Supercritical Solutions, a UK cleantech company founded in 2020, develops a membrane-less alkaline water electrolyzer that uses supercritical alkaline electrolyte at high temperature and pressure to produce pre-pressurized hydrogen. This technology significantly reduces the overall cost and complexity of hydrogen production, making it more accessible for various industrial applications.
Challenges: hydrogen fuel
Green hydrogen (Hâ‚‚) is a crucial element of the future net-zero world. Using electricity from renewable sources, such as nuclear, solar, and wind, to split water produces green hydrogen. Green hydrogen can decarbonize hard-to-abate industries, such as steel manufacture, long-distance transportation, shipping, and aviation. Seasonally, it can also store renewable electricity and serve as a chemical feedstock.
There are several ways to use electricity to turn water into hydrogen right now. These include alkaline electrolyzers, proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, anion-exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzers, and solid oxide electrolysis cells.
When it comes to commercial water electrolysis technology in the megawatt range, alkaline electrolyzers are the most common type. An alkaline water electrolyzer consists of two electrodes—an anode and a cathode—that are submerged in an electrolyte. The electrolyte is typically a potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. The electrodes are separated by a thick, porous permeable diaphragm.
The alkaline electrolyzer can use cheap parts, like steel bipolar plates, inexpensive diaphragm separators, and non-precious catalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions.
Alkaline electrolyzers typically operate at temperatures between 70-100 ºC. The operating pressure is usually less than 40 bar. The produced hydrogen needs to be compressed for storage and transport. The operating temperature and pressure is mainly limited by the structural stability of the diaphragm.
Supercritical Solutions Technology
Supercritical Solutions has developed a membrane-less alkaline water electrolyzer. Such an electrolyzer uses a supercritical alkaline aqueous electrolyte at high temperature and pressure (220 − 270 bar and 374 − 400 ºC) to produce pre-pressurized hydrogen. Supercritical Solutions technology eliminates the need for expensive membranes, materials, and external gas pressurization, allowing for the direct use or storage of hydrogen outputs without further intermediate steps.
Supercritical Solutions electrolyzer
The diagram below illustrates the structure of Supercritical Solutions membrane-less electrolyzer.
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