Next Generation Lab-Scale Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis Test System

Abstract

The world of electrochemical devices has witnessed remarkable progress in recent years, with particular emphasis on the development and advancement of bipolar membranes (BPMs). This progress has predominantly centered around BPM applications within membrane electrode assembly (MEA) systems, encompassing technologies such as fuel cells and electrolyzers. The exploration of BPM in these MEA systems has allowed for an almost complete elimination of the BPM overpotential for water dissociation and has dramatically changed the playing field and viability of BPM. This rapid advancement in understanding BPM fundamentals has in part come from the commercially available and universally utilized lab-scale electrolyzer/fuel cell systems. These devices have allowed labs around the world to focus on finite aspects of the BPM without being slowed by the debates of varying test stands.With the development of advanced, MEA optimized BPM and increased understanding of BPM fundamentals, the time is right to embark on the next phase of BPM research. This next phase looks to expand the use of BPM to non-MEA systems, including CO2 sequestration systems, electrodialysis, brine remediation, organic acid/base production, and more. These non-MEA systems present unique challenges and opportunities that demand innovation. To begin the expansion of advanced BPM to non-MEA applications we present here a lab-scale BPM electrodialysis system that allows for small membrane sizes and full system monitoring. This system is cheap to build, highly modular, easy to operate, and allows for a wide range of non-MEA systems to be explored. With this, we hope to speed up the translation of advanced, MEA optimized BPM to non-MEA applications.