SWEL-V: A low-cost salt-water electrolyzer. Comparative analyses with the proton exchange membrane, PEM, electrolyzer

Abstract

Seawater is the largest resource on earth which makes the hydrogen production directly from seawater an economically attractive solution if the corrosion problems are solved. Traditionally in the electrolysis analysis, both electrodes are made of metals. The produced oxygen and chlorine in the electrolysis process cause high rates of corrosion resulting in using expensive alloys to slow down the corrosion process. A novel solution to the corrosion problem is introduced, tested, and experimentally proved. The novelty of the solution relies on replacing the classic high-cost positive electrodes with a non-metallic, low cost, one [1,2]. The non-metallic electrode is made of surface rock portions with high pore volume and high pores connectivity and saturated with saline water. The experimental results are compared to the freshwater Proton Exchange Membrane PEM electrolyzers. The comparison proved that the novel solution solved the corrosion challenges of the metallic electrodes with excellent efficiency and hydrogen purity.