The new process used to produce CO2-freehydrogen isproton exchange membrane electrolysis. In this process, water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of electric current. The advantages of PEM electrolysis are that it is flexible and can respond within milliseconds to the large jumps in electricity production from wind and solar plants. In addition, unlike other types of electrolysis, PEM electrolysis does not require the use of chemicals of concern. The big disadvantage is the high price. Due to the complex manufacturing of the plants in individual production, the costs are high and have to be passed on to the hydrogen price. In addition, the precious metals used as catalyst material increase the price further.
Use of stack technology
In the StacIE project ("Stack Scale-up - Industrialization PEM Electrolysis"), the TU Ilmenau, together with nine other project partners from industry and research, is striving to upscale PEM electrolysis to gigawatt scale. Ambitious goals: Efficiency above 75 percent, a longer lifetime of more than 80,000 hours, lower manufacturing costs and production processes suitable for large-scale production. The research team led by Prof. Andreas Bund, head of the Group of Electrochemistry and Electroplating at Ilmenau University of Technology, wants to contribute to the further development of so-called stack technology. In stacks, individual electrolysis cells are combined into a unit and electrically connected in series to form a cell stack. The manufacturing process is to be simplified and the components for the electrolysers made more efficient. In the future, hydrogen produced efficiently, cheaply and sustainably in this way could be fed into a Germany-wide distribution network for hydrogen, according to the goal of the federal lead project H2Giga.
Contact
Prof. Andreas Bund
Head of the Group Electrochemistry and Electroplating
+49 3677 69-3107
andreas.bund@tu-ilmenau.de
