An automatically configurable plant to produce electrolyzers

Abstract

Due to the increasing importance of green hydrogen, the demand for electrolyzers, produced in lower-cost, automated series production, is rising sharply. Forecasts for estimating future market potential are characterized by a high degree of uncertainty in the type of electrolysis technology that will prevail. Depending on the circumstances, new types of adaptable electrolyzer production plants are needed, which are flexible in the type of electrolysis technology as well as in their throughput quantity. Thus, to produce electrolyzers economically, it is necessary to develop the production plant in parallel with the product. The challenge here is that those comprehensive automation concepts for electrolyzers production do not yet exist, and thus the production facilities must be conceptualized in parallel with a wide range of undefined electrolyzer products. This publication aims to answer the research questions: How can a flexible production plant for electrolyzers be conceptualized and digitally implemented? What does a methodical workflow look like to design and automatically configure production plants with the help of a limited number of electrolyzer input data? Starting from a reference electrolyzer, adaptable production plants were virtually commissioned to a proof-of-concept status. Thereby the plant is adaptable in throughput, it is easily expandable, and products with different electrolysis technologies and different dimensions can be served. In a subsequent evaluation, different plants are configured based on different requirements. Then, various production scenarios are simulated, and optimal configurations are determined. The customizable plant concept is the basis for a future plant configurator. Likewise, the proof-of-concept of the plant provides the basis for an iterative optimization process up to real commissioning, which is to be implemented as part of the H2Giga FertiRob research project.