Hydrogen Crossover in PEM Water Electrolysis at Current Densities up to 10 A cm−2

verfasst von
Agate Martin, Patrick Trinke, Boris Bensmann, Richard Hanke-Rauschenbach
Abstract

Hydrogen crossover poses a critical issue in terms of the safe and efficient operation in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). The impact of key operating parameters such as temperature and pressure on crossover was investigated in the past. However, many recent studies suggest that the relation between the hydrogen crossover flux and the current density is not fully resolved. This study investigates the hydrogen crossover of PEMWE cells using a thin Nafion 212 membrane at current densities up to 10 A cm−2 and cathode pressures up to 10 bar, by analysing the anode product gas with gas chromatography. The results show that the hydrogen crossover flux generally increases over the entire current density range. However, the fluxes pass through regions with varying slopes and flatten in the high current regime. Only considering hydrogen diffusion as the single transport mechanism is insufficient to explain these data. Under the prevailing conditions, it is concluded that the electro-osmotic drag of water containing dissolved hydrogen should be considered additionally as a hydrogen transport mechanism. The drag of water acts opposite to hydrogen diffusion and has an attenuating effect on the hydrogen crossover in PEMWE cells with increasing current densities.

Organisationseinheit(en)
Institut für Elektrische Energiesysteme
Fachgebiet Elektrische Energiespeichersysteme
Typ
Artikel
Journal
Journal of the Electrochemical Society
Band
169
ISSN
0013-4651
Publikationsdatum
09.2022
Publikationsstatus
Veröffentlicht
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Elektronische, optische und magnetische Materialien, Erneuerbare Energien, Nachhaltigkeit und Umwelt, Oberflächen, Beschichtungen und Folien, Elektrochemie, Werkstoffchemie
Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung
SDG 7 – Erschwingliche und saubere Energie
Elektronische Version(en)
https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac908c (Zugang: Offen)