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

authored by
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.

Organisation(s)
Institute of Electric Power Systems
Section Electrical Energy Storage Systems
Type
Article
Journal
Journal of the Electrochemical Society
Volume
169
ISSN
0013-4651
Publication date
09.2022
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Electrochemistry, Materials Chemistry
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac908c (Access: Open)