EXSOLUTION-BASED NANOPARTICLES FOR LOWEST COST GREEN HYDROGEN VIA ELECTROLYSIS

今天的碱性电解槽更倾向于电流密度而不是效率：为了达到商业上相关的电流密度，这些系统通常在超过2v /cell的电压下运行，对应于电解槽功耗为bbb54 kWh/kg。采用高压有四个原因：1)电极电化学活性不足；2)通常使用的隔膜相对较高的气体渗透性意味着可以在高电流工作点实现更高的氢纯度；3)由于流场非常简单，堆栈设计未针对低电流工作进行优化；4)需要高电流以实现有吸引力的电解槽CAPEX成本（欧元/千瓦）。然而，越来越多的人认为，绿色H2的广泛采用不会受到电解器资本支出的阻碍：在大多数情况下，绿色H2的成本在很大程度上由运营成本主导，这反过来又是电解器效率的直接函数。因此，为了达到尽可能低的H2平准化成本，效率应该优先于电流密度。EXSOTHyC将优化电解操作，以降低电压和提高效率。创新是三重的，并解决了上述四个原因：通过新的阳极和阴极方法替代O2和H2演化反应途径•集成组件的膜电极组件的新概念•通过集成颠覆性概念来提高整体电池效率的新电池设计在该项目中，我们采用了一种结合计算机模拟，快速原型设计以及在单个电池，SRU和短堆水平上进行彻底实验验证的方法。简而言之，我们将结合使用粉末冶金制造的电极和通过溶解制造的陶瓷纳米颗粒，利用两种方法都需要减少气氛的协同作用。此外，基于锆的膜电极组件也将得到发展。该单元/堆栈将由计算机建模支持。

Today’s alkaline electrolysers favour current densities over efficiency: to achieve commercially relevant current densities, these systems typically operate at voltages exceeding 2 V/cell, corresponding to electrolyser power consumption of>54 kWh/kg. There are four reasons for employing high voltages:1) electrodes’ insufficient electrochemical activity, 2) the relatively high gas permeability of commonly employed diaphragms means that improved hydrogen purity can be achieved at high current operation points, 3) the stack designs are not optimised for low-current operation due to very simple flow fields, and 4) high currents are required to achieve attractive electrolyser CAPEX costs (EUR/kW). Yet, there is a growing consensus that the wider adoption of green H2 is not hindered by electrolyser CAPEX: the costs of green H2 are in most cases vastly dominated by OPEX, which in turn is a direct function of electrolyser efficiency. Thus, to achieve lowest possible levelised cost of H2, efficiency should be prioritised over current density. EXSOTHyC will optimise electrolyseroperation towards lower voltages and higher efficiencies. The innovation is three-fold and addressing all four above-mentioned reasons: Alternative pathways to the O2 and H2 evolution reactions by new anode and cathode approaches • Novel concepts of membrane electrode assemblies with integrated components • Novel cell design to enhance overall cell efficiency by integrating disruptive concepts In the project, we adopt an approach combining computer simulations, rapid prototyping, and thorough experimental validation on single cell, SRU and shortstack level. In a nutshell, we will combine electrodes made using powder metallurgy with ceramic nanoparticles fabricated by exsolution, leveraging on the synergy that both methods require reducing atmospheres. Also, membrane-electrode assemblies based on Zirfon will be developed. The cell/stack will be backed by computer modelling.