Estimating the Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Production in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells Using Rapid Operando Hydrogen Crossover Analysis

Jacob Wrubel; Christian Milleville; Ellis Klein; Jason Zack; Andrew Park; Guido Bender

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.06.155

Estimating the Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Production in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells Using Rapid Operando Hydrogen Crossover Analysis

Jacob Wrubel, Christian Milleville, Ellis Klein, Jason Zack, Andrew Park, Guido Bender

The Chemours Company

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Hydrogen (H₂) crossover in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers refers to the process by which hydrogen produced at the cathode traverses the membrane and mixes with the oxygen produced at the anode. This phenomenon reduces efficiency and may pose flammability hazards. In this work we present a method for quantifying the H₂ content of the anode exhaust gas using a gas chromatograph that is capable of sampling data every 2 min. Subsequent theory is presented to calculate the crossover flux, overall H₂ efficiency, and H₂ energy requirements. Results the effects of membrane thickness using Nafion™ N117 (178 μm) and Nafion™ NR212 (51 μm) membranes. It was found that thinner membranes lead to improved VI performance but exhibit higher crossover rates. Despite their increased crossover, leading to decreased hydrogen efficiency, the calculated required energy for NR212 membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) was significantly lower than that of N117 MEAs.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	28244-28253
Number of pages	10
Journal	International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume	47
Issue number	66
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.06.155 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.06.155
State	Published - 1 Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5900-82397

Keywords

Differential pressure operation
Efficiency
Hydrogen crossover
Hydrogen energy requirement
Low temperature water electrolysis
Proton exchange membranes

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Wrubel, J., Milleville, C., Klein, E., Zack, J., Park, A., & Bender, G. (2022). Estimating the Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Production in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells Using Rapid Operando Hydrogen Crossover Analysis. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 47(66), 28244-28253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.06.155, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.06.155

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title = "Estimating the Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Production in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells Using Rapid Operando Hydrogen Crossover Analysis",

abstract = "Hydrogen (H2) crossover in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers refers to the process by which hydrogen produced at the cathode traverses the membrane and mixes with the oxygen produced at the anode. This phenomenon reduces efficiency and may pose flammability hazards. In this work we present a method for quantifying the H2 content of the anode exhaust gas using a gas chromatograph that is capable of sampling data every 2 min. Subsequent theory is presented to calculate the crossover flux, overall H2 efficiency, and H2 energy requirements. Results the effects of membrane thickness using Nafion{\texttrademark} N117 (178 μm) and Nafion{\texttrademark} NR212 (51 μm) membranes. It was found that thinner membranes lead to improved VI performance but exhibit higher crossover rates. Despite their increased crossover, leading to decreased hydrogen efficiency, the calculated required energy for NR212 membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) was significantly lower than that of N117 MEAs.",

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Wrubel, J , Milleville, C , Klein, E , Zack, J, Park, A & Bender, G 2022, 'Estimating the Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Production in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells Using Rapid Operando Hydrogen Crossover Analysis', International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, vol. 47, no. 66, pp. 28244-28253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.06.155, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.06.155

Estimating the Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Production in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells Using Rapid Operando Hydrogen Crossover Analysis. / Wrubel, Jacob ; Milleville, Christian ; Klein, Ellis et al.
In: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 47, No. 66, 01.08.2022, p. 28244-28253.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Estimating the Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Production in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells Using Rapid Operando Hydrogen Crossover Analysis

AU - Wrubel, Jacob

AU - Milleville, Christian

AU - Klein, Ellis

AU - Zack, Jason

AU - Park, Andrew

AU - Bender, Guido

PY - 2022/8/1

Y1 - 2022/8/1

N2 - Hydrogen (H2) crossover in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers refers to the process by which hydrogen produced at the cathode traverses the membrane and mixes with the oxygen produced at the anode. This phenomenon reduces efficiency and may pose flammability hazards. In this work we present a method for quantifying the H2 content of the anode exhaust gas using a gas chromatograph that is capable of sampling data every 2 min. Subsequent theory is presented to calculate the crossover flux, overall H2 efficiency, and H2 energy requirements. Results the effects of membrane thickness using Nafion™ N117 (178 μm) and Nafion™ NR212 (51 μm) membranes. It was found that thinner membranes lead to improved VI performance but exhibit higher crossover rates. Despite their increased crossover, leading to decreased hydrogen efficiency, the calculated required energy for NR212 membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) was significantly lower than that of N117 MEAs.

AB - Hydrogen (H2) crossover in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers refers to the process by which hydrogen produced at the cathode traverses the membrane and mixes with the oxygen produced at the anode. This phenomenon reduces efficiency and may pose flammability hazards. In this work we present a method for quantifying the H2 content of the anode exhaust gas using a gas chromatograph that is capable of sampling data every 2 min. Subsequent theory is presented to calculate the crossover flux, overall H2 efficiency, and H2 energy requirements. Results the effects of membrane thickness using Nafion™ N117 (178 μm) and Nafion™ NR212 (51 μm) membranes. It was found that thinner membranes lead to improved VI performance but exhibit higher crossover rates. Despite their increased crossover, leading to decreased hydrogen efficiency, the calculated required energy for NR212 membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) was significantly lower than that of N117 MEAs.

KW - Differential pressure operation

KW - Efficiency

KW - Hydrogen crossover

KW - Hydrogen energy requirement

KW - Low temperature water electrolysis

KW - Proton exchange membranes

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VL - 47

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JO - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

JF - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

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ER -

Estimating the Energy Requirement for Hydrogen Production in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells Using Rapid Operando Hydrogen Crossover Analysis

Abstract

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

UN SDGs

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