The electrolyzer is in principle a reversed fuel cell. Water and electricity is supplied to the electrolyzer at which the water is dissolved to hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. Electrolysis of water was discovered in year 1800 by Nicholson and Carlisle. In "GlashusEtt" the electrolyzer uses a polymermembrane as a solid electrolyte, which has led to that the technology is abbreviatedPEM = Proton Exchange Membrane. At the anode water (H2O) is dissolved in presence of an electric field and a catalyst to protons (H+), electrons (e-) and oxygen (O2). The protons migrate through the polymer membrane to the cathode, where protons and electrons form hydrogen (H2).
Supplier
Proton Energy Systems, USA, has delivered the electrolyzer of the model Hogen 20. It delivers hydrogen with a pressure of 13,8 bar without a compressor and it can produce a maximum of 0,53 m3 hydrogen per hour. The electrolyzer can be operated both on direct current from the solar cells and alternating current from the grid. The hydrogen purity is better than 99,999%.
The size of the electrolyzer is 97 cm (L) x 78 cm (W) x 106 cm (H) and the weight is 227 kg.