, and free electrons. While the oxygen gas can be collected directly at the anode, protons migrate through the proton exchange membrane to the cathode where they are reduced to hydrogen (the electrons for this are provided by the external circuit). The reaction at the cathode is represented as: 4H++4e−→2H2. The reaction at the anode is represented as: 2H2O→4H++4e−+O2.
Typically, expensive materials such as gold or platinum plating are used to construct or coat the electrode plates and other internal components, for example, wire mesh, screens, carbon cloth with embedded platinum, etc. The use of materials such as gold or platinum greatly increases the cost of production of an electrolyzer. Since such electrolyzers are very expensive, and unaffordable, it has resulted in substantial reduction in usage for daily applications, for example, welding, brazing etc. As a result, there is a need for economical and affordable electrolyzers for daily application.
Hence, there is a long felt but unresolved need for an electrolyzer, which is economical, affordable, and robust.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The proton exchange membrane electrolyzer disclosed herein addresses the above-mentioned need for an electrolyzer, which is economical and affordable for daily application. The proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer for breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen, disclosed herein, comprises a titanium anode, custom catalyst-coated membranes, a titanium neutral plate, a titanium cathode, titanium frits, titanium mesh, rubber gaskets, compression end plates to compress the mentioned components together, and a power source. The titanium anode of the PEM electrolyzer is configured to receive distilled water from a water source. The titanium anode liberates oxygen and protons. The catalyst-coated membrane is operably connected to the titanium anode and the cathode side of the titanium neutral plate via gas diffusion layer (titanium frits and titanium mesh). The catalyst-coated membrane is configured to permit protons to permeate from the titanium anode to the titanium cathode side of the titanium neutral plate. The cathode side is configured to receive the protons that have migrated through the catalyst-coated membrane. The received protons accept electrons from the power source to form hydrogen. The anode side of the titanium neutral plate is configured to receive distilled water from a water source to liberate oxygen and protons. The catalyst-coated membrane is operably connected to the titanium anode side of the titanium neutral plate and titanium cathode plate via a gas diffusion layer (Titanium frits and titanium mesh). The catalyst-coated membrane is configured to permit protons to permeate from the anode side of the titanium neutral plate to the titanium cathode. The power source is electrically connected across the titanium anode and the titanium cathode. The power source completes an electric circuit between the titanium cathode and the titanium anode for breaking down water to hydrogen and oxygen.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings which is a two stack (two-cell or two-proton exchange membrane) electrolyzer. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and structures disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a structure referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or structure shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.
In an embodiment, the power source is electrically connected across the titanium anode 101 and the titanium cathode 103. In one embodiment, the power source completes an electric circuit between the titanium cathode 103 and the titanium anode 101 for breaking down the water to hydrogen and oxygen. In an embodiment, a gas diffusion layer made of titanium frits 105a and titanium mesh 105b is provided. Compression end plates 104B and 104A, exemplarily illustrated in
The proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer 100 with custom catalyst coating (MEA) is a form of water electrolysis that utilizes proton exchange membrane 102 using only distilled water. In an embodiment, the voltage rating of the power source ranges from 3.3V to 4V DC for 2-cell system. Typically, this PEM electrolyzer 100 requires 1.65 to 2 volts per cell, and the current rating ranges from about zero to 160 A DC. The separate streams of Oxygen and Hydrogen are about 99.999% pure. The components of the PEM electrolyzer 100 are built using only titanium parts, thus reducing the cost by as much as 65%, while maintaining high efficiency. Both the hydrogen and the oxygen side of the PEM electrolyzer 100 can be pressurized up to 70 PSI. The PEM electrolyzer 100 is affordable enough to be used in welding, brazing, and jewelry industry as well as for educational purposes in high schools, colleges, medical labs, etc. The construction of the components of the PEM electrolyzer 100 using only titanium has reduced the production cost and therefore increased the affordability among users.
The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer 100, disclosed herein. While the PEM electrolyzer 100 has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the PEM electrolyzer 100, has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the PEM electrolyzer 100 is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the PEM electrolyzer 100 extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may effect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the PEM electrolyzer 100 disclosed herein in their aspects.
Claims
1. A proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer for breaking down water to hydrogen and oxygen, the proton exchange membrane electrolyzer using only titanium components comprising:
- a titanium anode of the PEM electrolyzer configured to receive water from a water source, wherein the titanium anode liberates oxygen and protons;
- a catalyst-coated membrane operably connected to the titanium anode via titanium frits, and a titanium mesh, the catalyst coated membrane configured to permit protons to permeate from the titanium anode to a titanium cathode;
- the titanium cathode is operably connected to the catalyst-coated membrane via the titanium frits and the titanium mesh, wherein the titanium cathode is configured to receive the protons, and wherein the received protons accept electrons from a power source to release hydrogen; and
- the power source electrically connected across the titanium anode and the titanium cathode, wherein the power source completes an electric circuit between the titanium cathode and the titanium anode for breaking down the water to hydrogen and oxygen.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 6, 2017
Publication Date: Jul 12, 2018
Inventor: Leon Kazarian (Burlingame, CA)
Application Number: 15/400,868