Electrolyzer apparatus and method for hydrogen and oxygen production

Abstract

An electrolyzer cell () for the electrolysis of water comprises a cathode () of generally tubular configuration within which is disposed an anode () separated from the cathode () by a separation membrane () of generally tubular configuration which divides the electrolyte chamber () into an anode sub-chamberand a cathode sub-chamber (). An electrolyzer apparatus () includes an array () of individual cells ()across each of which an electric potential is imposed by a DC generator () via electrical leads (). Hydrogen gas generated within cells () from electrolyte () is removed via hydrogen gas take-off lines () and hydrogen manifold line (). By-product oxygen is removed from cells () by oxygen gas take-off lines () and oxygen manifold line (). The electrolyzer apparatus () may be configured to operate either batchwise or in a continuous electrolyterecycle operation to produce high purity hydrogen at high pressure, e.g., up to about (10,000) psig, without need for gas compressors to compress product hydrogen.