Uhdenora S.p.a.

Nuvera Fuel Cells Europe Srl

Industrie De Nora S.p.a.

Thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers S.r.l.

Angelo Ottaviani

Giuseppe Faita

Corrado Mojana

Dario Oldani

Michele Perego

Fulvio Federico

Leonello Carrettin

Antonio Pasquinucci

Dino Floriano Di Franco

An electrolysis cell provided with a separator, suitable for chlor-alkali electrolysis, has a planar flexible cathode kept in contact with the separator by an elastic conductive element pressed by a current distributor and an anode consisting of a punched sheet or mesh supporting the separator suitable for being individually pre-assembled and used as elementary unit of a modular arrangement to form an electrolyzer whose terminal cells only are connected to the electric power supply; the electrical continuity between adjacent cells being assured by conductive contact strips secured to the external anodic walls of the shells delimiting each cell with the stiffness of the cathode current distributor and of the anodic structure and the elasticity of the conductive element cooperate in maintaining a uniform cathode to separator contact with a homogeneous pressure distribution meanwhile ensuring a suitable mechanical load on the contact strips.

Elementary cell and relevant modular electrolyser for electrolytic processes

The invention relates to a current collector for electrochemical diaphragm or membrane-type cells, comprising a layer obtained by interlacing or weaving of a multiplicity of first sets of metal wires with a multiplicity of single metal wires or of second sets of metal wires and provided with substantially parallel corrugations. Such layer is coupled to a planar element consisting of a cloth or a flattened stocking formed by weaving of a single metal wire. The current collector is characterised by a low angular coefficient of the pressure/thickness ratio over a wide range of compression levels.

Elastic current collector for electrochemical cells

The invention describes a method for the direct connection of fuel cells to electrolyzers of electrochemical plants producing hydrogen as a by-product. The by-product hydrogen is fed to the fuel cells and the electric energy thereby produced is transferred to the electrolyzers, with the consequent saving of the overall energy consumption. The direct coupling avoids the need for DC/AC converters or voltage adjusters and may be effected either in series or in parallel. In the latter case the fuel cell are assembled in modules, the number and voltage of which is regulated by means of interrupters activated by a computerised control and supervision system. As an alternative, the voltage of the modules may be varied by varying the pressure of the air fed to the fuel cells.

Method for the integration of fuel cells into electrochemical plants

Growing community of inventors

Milan, Italy

Angelo Ottaviani