High-temperature electrolyser (HTE) with improved operating safety

摘要

A high-temperature electrolyser including a stack of electrolysis cells in which steam is made to flow both at a cathode and at an anode. The architecture of the electrolyzer is configured to have each cathode inlet end and anode inlet end close to an oxygen, or respectably hydrogen, collection duct portion. With the structure, a buffer volume of steam is created around the oxygen and hydrogen collectors, which therefore constitutes a simple and effective sealing mechanism within the electrolyser.

主权项

1. A reactor for high-temperature electrolysis of water, comprising:
a stack of elementary electrolysis cells, each including a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte sandwiched between the cathode and the anode; at least one interconnecting plate fitted between two adjacent elementary cells, in electrical contact with an electrode of one of the two elementary cells and an electrode of another of the two elementary cells, wherein the interconnecting plate delimits at least one cathodic compartment and at least one anodic compartment for gas to flow respectively in the cathode and in the anode; wherein one end of the cathodic compartments, as a cathode inlet end, is connected to a feed configured to deliver steam, and one end of the anodic compartments, as an anode inlet end, is also connected to a feed configured to deliver steam; wherein another end of the cathodic compartments, as a cathode outlet end, emerges in a portion of a hydrogen collection duct which is made through the stack of cells and of the interconnecting plates, and another end of the anodic compartments, as an anode outlet end, emerges in an oxygen collection duct portion which is made through the stack of cells and of the interconnecting plates; and wherein each cathode inlet end is positioned close to the oxygen collection and/or hydrogen collection duct portion, and each anode inlet end is positioned close to the hydrogen collection and/or oxygen collection duct portion.