In the context of the global energy transition today, hydrogen energy, as an efficient, clean, and sustainable energy carrier, has received widespread attention. Hydrogen fuel cells, which directly convert the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy through electrochemical reactions, are widely regarded as a key component of future energy technologies. This technology is not only environmentally friendly, but also has high energy conversion efficiency, and is hailed as a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of clean energy.

Case background: Temperature control requirements for PEM water electrolysis hydrogen electrolysis cell

PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolysis of water for hydrogen production technology, with its fast response and high-purity hydrogen production (up to 99.999%), has become one of the important routes for renewable energy hydrogen production. However, this technology faces a major challenge in its application: the electrolytic cell releases a large amount of heat due to electrochemical reactions during operation. If the temperature exceeds 80 ℃, it will cause dehydration of the proton exchange membrane, decrease in catalyst activity, and in severe cases, even lead to the phenomenon of "sick tank", affecting the normal operation and service life of the equipment. On the contrary, if the temperature is too low, it will reduce the ion conduction efficiency and lead to a sharp increase in energy consumption. Moreover, the diaphragm compressors in the rectifier cabinet, hydrogen separation device, and hydrogen compression section also require strict temperature control to ensure equipment safety and hydrogen purity. For fuel cell hydrogenation hydrogen production systems, the following three major temperature control challenges are particularly prominent:

1. High load heat dissipation demandWith the development of technology, the power of a single electrolytic cell has exceeded the megawatt level, which requires the system to have the ability to quickly remove reaction heat.

2. Multi device collaborative temperature controlElectrolytic cells, rectifier cabinets, compressors and other equipment all require temperature control, and the temperature difference between them is significant, which increases the complexity of the system.

3. Energy efficiency requirementsWhile achieving temperature control, it is also necessary to reduce the energy consumption of auxiliary equipment to meet the goal of "low-carbon throughout the entire lifecycle".

Solution: "Centralized+Intelligent" to create an efficient and energy-saving temperature control system

To address the above challenges, we propose a "centralized+intelligent" temperature control system solution aimed at achieving efficient, energy-saving, and stable temperature control effects.

1. High cooling capacity stable design

nUltra large cooling powerBy adopting a parallel strategy of multiple chillers, it can meet the heat dissipation requirements of a hydrogen production scale of 2000Nm ³/h and fully address the challenges of high load heat dissipation.

nWide temperature range regulationBy using a variable frequency compressor and control program design, the effluent temperature is stabilized at 5-20 ℃, and the temperature difference fluctuation is strictly controlled within ≤± 0.5 ℃. It is highly adaptable to the temperature control curves of different equipment to ensure the accuracy and stability of temperature control.

2. Integrated pipeline and intelligent control

nUnified piping systemDesign a circular water supply and return pipe network to achieve zone cooling of the electrolytic cell reaction zone, rectifier cabinet, and diaphragm compressor, effectively reducing pipeline losses and improving overall system efficiency.

nIoT monitoring platformEquipped with a PLC control system and remote monitoring module, it can obtain real-time temperature, pressure, and flow data of the equipment, and dynamically adjust the cooling capacity using AI algorithms to achieve intelligent temperature control, reducing energy consumption by more than 15% compared to traditional systems.

3. Energy saving and reliability upgrade

nEfficient heat exchange technologyBy adopting advanced heat exchange technology, the heat exchange efficiency has been increased by 20%, and the COP (energy efficiency ratio) has reached 3.2 (under the working conditions of ambient temperature of 35 ℃ and outlet temperature of 7 ℃), significantly improving energy utilization efficiency.

nMaintenance free designThe air-cooled structural design does not require a cooling tower and is suitable for outdoor installation scenarios in hydrogen refueling stations. It reduces operation and maintenance costs by 40% and has an average operating time (MTBF) of over 8000 hours, greatly improving the reliability and durability of the system.

Application effectiveness: From "safe operation" to "cost reduction and efficiency improvement"

After the project is put into operation, the significant changes brought by the hydrogen dedicated chiller are reflected in the following aspects:

lEquipment security guaranteeThe temperature of the electrolytic cell is stably controlled at 65 ℃, the lifespan of the proton exchange membrane is increased to over 20000 hours, and the failure rate of the rectifier cabinet is reduced by 90%, greatly improving the safety and stability of the equipment.

lHydrogen production efficiency improvementThe energy consumption of the electrolytic cell has decreased to 4.2 kWh/Nm ³, which is lower than the industry average of 4.5-5.0 kWh/Nm ³. The hydrogen production efficiency has significantly improved, creating significant economic benefits for customers.

Conclusion

Through this comprehensive temperature control solution, we have not only successfully solved the temperature control problem in the field of hydrogen fuel cells, but also provided strong support for the healthy development of the hydrogen energy industry. For more technical details and industry cases, please follow Aoxu Zhaochen's official account for more exciting content.